Easy Holiday Moscow Mule Recipe

There are some cocktail recipes that are just perfect for certain times of the year. This Holiday Moscow Mule recipe is the best winter cocktail!

It’s easy to make and full of yummy seasonal flavors. If you like to try out all the different Moscow Mule recipes now is your chance! Make this winter mule recipe now! 

This post was originally published on November 15, 2018, and has now been updated with more tips to make this Christmas Mule perfect every time.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredient Notes
• Step by Step Instructions
• Tips and Tricks
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Recipes
• Holiday Moscow Mule Recipe

I love to take the traditional Moscow Mule recipe and make it suit a particular holiday or season. Upon seeing store-bought wassail at Trade Joe’s, I knew I needed to make a Christmas Mule. I was right. It’s delicious.

Why This Recipe Works

A Christmas Moscow Mule is the perfect cocktail for all your holiday parties. Or for sipping while playing my Hallmark Christmas Movies Drinking Game. 

The recipe is super simple and needs only a few ingredients so it’s great for home bartenders. While I typically don’t like to add special ingredients to my cocktails, wassail makes sense. It’s non-alcoholic so the kids can totally drink it too.

Like my Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail, this tastes like Christmas in a glass! And the store-bought juice does all the work for you. (I’ll share a tip below in case you can’t find a similar juice in stores).

After just a few times making it, you’ll no longer even really need to measure. Seriously, it’s damn near fool-proof. It’s a go-to vodka recipe at this time of year.

Recipes that are quick to make, like this Holiday Moscow Mule, are perfect for having people over.

Serving them in a copper mug makes everything seem extra festive and keeps the drink chilled to perfection.

A simple, fragrant garnish finishes off the drink and makes it party-ready.

You could even easily ditch the wine in this Wine and Essential Oils holiday party idea and swap in a winter Moscow Mule cocktail instead.

Cranberry just feels right at this time of year. If you think so too, check out my Spiced Cranberry Vodka Slush. It’s a frozen, large batch cocktail that is perfect for winter entertaining. And don’t miss a fun list of Punch Recipes to serve a crowd.

Ingredient Notes

For this cocktail, I used Finlandia Vodka, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Ginger Beer is essential for any Moscow mule recipe and it’s perfect for the holidays.

Juice of half a lime and bitters help enhance the flavors of the vodka and wassail.

Ginger Liqueur is optional but adds a delicious boost of ginger flavor. (If you love ginger, don’t skip this!)

This Winter Wassail from Trader Joe’s is the star of the show. When I wanted to create this Christmas Moscow Mule recipe, my mind kept going to cranberries.

But when I saw this spiced juice, I instantly knew it would be the perfect base for this winter mule cocktail.

First, it’s ready-made. Second, it is full of seasonal flavors. Third, my kids love this juice on its own! You can’t go wrong with this juice.

It is a seasonal item and specific to Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find it you can make your own Spiced Cranberry Juice. It’s the base for most of my cranberry cocktails. In fact, it’s what I use in my Cranberry Mule recipe.

Step by Step Instructions

Add ice to a mug.

Add vodka. It’s usually between 1 – 2 ounces. Put however you much you want. You do you. If you are a light-weight or don’t love the flavor stay closer to 1 ounce.

Add the wassail.

Here is why Moscow Mules are such a great cocktail. While you start with a basic recipe, you can easily modify them to suit your own tastes. If you don’t want it to be strong, add a little more juice. 

Top with ginger beer.

Mmmmmm. Fresh lime.

Fresh lime juice is an essential ingredient to any Moscow Mule recipe including winter mules. It’s a great way to brighten up the drinks and bring out the flavors.

A fun garnish is a great way to finish off this drink. Clove-studded oranges are a holiday tradition so creating one for a garnish on the Holiday Moscow Mule just makes sense.

The garnish flavors mimic the ingredients found in the wassail. Just don’t accidentally eat a whole clove…

And as you bring the mug to your lips to sip you get hit in the nose with the most glorious seasonal scent.

Tips and Tricks

• You don’t have to use a copper mug, but you kind of do have to use a copper mug. They are such a fun way to sip a cocktail. They get frosty and the color glistens in the lights. Although it’s currently 78 degrees here in California, in my head I can almost picture drinking a Holiday Mule by the tree.
• You can always adjust the sweetness level by adding more juice or even a little bit of simple syrup.
• If you plan to serve wassail to the kids (minus the alcohol of course!), skip the garnishes. Cloves can be a choking hazard and the smell can be too intense for them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a fan of Moscow Mules? Make this Holiday Moscow Mule and let me know what you think! Still need more holiday cocktail ideas? Check out this Christmas Cherry Fizz, Cranberry Pear Rum Cooler, and Creamy Winter Cocktail with Chocolate.

Related Recipes

Browse my cocktail collections: Vodka Recipes, Moscow Mule Variations, Wine Cocktails, Fireball Cocktails, Cocktails with Bitters, Cocktails Made with Coke or 2-Ingredient Cocktails.

• Best Champagne Punch Recipe – have a Christmas Mule, and Champagne Punch for New Year’s Eve!
• Spiced Clementine Soda Margarita – I love citrus in winter and this is a delicious seasonal margarita.
• The Perfect Spiced Daiquiri for Winter – you might think of daiquiris as a summer drink, but not this one! It’s delicious in winter.