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This Christmas Mule is a festive twist on the classic Moscow Mule, starring cranberry juice, peppermint schnapps, and ginger beer for a merry holiday treat.

Christmas Mule
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Need a Christmas cocktail that’s quick and easy? Try the Christmas Moscow mule! This spin on the classic Moscow mule is a zingy, festive combination of cranberry juice, vodka, peppermint schnapps and ginger beer.

It’s so simple you can build it right in the glass, no cocktail shakers required! Alex and I love making this holiday drink, and the hint of peppermint on the finish makes everyone say, “What’s in this?” Here are a few tips (or go right to the recipe!).

Ingredients in a Christmas Moscow mule

The classic Moscow Mule is one of the most popular cocktails of all time, invented in the 1940’s. This combination of vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer is always served in a copper mug. The Christmas spin on the classic has cranberry juice for a seasonal flavor and color, and peppermint for holiday flair. Though they’re an unexpected combination, the mint, berry and ginger all work incredibly well together! The ingredients you’ll need for a Christmas Moscow mule are:

  • Vodka
  • Peppermint schnapps
  • 100% all natural cranberry juice (no sugar added)
  • Ginger beer
  • Simple syrup

Why to find 100% cranberry juice

For all our cranberry cocktail recipes, we like to use 100% all natural cranberry juice instead of sweetened juice. This makes a pure, super tart berry flavor that you can sweeten to taste. It also makes a brilliant red color (hard to see in a mule in a mug, but it’s there!). Here’s what to know:

  • 100% all natural cranberry juice is all juice: it’s not sweetened like bottles labeled “cranberry juice” or “cranberry juice cocktail.” This gives it a pure, tart flavor and a dark red color. You can add then add sweetness to the drink to taste, while amping up the berry flavor.
  • Cranberry juice is typically sweetened, especially if it’s labeled “as “cranberry juice cocktail.” It’s lighter in color and still tastes good, but the flavor isn’t as pure. Try to find 100% juice if at all possible.
Christmas Moscow mule

Use copper mugs if you like

Traditionally, a Moscow Mule is always served in a copper mug. Placing the cold drink in a copper mug makes an ice cold rim, which makes the drink taste even colder. It’s so satisfying! Of course, you can use any type of mug for a Christmas mule.

Copper mugs make great gifts, so it’s a fun gift idea for the cocktail lover in your life. Here’s a link to some solid copper mugs on Amazon.

Garnishes for a Christmas mule

This Christmas Moscow mule is at its finest with a fun garnish or two! Here are a few ways to garnish this drink for best presentation:

  • Rosemary sprigs
  • Peppermint stick
  • Fresh cranberries
  • Cinnamon stick

Dietary notes

This Christmas Moscow mule is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Christmas Mule

Christmas Mule
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This Christmas Mule is a festive twist on the classic Moscow Mule, starring cranberry juice, peppermint schnapps, and ginger beer for a merry holiday treat.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ounce vodka
  • 1 ounce peppermint schnapps
  • 1 ounce 100% all natural cranberry juice
  • ½ tablespoon simple syrup (omit if using sweetened cranberry juice*)
  • 4 ounces ginger beer
  • For the garnish: Rosemary sprig, peppermint stick (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a copper mug or glass, pour in the vodka, cranberry juice, peppermint schnapps, and simple syrup. Add the ginger beer.
  2. Add ice and garnish with a rosemary sprig and peppermint stick, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

*100% cranberry juice has no sugar added. If using cranberry juice cocktail, omit the simple syrup. You can also add the simple syrup to taste if you prefer a more tart drink.

**Tip: For advanced prep, pour together the 8x the recipe in a pitcher. Then pour a little over 3 ounces in each glass and top with 4 ounces ginger beer.

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More Christmas cocktails

Looking for more fun drinks for the season? Here are a few ideas for Christmas cocktails:

About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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  1. Sonja Overhiser says:

    Let us know if you have any questions!