Sparkling Holiday Cranberry Mule – A festive, fizzy, winter-bright mocktail with ginger heat & berry cheer

🎉 Introduction

The Sparkling Holiday Cranberry Mule is everything a festive winter mocktail should be — bright, bubbly, refreshing, and beautifully seasonal. Tart cranberry, zesty lime, and spicy ginger come together in a drink that tastes like holiday magic in a copper mug.

This alcohol-free version keeps all the charm and sparkle of a classic mule while adding a festive twist with cranberries, rosemary, and optional pomegranate. It’s perfect for parties, Christmas dinners, cozy nights by the tree, or any celebration where you want a fancy, fresh, and totally spirit-free drink.

🧰 Equipment Needed

• Cocktail shaker or mason jar
• Muddler (optional)
• Citrus juicer
• Measuring spoons
• Fine mesh strainer
• Copper mug or tall glass
• Ice (crushed preferred)

🛒 Ingredients

Mule Base

• ½ cup cranberry juice (100% juice preferred)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1–2 tablespoons simple syrup or honey (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons homemade cranberry syrup* (optional but amazing)

Sparkling Ginger Top

• ½–1 cup non-alcoholic ginger beer (or ginger ale for a sweeter mule)

Garnish

• Fresh cranberries
• Lime wheel
• Rosemary sprig
• Crushed ice

Optional Homemade Cranberry Syrup

(Adds rich berry color & holiday flair)

• ½ cup cranberries
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar or honey

Simmer 5 minutes, mash gently, strain, and cool.

👩‍🍳 Directions

Step 1: Prepare the mule base

In a shaker, combine:

• Cranberry juice
• Lime juice
• Simple syrup or honey
• Optional cranberry syrup

Shake well with ice to chill and blend.

Step 2: Frost your mug

Fill a copper mule mug (or tall glass) with crushed ice so it becomes frosty and chilled.

Step 3: Pour and fizz

Strain the cranberry–lime mixture over the ice.
Top generously with non-alcoholic ginger beer for sparkle and heat.
Stir gently.

Step 4: Garnish

Add fresh cranberries, a lime wheel, and a rosemary sprig for a festive holiday look.

🍽️ Servings & Timing

• Serves: 1
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes

🧊 Storage

• Mix the cranberry-lime base up to 3 days ahead.
• Add ginger beer only when serving to keep it bubbly. ❄️

🥄 Variations

• Pomegranate Holiday Mule
  Add 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice for deeper flavor.
• Frosted Winter Mule
  Use frozen cranberries as ice cubes.
• Spiced Mule Twist
  Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon honey syrup for warmth.
• Minty Cranberry Mule
  Muddle fresh mint in the shaker.
• Sugar-Free Mule
  Skip honey and use sugar-free ginger beer.

❓ 10 FAQs

1. Is ginger beer alcohol-free?
   Yes — common grocery-store ginger beer is non-alcoholic; check your label.
2. Can I make this sweeter?
   Add more honey or simple syrup.
3. Can I make a big batch?
   Yes — multiply the base ingredients; add ginger beer per glass.
4. Do I need a copper mug?
   No, but it keeps the drink icy-cold and traditional.
5. Can I use frozen cranberries?
   Absolutely — they make great edible ice.
6. Can I use bottled lime juice?
   Fresh is best for flavor and aroma.
7. Can kids drink this?
   Yes — it’s fully non-alcoholic.
8. Can I make it less tart?
   Add a splash of orange juice or extra sweetener.
9. Can I use cranberry cocktail instead of 100% juice?
   Yes — reduce or skip the sweetener.
10. Is this good for winter parties?
    It’s festive, fizzy, gorgeous, and perfect for a holiday drink bar!

🏁 Conclusion

The Sparkling Holiday Cranberry Mule is a bright, bubbly, and beautifully seasonal mocktail that turns simple ingredients into a festive, refreshing celebration in a glass. With its jewel-toned color, spicy ginger fizz, and fragrant rosemary garnish, it’s perfect for entertaining — or simply bringing a little holiday magic into an ordinary day.

