Spiced Cranberry Mule

Warm spices pair perfectly with crisp cranberry vodka to create this festive, refreshing Spiced Cranberry Mule.

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The house is decorated, the tree is up, the gifts are wrapped, and the Christmas music is playing. Now all that’s left to do is kick back in the big chair with Mr B and watch his favorite movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Yep – life is good. And it’s even better when you have a delicious adult beverage to enjoy in the process.

I’m loving these Spiced Cranberry Mules, a combination we stirred up while we were experimenting with our (amazing)  Spiced Simple Syrup. Warm spices like ginger and cinnamon pair perfectly with crisp cranberry vodka to create a festive and truly refreshing holiday treat.

One of the reasons we love a good mule – besides the obvious fact that they are delicious – is that we get to use our Moscow Mule Mugs. And not just because they make for a great presentation either.

There are a couple of bonafide benefits to drinking your mule from a good copper mug. Not only do copper mugs keep drinks colder, but the copper seems to enhance to the flavor of the drinks as well. 

The difference between drinking this from a glass versus a copper mug isn’t something you can really put your finger on per-say; but in my experience the copper mugs seem to complement and heighten the flavors of the ginger and vodka, as well as whatever else you add.

Copper drinking vessels have long  been thought to carry some impressive health benefits too, including having antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. If you don’t have your own mule mugs, consider making this the year that you give yourself a set.

If you are the kind of person who can perceive the subtle differences between drinking soda or beer from a glass bottle versus aluminum can, you will likely notice a similar difference when you drink a mule in a copper mug.

The mugs we have are solid and sturdy; made of hammered solid copper, they have a nice, heavy feel in your hand. Our advice is, when you decide to purchase a set of mule mugs, don’t go cheap! Quality makes a big difference when it comes to mule mugs. Plus, if you get good ones, they’ll last forever.

PRO TIP:  You can use a plain simple syrup for this cocktail, but our amazing Spiced Simple Syrup (recipe follows) really does bring a special kick to this Mule. If at all possible, set aside the extra ten extra minutes it takes to cook some up. 

The Spiced Simple Syrup recipe below – a key ingredient in both our Spice Cranberry Mule and our Blushin’ Russian {Holiday Cocktail & Kid-friendly Mocktail} – takes only about 10 minutes to make, and the effort is so worth it! 

Do you love cranberries? Be sure to try our delicious Orange-Spiced Cranberry Sauce, made with Grand Marnier!

Want more? Our Cranberry Orange Pearl Couscous makes a unique, delicious, easy-to-make side dish; and our Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake is perfect for a holiday breakfast or brunch!  

Check out these other holiday favorites from GHW: 

• Roasted Stuffed Pumpkin
• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Mix
• 21 Pecan Recipes for Your Holiday Table

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