Cranberry Moscow Mule (Regular & Low Carb)

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Cranberry Moscow Mule is a festive fizzy cocktail made with cranberry juice, vodka, fresh lime, and spicy ginger beer. A perfect combination of sweet and tart, it's a great drink to enjoy during the holiday season.

This recipe gives you the option to make a classic cocktail as well as a low-carb variation so you can enjoy it without worrying about the carbs.

Moscow Mule topped with cranberries served in a copper mugs

Cranberry Moscow Mule is a vibrant and refreshing cocktail made with 100% cranberry juice, vodka, fresh lime juice, and spicy ginger beer, typically served chilled in a copper mug. It's a holiday variation of a classic Moscow mule with cranberry juice, garnished with lime slices and fresh cranberries.

Why does a Moscow Mule have to be in a copper mug? The scientific justification for using copper mugs is temperature. When chilled drinks are served in copper mugs, the metal takes on the icy cold temperature of the cocktail and gives a cool sensation in look, feel AND taste.

Fun Fact: The history of copper mugs for Moscow Mule goes back to 1941, and hats off to the team who came up with this idea, because since then Copper Mugs have become iconic to Moscow Mule!

Low Carb Twist on a Classic Cocktail

I keep experimenting with low-carb versions of my favorite drinks so I can enjoy them while on my carb-conscious diet.

A regular Cranberry Moscow Mule has about 15 grams of net carbs, with 9 grams from Ginger beer. In the low carb variation, I switch ginger beer with diet ginger beer or diet ginger ale, and that did the trick!

Here's the carb distribution of the low carb variation:

Carbs in Cranberry Juice: Different brands have different carbohydrate content. I buy Trader Joe’s brand that has the lowest carbs I have seen so far. 8 oz cranberry juice has 16 grams of net carbs. We need 1.5 oz per drink , which means 3 grams net carbs per drink from cranberry juice.
Lime juice has 1 gram of net carbs, which makes the total net carbs = 4 grams per drink. This number may vary between 4-6 grams depending on different brands of cranberry juice.

A copper mug with Moscow Mule topped with cranberries and lime

How to Make Cranberry Moscow Mule

Moscow Mule is an incredibly easy cocktail with a really high 'wow' factor. Here's what you need to make a fantastic regular or Low-Carb Cranberry Moscow Mule:

Moscow Mule Ingredients

Cranberry Juice: I use 100% Cranberry Juice in this recipe. Note that this is NOT the same as Cranberry Juice Cocktail or Juice made from concentrate. Those two are way sweeter and have much higher carbs.
Vodka: It ain't no Mule without Vodka, right! I like using Grey Goose brand, but since this is a mixed drink, use your favorite brand of 'unflavored' Vodka
Ginger Beer: Use your favorite brand of ginger beer. For the low carb version, use diet ginger beer, but if you cannot find it, use diet ginger-ale instead.
Lime Juice: Adds a zing to this cocktail! Use fresh lime juice guys, the green plastic bottle doesn't do justice to this drink.
Garnish: Lime slices and fresh cranberries make this drink look festive and pretty, but they are optional.

Flavor Tip: If you really want that 'kick' from ginger, I would grate half a teaspoon of ginger, and squeeze a few drops of its juice in each glass.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are the two easy steps in which you can make this delicious cocktail:

Take a Moscow Mule Mug, or a cocktail glass, and fill it with ice, about half way, or as per your preference.
Add cranberry Juice, vodka, ginger beer (or diet ginger beer) and lime juice, and stir for a few seconds. Stirring gives the ingredients a chance to mix well and chill at the same time.
Garnish with lime slices and fresh cranberries and enjoy!

How to Make Ahead For Parties

Here's what I do when I am making Cranberry Moscow Mule Pitcher for a Crowd:

I mix vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice for the desired quantity and refrigerate in a pitcher.
When my guests arrive, I add chilled ginger beer (or diet ginger beer) and stir a few times to mix everything.
Pour ice in glasses and pour the drink over it. Garnish with lime slices and cranberries.

Recipe Tips & Notes

Cranberry Juice- I use 100% Cranberry Juice in this recipe. Check the label carefully to make sure it's NOT a Cranberry Juice Cocktail or Juice made from concentrate. Those two are sweeter and have much higher carbs.
Carbs in Cranberry Juice: Different brands have different carbohydrate content. if monitoring carbs, always check and compare a few brands to see which one has the lowest count.
Vodka: For best results, use unflavored Vodka in this recipe.
Ice: If you don't like ice in your drinks, use a cocktail shaker. Fill it with ice (to chill), add vodka, cranberry juice, lime and shake a few times. This chills the drink. Pour the drink in a cocktail glass versus a copper mug, then top off with ginger beer. Stir a few times to mix everything.
Cranberry Moscow Mule for a large group: You can mix vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice for the desired quantity and refrigerate in a pitcher. When your guests arrive, add chilled ginger beer and stir a few times to mix everything. Pour ice in glasses and pour the drink over it. Garnish with lime slices and cranberries.

Two copper mugs with Moscow Mule topped with cranberries and lime

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Moscow Mule Have to be Served in Copper Cups?

Nope! Frankly, it's more a marketing gimmick than a significant scientific reason. Serve it in whatever glass you like, highballs, cocktail glasses, copper mugs.

What can I use instead of ginger beer in a Moscow Mule?

Traditionally Moscow Mule is made with ginger beer, which is a ginger-spiced soda. If you cannot find ginger beer, you can use ginger ale instead, which is slightly sweeter and less spicy than ginger beer. Since the cranberry juice is tart, it balances the 'slightly sweeter' ginger ale really well.

What type of alcohol is in a Moscow Mule?

Vodka is the traditional choice for the Moscow mule.

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