It just took one sip and I was hooked on this refreshing cocktail. This is the original, the Best Moscow Mule Recipe for you to make at home. With fresh lime juice, spicy ginger beer and your favorite vodka, you can make a tasty cocktail in minutes!
A friend of mine made me my first classic Moscow Mule at her Mules and Jewels party and I was sold. I think it’s one of the best vodka recipes you can make!
Once you know what is in a Moscow Mule, you can make all different kinds of Moscow Mule recipes with different flavors.
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Why This Recipe Works
This super simple Moscow Mule recipe needs only a few ingredients. And it’s one of those cocktails that non-cocktail people even enjoy.
As with all my cocktails, I always suggest following the recipe the first time you make it. Then change it up however you want to, to suit your taste.
A Moscow Mule doesn’t need obscure ingredients. All of these things can be found at your local grocery store.
Because I love this easy vodka cocktail so much, I keep ginger beer on hand at all times. It’s a great mixer for drinks! And aside from the lime and mint, the other Moscow Mule ingredients are shelf-stable.
The ginger beer is the most prominent flavor (unless you go hard with the vodka) and it’s a super refreshing drink like a mojito.
The best Moscow Mule recipe is served in a copper Moscow Mule mug and is topped with fresh mint and a few dashes of bitters.
This drink is also great because you really don’t need any special tools. It’s just as easy to make one as it is several for friends or family when entertaining at home.
Also check out my favorite Cranberry Moscow Mule, Fireball Mule, and Lemonade Mule if you want something a little out of the ordinary.
Ingredients
What’s in a Moscow Mule? I’ll tell you!
You don’t need bitters for this recipe to be drinkable, but the bitters really do help round out the flavors. It isn’t shown in the photo but you should definitely have some on your home bar!
You know I like to keep my home bar small but with the ingredients you need for this Moscow Mule, you can also make a few other drinks like Bitters and soda, a Dark and Stormy, Lavender Lemon Haus Moscow Mule and so much more!
How to Make a Moscow Mule
Add ice to your copper Moscow Mule mug.
Add the vodka.
Add fresh lime juice.
(You could even use lemon if you had to. Just don’t make a habit of it.)
Fresh citrus is key to making delicious cocktails!
Add the ginger beer.
You can give it a gentle stir. Or not. It’s a forgiving recipe that you can’t get wrong.
To make the best Moscow Mule recipe you would finish with a few dashes of bitters.
Bitters add a depth of flavor to cocktails that make them taste finished. I ignored bitters for a really long time because I thought they were just something legit bartenders used to seem fancy.
But bitters really are essential to your home bar. And each drink only needs a few drops. That small bottle of bitters will last you for years.
And don’t forget to garnish with fresh mint.
Unlike a mojito, the mint doesn’t do much to flavor the Moscow Mule. But the smell is intoxicating as you bring that chilled copper mug to your mouth.
And it makes you look like you know about things. Or crazy. It’s a fine line.
Are you a fan of the original Moscow Mule recipe? They really do make the perfect cocktail. Men and women enjoy them equally, they are easy to make and they look super cute in a copper mug. What more could you want!?
There are tons of variations you can make on this classic cocktail. Once you know how to make this recipe, the possibilities are endless!
Top tips
- Try to use fresh lime juice if at all possible. The flavor is so bright and fresh and it’s my favorite cocktail ingredient. If you don’t have any fresh on hand, you can absolutely use Rose’s lime juice which is easy to keep on hand in your home bar.
- I like to pre-squeeze my lime juice (with this citrus squeezer) and have it ready to go so I can make a few of these easily.
- Try to have all the ingredients chilled ahead of time. That will ensure a super refreshing cocktail.
- Do not substitute the ginger beer with ginger ale. It is too sweet and doesn’t have the same ginger kick.
- Before adding the mint to the drink (and I like to go heavy with the mint because I love the smell so much!) clap the sprig between your hands twice. This helps to release the oils and make it smell even more!
Frequently Asked Questions
Reed’s is my favorite ginger beer for a Moscow Mule because it has a nice, crisp ginger flavor (it has a little bite to it) and isn’t too sweet. You can find it at most grocery stores or specialty beverage stores. There are other brands and the flavor varies by brand.
You do not have to serve this cocktail in a copper mug. But I really love to! They are SO much fun to drink out of. The copper mugs get super cold and may freeze your hands off if you hold them like my friend in the photo – but it’s totally worth it! They help to keep your drink chilled as you sip it.
Yes, if you need to add a little bit of sweetness, you can add some simple syrup. Start with 1/2 ounce and go from there. Or you can make a flavored simple syrup like ginger syrup or lime syrup, to give it even more flavor! (Check out my Strawberry Simple Syrup recipe here).
Related Recipes
Don’t forget to check out all my Moscow Mule Recipes here.
- This Cinnamon Moscow Mule is one of my favorites. With a little bit of Fireball, this is one you’ll want to share with friends.
- A Whiskey Mule is an easy twist on the classic cocktail recipe.
- A Lemonade Moscow Mule is a refreshing drink to make any time of year.
- Try a Moscow Mule with Rum next time you want a tasty drink to sip.
- Make this Green Moscow Mule! Grab some green juice and whip up this yummy cocktail that I like to pretend is healthy.
Best Moscow Mule Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Vodka
- 4 oz. ginger beer I love Reed’s!
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 3 dashes bitters
- Few sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a copper mug with ice.
- Add the vodka.
- Squeeze the juice of a whole lime into the cup.
- Top with ginger beer.
- Add a few dashes of Bitters.
- Give it a gentle stir.
- Slap a sprig of mint in your palm (to release some of the oils) and garnish your drink.
- Drink up.
Notes
- Try to use fresh lime juice if at all possible. The flavor is so bright and fresh and it’s my favorite cocktail ingredient. If you don’t have any fresh on hand, you can absolutely use Rose’s lime juice which is easy to keep on hand in your home bar.
- I like to pre-squeeze my lime juice and have it ready to go so I can make a few of these easily.
- Try to have all the ingredients chilled ahead of time. That will ensure a super refreshing cocktail.
- Do not substitute the ginger beer with ginger ale. It is too sweet and doesn’t have the same ginger kick.
- Before adding the mint to the drink (and I like to go heavy with the mint because I love the smell so much!) clap the sprig between your hands twice. This helps to release the oils and make it smell even more!
Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 29, 2018 and has now been updated with better directions.
Amy Smith says
Is it hard to drink? I would like to know
Sharon Garofalow says
Nope, not hard to drink at all!