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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Cranberry Moscow Mule

    Published: Jan 16, 2020 · Modified: Oct 31, 2021 by Alyssa · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Share via Email
    A frosty cranberry moscow mule in a copper mug.

    This Cranberry Moscow Mule is a slightly zippy ginger beer, lime juice, and vodka cocktail made even better with the addition of cranberry juice. You'll love the balance of flavors in this fizzy, easy-to-make drink!

    A frosty cranberry moscow mule in a copper mug.

    Usually I consider a margarita to be my favorite cocktail, but I'm starting to think that they have some competition from Moscow mules.

    Both drinks have a bite to them and both feature lime juice, so it makes a lot of sense why I have a hard time choosing between the two on a bar menu!

    This cranberry Moscow mule features the tart sweetness from cranberry juice to add an easy and fun twist on a cocktail classic (much like apple cider does in an apple cider mule). Plus with the green lime and red cranberry garnishes, doesn't it make a perfect Christmas cocktail?

    What is a Moscow mule?

    A Moscow mule is a vodka cocktail, made with ginger beer and lime juice. It's traditionally served in a copper mug to help keep it super cold as you sip it (affiliate link: I like this affordable set of two copper mugs). While a step away from the original, a cranberry Moscow mule is all of the above, with the addition of cranberry juice. It's as simple as that.

    Cocktail Ingredients

    Cranberry Moscow mule ingredients on a counter.

    Cranberry juice: I recommend using either cranberry juice cocktail or '100% juice' cranberry juice in a cranberry mule. Both of these varieties are sweetened (the former with sugar, the latter with mild-flavored fruit juices such as apple and/or white grape). Pure, 100% cranberry juice is unsweetened and will likely be too tart for a mixed drink like this.

    Ginger beer: This is a carbonated beverage with a much larger (and wonderfully delicious) bite than ginger ale. Used here as a mixer it's non-alcoholic, though there are some alcoholic varieties out there. While I haven't tried every ginger beer brand out there yet, I'm partial to Cock'N Bull (haven't been able to find this recently) and Gosling's (much more common). Diet or regular work great.

    Lime juice: Freshly-squeezed is best in a drink like this over the bottled variety.

    How to Make This Drink

    1. Add ice to a copper mug (or really, any glass). If you don't have a crushed ice dispenser or bags of it, simply add regular ice cubes to a sealable plastic bag and crush with a mallet or meat tenderizer.
    Crushed ice in a copper Moscow mule cup.
    1. Pour in the ginger beer, cranberry juice, and vodka.
    A shot of vodka being poured into a copper mug.
    1. Squeeze half of a lime into the drink.
    A lime half being squeezed into a Moscow mule.
    1. Stir to combine. Garnish with lime wedges and/or fresh cranberries if you like.
    A hand stirring a cranberry Moscow mule with a spoon.

    Recipe Tips

    • Important: Please don't shake this cranberry mule -- only stir! Ginger beer is carbonated, so it would cause a fizzy mess and explode out of your cocktail shaker.
    • As with many cocktail recipes (and especially homemade ones), totally zhush the ingredient quantities here to be in line with your tastes. More or less ginger beer, more or less cranberry juice...make this cranberry Moscow mule your own. I've landed on five ounces of ginger beer and three ounces of cranberry juice as my preferred amounts to really get the cranberry juice flavor to shine through.
    • Non-alcoholic option: The stronger flavors of ginger beer, cranberry juice, and lime juice means this cranberry mule makes a really wonderful mocktail when you omit the vodka. And if you have limes on hand and are looking for more citrus-y mocktails, then you might like to check out this virgin mojito, too.
    An overhead shot of a cranberry moscow mule in a copper mug on a marble serving tray

    Recipe FAQs

    Can you buy ginger beer at the grocery store?

    Yes. Ginger beer is often found in the cocktail mixers section of the store (as it's non-alcoholic), or it can also be stocked in the soft drinks aisle. Some supermarkets will have it in both places.

    Does a Moscow mule have to be in a copper mug?

    While traditionally served in a copper mug as copper keeps the drink chilled really well, you don't have to use one. A highball glass (or, really any kind) works just as well. If making a pitcher to serve these to a crowd, they make hammered copper pitchers that would be very on-theme (and more practical than procuring many copper mugs).

    Can I make this a pitcher?

    Yes. To make a pitcher of four full glasses, use 20 ounces (2 ½ cups) of ginger beer, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) of cranberry juice, 8 ounces (1 cup) of vodka, and 2 ounces (¼ cup) of freshly-squeezed lime juice. This can be further scaled up if your pitcher is even larger.

    A cocktail in a mug on a marble serving board surrounded by fresh cranberries and limes

    Related Cocktails

    • An apple cider mule garnished with apple slices and a cinnamon stick.
      Apple Cider Mule
    • A cranberry mimosa in a champagne flute garnished with cranberries and fresh rosemary
      Cranberry Mimosa
    • A pomegranate mule in a frosty hammered copper mug with two large square ice cubes, a lime wedge, and pomegranate arils
      Pomegranate Moscow Mule
    • Cranberry apple margaritas on a serving board.
      Cranberry Apple Margarita

    If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card and/or a comment review below!

    A frosty cranberry moscow mule in a copper mug.

    Cranberry Moscow Mule

    Alyssa
    This Cranberry Moscow Mule is a slightly zippy ginger beer, lime juice, and vodka cocktail made even better with the addition of cranberry juice. Love the balance of flavors in this fizzy cocktail.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Course Cocktails
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 cocktail
    Calories 239 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 ounces ginger beer
    • 3 ounces cranberry juice
    • 2 ounces vodka
    • Juice from half a lime (about half an ounce)
    • Ice for serving

    Instructions
     

    • Add ice to a copper mug or highball glass (or really, whatever glass you want to use). Pour in ginger beer, cranberry juice, vodka, and lime juice and stir to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge for serving, and/or fresh cranberries.

    Notes

    Cranberry juice: You can use either 100% juice cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail. 100% juice cranberry juice is cranberry mixed with white grape or apple juices to provide sweetness, while cranberry juice cocktail is cranberry juice with added sugar. I would not recommend pure unsweetened cranberry juice as it will probably be too tart.
    Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime is recommended.
    Stir, don't shake: Ginger beer is carbonated so please don't shake this drink!
    Pitcher instructions: To make a pitcher of four drinks, use the following quantities:
    • 20 ounces ginger beer (2 ½ cups)
    • 12 ounces cranberry juice (1 ½ cups)
    • 8 ounces vodka (1 cup)
    • 2 ounces lime juice (¼ cup)
    Keyword cranberry moscow mule, cranberry mule
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    Hi! I’m Alyssa and welcome to my food blog. Here you can find a variety of food and drink recipes, running the gamut from better-for-you main dishes to holiday fare, and from lighter bites to some serious desserts. All with the occasional cocktail recipe thrown in for good measure, too. ♥ Learn more →

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