Cranberry Gin Mule Cocktail

Earthy gin with hints of juniper pair beautifully with tangy cranberry juice, tart lime, and sweet and spicy ginger beer in this spin on traditional moscow mule recipes! These bright colors as a cranberry cocktail is perfect for the holiday season!

WHAT’S NEW?

The final stretch of soccer, here we go! Shea was in tears over not making the to the championships and admittedly, I was sad, too. It has been a fun soccer season and we’re into the deep end with swimming now, too. Our first meet is tomorrow and we’re finding our new rythm. The calm before the holiday storm, I’d say. I was asked today by a coworker if I had started my holiday shopping and a scoffed at the idea that I should even be so prepared. If Amazon were asking me, I’d say Prime Day came about 6 weeks too early! 

For all of you planners, though, I am hoping this delicious cocktail is worthy of consideration at future holiday party. A mule with a festive spin is a great way to take a well-loved cocktail into the perfect holiday drink!

ROLL CALL FOR THIS RECIPE

• ‘Tis the Season: Many people celebrate the holidays with a festive cocktail this time of year. 
• Hosting for the Holidays: This holiday moscow mule is red in color with pops of green ensuring a festive drink that will ‘wow!’ your guests…and can be made in a large batch! A signature cocktail is a unique way to offer up a delicious drink with a seasonal twist! 
• Simple Wins: This is the perfect cocktail to keep things simple – simple ingredients and simple preparation. No prep or special utensils required!

KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Gin: A dry gin, commonly called “London Dry” is a great option here. In fact, when using gin in lieu of vodka as in a classic Moscow Mule cocktail, the mule is sometimes referred to as a “London Mule”. Use whatever spirit you prefer!
• Cranberry Juice: A 100% pure, unsweetened cranberry juice helps to control the amount of sugar while still providing a beautiful, bright color, cranberry twist, and a tart flavor that provides the perfect balance. A regular cranberry juice or cranberry cocktail is fine to use, as is a diet cranberry juice, if you prefer. If you don’t love cranberry juice, grapefruit, pineapple, or orange juice would work as substitutes, as would most fruit juices.
• Ginger Beer: This sweet, carbonated beverage offers concentrated ginger flavor and a bit of a spicy kick. Contrary to its given name, it is non-alcoholic and commonly used as a cocktail mixer. It does come in cans and bottles, as well as sugar-free, or “diet” varieties. Goslings and Bundaberg are both commonly found ginger beers that rank among the most favorite ginger beer options available. Ginger ale or another clear soda can be used in a substitute.
• Lime: Fresh lime juice is a mule staple, but in a pinch, feel free to substitute in 2 teaspoons of lime juice or lime juice concentrate per drink (about 2 1/2 tablespoons in total). 
• Cranberries: Available as frozen or fresh berries, cranberries are used for a garnish only. Fresh cranberries are commonly found in the produce section around the holidays and in the freezer section year-round. When eaten raw, they are quite tart and mildly unpleasant to most palates.
• Mint: A spring of fresh mint is for looks and fragrance only. Feel free to omit or to use a sprig of rosemary instead. 

NUTRITIONAL MERITS

• There are no real benefits of alcoholic beverages, but the cranberry juice is antioxidant rich and most enjoyable!
• This cocktail is NOT overly sweet, keeping both the calories and carbohydrates (sugar) lower than many other cocktails
• Remember to drink mindfully and moderately – no more than 1 alcoholic drink per day for women and 2 for men (Note: 1.5 ounces of spririts constitutes a drink equivalent – the precise amount in this recipe 😉 )

FAQ 

Why don’t you add the ginger beer to the cocktail shaker?

Ginger beer is carbonated and so shaky it along with the gin and cranberry juice can create a fizzy, frothy, messy preparation! You can also flatten the bubbles from the carbonation by shaking.

I only like sweet alcoholic beverages. Is this sweet?

This drink is not overly sweet due to the lime juice and unsweetened cranberry juice, along with the alcohol, of course! If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, use more ginger beer or a sweetened cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail. If you make the drink as written and found it’s not sweet enough, add a splash of cranberry juice, ginger beer, or even simple syrup to make your perfect drink!

Why are mule cocktails served in copper mugs?

The copper mug is a fun presentation, of course! More importnatly, however, it keeps the drink nice and cold and may even enhance the flavor of the spirit (thanks to the copper itself).

VARIATIONS, STORAGE, and TIPS

• Serve in a frosty copper mug or some fun cocktail glasses! An extra lime wedge or lime sliced into “lime wheels” is a nice touch, too!
• Serve this drink with different shaped ice cubes for a fun twist!
• You can make this drink in a glass pitcher for holiday parties to serve a crowd or even as a single drink, reducing to 1.5 ounces of both gin and cranberry juice.
• This drink can be prepared ahead of time by mixing the gin, cranberry juice, and lime. Simply place over ice and add the ginger beer before serving, along with the garnishes, if desired. Store covered in the fridge for up to a day.

Preparing for the holidays? Here’s lots of fun recipes to check out!

• Sausage, Apple, and Sage Stuffing Muffins
• Vegan Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecan Topping
• Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie
• Olive Oil and Rosemary Roasted Baby Potatoes
• Cranberry Bacon Bleu Salad
• Balsamic Green Beans with Almonds
• Sweet Potato Coins with Gorgonzola and Bacon

Be well,