Cranberry Moscow Mule (2-Minute Holiday Cocktail)
This Cranberry Moscow Mule is a festive holiday cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer, cranberry juice, and fresh lime. Ready in just 2 minutes, it’s the perfect cocktail for Christmas parties, last-minute hosting or cozy nights at home.
If you love Moscow Mules, you’ll also want to try my Easy Apple Cider Moscow Mule and my Easy Tequila Mule.
I partnered with Q Mixers to mix up the Cranberry Moscow Mule recipe! Recipe and ideas are my own.
Tis the season for holiday cocktails!! Looking for a quick and easy holiday cocktail that doesn’t require master mixology skills, but still tastes great? This Cranberry Moscow Mule is basically my holiday hosting cheat code. It’s quick, it’s fizzy, and it looks fancy even though it couldn’t be easier.
Make one for yourself, line up a few mugs for friends, or batch a large quantity ahead of time. Minimal effort, maximum festive vibes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 2 minutes: Made right in the glass, perfect for busy holiday hosting or a quick drink.
- Festive and seasonal: Cranberry juice adds a holiday twist to the classic Moscow Mule making it perfect for Christmas, Thanksgiving or any other holiday occasion.
- Just 4 simple ingredients: No syrup, no prep required and easy to find at any grocery store.
- Crowd-friendly: Easy to make by the glass or batch for parties.
- Easy to customize: Can be made as a mocktail or customized to taste.
What Is a Cranberry Moscow Mule?
A Cranberry Moscow Mule is a holiday variation of the classic Moscow Mule that is traditionally made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime. This holiday riff adds cranberry juice for a festive color and winter flavor making it especially popular during Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card for quantities.
- Vodka: Use a smooth and high-quality vodka for this recipe.
- Ginger beer: For this recipe I used Q Mixers Ginger Beer.
- Cranberry juice: Use sweetened cranberry juice (not 100% cranberry) for the best results.
- Lime juice: Always use fresh squeezed lime juice.
- Dehydrated lime, cranberries, rosemary: Use for garnish as desired.
Substitutions & Variations
- Liquor swap: Swap vodka for whiskey, tequila or gin.
- Ginger beer swap: I love the spiciness of good ginger beer in this recipe but ginger ale could work in a pinch.
- Cranberry juice swap: Swap the cranberry juice for white cranberry juice or pomegranate juice.
- Less sweet version: Add a little club soda in place of some of the ginger beer.
- Mocktail Version: Just leave out the vodka or replace with some club soda or sparkling water to make it a mocktail.
- Add-ins: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, a splash of orange juice or cranberry juice or a few dashes of citrus bitters for different flavor variations.
Tools & Equipment List
Check out my favorite glasses here!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Fill a copper mug or cocktail glass with ice (I love these glass moscow mule mugs). Add ginger beer, vodka, cranberry juice and lime. Stir to combine.
Step 2: If desired, garnish with dehydrated lime, cranberries and rosemary.
Can I Make a Batch of Cranberry Moscow Mules for a Party?
Yes! This recipe is perfect for batching.
To make 4 servings:
- To a pitcher – Add 1½ cups ginger beer, ¾ cup vodka, 1 cup cranberry juice, and 1 oz lime juice.
- Stir to combine.
- Serve immediately in glasses over ice. Garnish each glass with dehydrated lime, cranberries, and rosemary if desired.
Tip: Add the ginger beer just before serving to keep the drinks fizzy.
Carolyn’s Tips
- Chill all ingredients ahead of time.
- For large parties, prep everything except the ginger beer up to 24 hours in advance.
- Mocktail version: Substitute the vodka for club soda.
What to Serve With a Cranberry Moscow Mule
This Cranberry Moscow Mule pairs perfectly with sweet and tart holiday desserts. One of my favorite pairings is Cranberry Moscow Mule Puff Pastry Trees – a flaky, festive dessert inspired by the flavors in the cocktail.
The cranberry notes in the pastry mirror the tartness of the drink, while the buttery puff pastry balances the spice of the ginger beer, making this an ideal holiday pairing!
👉 I shared the full recipe and story behind these Puff Pastry Treeson my Substack newsletter, The Sip List.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this works for large batches. Combine everything except the ginger beer up to 24 hours in advance. Add ginger beer and ice right before serving.
A great ginger beer option for cocktails is Q Mixers. Q Mixers Ginger Beer won’t make your cocktails overly sweet, because they use real organic agave to sweeten the drink instead of cane sugar. It is also known to have a more pronounced ginger flavor and spice.
Yes, you can make a Moscow Mule a mocktail. All you need to do is remove the vodka and substitute with club soda.
Yes, ginger ale can be used in a pinch, though the cocktail will be less spicy and slightly sweeter.
More Holiday Cocktails to Try
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Cranberry Moscow Mule
Ingredients
- 3 oz ginger beer, I used Q GINGER BEER
- 1 1/2 oz vodka
- 2 oz sweetened cranberry juice
- 1/4 oz lime juice
- Dehydrated lime wheel, cranberries and rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a copper mug or cocktail glass with ice. Add ginger beer, vodka, cranberry juice and lime. Stir to combine.
- If desired, garnish with dehydrated lime, cranberries and rosemary.
Notes
- Chill all ingredients ahead of time.
- For large parties, prep everything except the ginger beer up to 24 hours in advance.
- Mocktail version: Substitute the vodka for club soda.
