Cranberry Moscow Mule: a holiday version of a classic and a tasty blend of vodka, ginger beer, fresh lime, orange and cranberry juices.

Whenever we have a gathering, I like to serve a signature drink. It makes the occasion more festive and it’s fun coming up with ideas. Being a wine drinker, I make a mean sangria, like this Apple Cider Sangria , but around the holidays I like to jazz things up and a Cranberry Moscow Mule, my Christmas version of the classic Moscow Mule and ideal for the holiday season.

Cranberry Moscow Mule: a holiday version of a classic-the perfect blend of vodka, ginger beer, fresh lime, orange and cranberry juices.

What’s the story behind the cocktail?

The basic Moscow Mule is just 3 ingredients ~ vodka, ginger beer and lime juice and this year it celebrates its 75th year.

In 1941 a young woman, Sophie Berezinski immigrated to the U.S. from Russia along with 2,000 solid copper mugs Sophie designed for her father’s copper factory. Neither Sophie nor her father were able to sell the mugs in Russia so Sophie journeyed to America to sell them here.

Unfortunately, Sophie didn’t fare any better in America. Her husband threatened to throw the mugs away if she didn’t find a buyer.

Cranberry Moscow Mule: a holiday version of a classic-the perfect blend of vodka, ginger beer, fresh lime, orange and cranberry juices.

Sophie was desperate to find a buyer for her mugs and one day stopped in Cock ‘n’ Bull Pub. A man was there trying to market his vodka without much success.

The owner of Cock ‘n’ Bull had the same lack of success with his ginger beer. The trio set out to create a cocktail and came up with the perfect combination of vodka and ginger beer. They served in a frosty copper mug and it was named the Moscow Mule.

A twist on the classic cocktail:

Now that you know the history, let’s make a holiday version ~ the Cranberry Moscow Mule. You may already know I love the sweet-tangy taste of cranberries and I add it to all kinds of recipes, like Chicken Kale Pasta, Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies or a really pretty, yet simple appetizer, this Cranberry Brie Crescent Braid. A Cranberry Moscow Mule was an easy leap.

Cranberry Moscow Mule: a holiday version of a classic-the perfect blend of vodka, ginger beer, fresh lime, orange and cranberry juices.

Copper mugs aren’t a must, but they keep your beverage chilled and Moscow Mules are almost always served in them. I bought these at Aldi for just $7.99 for two, but they’re available everywhere this time of year, including Bed, Bath & Beyond and Target.

Cranberry Moscow Mule Ingredients

  • vodka (any brand)
  • cranberry juice
  • fresh squeezed lime juice
  • fresh squeezed orange juice
  • ginger beer
  • fresh cranberries
  • ice

How to make a Cranberry Moscow Mule:

Fill a copper mug with ice then pour in the vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice and squeeze in the juice from the orange wedge. Top off the mug with ginger beer and garnish with one lime and an orange wedge.

Tips

  1. I used diet cranberry juice but any kind is fine. 
  2. Freeze the fresh cranberries 20 minutes beforehand. They help keep the drink cold and add a pretty garnish.
  3. To make Cranberry Moscow Mule for a crowd, do the math for however many you’re making then add the vodka, lime juice, cranberry juice and orange juice to a pitcher and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, add ice to the mugs, the cran-vodka mixture, then top it off with ginger beer and garnish.

Cheers!

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Cranberry Moscow Mule: a holiday version of a classic-the perfect blend of vodka, ginger beer, fresh lime, orange and cranberry juices.

Cranberry Moscow Mule

A Gouda Life
Cranberry and fresh orange juices make this classic cocktail a holiday favorite. 
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course cocktail
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories

Ingredients
  

  • Copper mugs/optional but recommended
  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 3 ounces cranberry juice
  • Juice from 1/2 half of a lime + additional wedges for garnish
  • Juice from 1/4 of orange + additional wedges for garnish
  • 3-5 ounces Ginger beer to top off
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh cranberries, frozen per mug
  • Ice

Instructions
 

  • Fill a copper mug with ice then pour in the vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice.
  • Squeeze in the juice from the orange wedge.
  • Top off the mug with ginger beer and garnish with one lime and one orange wedge.
Keyword holiday cocktails
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!