Sparkling Holiday Cranberry Mule – A festive, fizzy, winter-bright mocktail with ginger heat & berry cheer

The Sparkling Holiday Cranberry Mule is everything a festive winter mocktail should be — bright, bubbly, refreshing, and beautifully seasonal. Tart cranberry, zesty lime, and spicy ginger come together in a drink that tastes like holiday magic in a copper mug. This alcohol-free version keeps all the charm and sparkle of a classic mule while adding a festive twist with cranberries, rosemary, and optional pomegranate. It’s perfect for parties, Christmas dinners, cozy nights by the tree, or any celebration where you want a fancy, fresh, and totally spirit-free drink.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 minutes mins

Servings: 1 Servings

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

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Ingredients

  

Mule Base

• ½ cup cranberry juice 100% juice preferred
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 –2 tablespoons simple syrup or honey to taste
• 2 tablespoons homemade cranberry syrup* optional but amazing

Sparkling Ginger Top

• ½ –1 cup non-alcoholic ginger beer or ginger ale for a sweeter mule

Garnish

• Fresh cranberries
• Lime wheel
• Rosemary sprig
• Crushed ice
• Optional Homemade Cranberry Syrup

(Adds rich berry color & holiday flair)

• ½ cup cranberries
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
• Simmer 5 minutes mash gently, strain, and cool.

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Discover warm, delicious, home-style meals — fresh recipes added every day inside Jacky’s Kitchen.

Coming Soon

Equipment

• Cocktail shaker or mason jar
• Muddler (optional)
• Citrus juicer
• Measuring spoons
• Fine mesh strainer
• Copper mug or tall glass
• Ice (crushed preferred)

Method

 

Step 1: Prepare the mule base

1. In a shaker, combine:
2. Cranberry juice
3. Lime juice
4. Simple syrup or honey
5. Optional cranberry syrup
6. Shake well with ice to chill and blend.

Step 2: Frost your mug

1. Fill a copper mule mug (or tall glass) with crushed ice so it becomes frosty and chilled.

Step 3: Pour and fizz

1. Strain the cranberry–lime mixture over the ice.
2. Top generously with non-alcoholic ginger beer for sparkle and heat.
3. Stir gently.

Step 4: Garnish

1. Add fresh cranberries, a lime wheel, and a rosemary sprig for a festive holiday look.

Notes

🧊 Storage

Mix the cranberry-lime base up to 3 days ahead.

Add ginger beer only when serving to keep it bubbly. ❄️

🥄 Variations

Pomegranate Holiday Mule
Add 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice for deeper flavor.

Frosted Winter Mule
Use frozen cranberries as ice cubes.

Spiced Mule Twist
Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon honey syrup for warmth.

Minty Cranberry Mule
Muddle fresh mint in the shaker.

Sugar-Free Mule
Skip honey and use sugar-free ginger beer.

❓ 10 FAQs

Is ginger beer alcohol-free?
Yes — common grocery-store ginger beer is non-alcoholic; check your label.

Can I make this sweeter?
Add more honey or simple syrup.

Can I make a big batch?
Yes — multiply the base ingredients; add ginger beer per glass.

Do I need a copper mug?
No, but it keeps the drink icy-cold and traditional.

Can I use frozen cranberries?
Absolutely — they make great edible ice.

Can I use bottled lime juice?
Fresh is best for flavor and aroma.

Can kids drink this?
Yes — it’s fully non-alcoholic.

Can I make it less tart?
Add a splash of orange juice or extra sweetener.

Can I use cranberry cocktail instead of 100% juice?
Yes — reduce or skip the sweetener.

Is this good for winter parties?
It’s festive, fizzy, gorgeous, and perfect for a holiday drink bar!

🏁 Conclusion

The Sparkling Holiday Cranberry Mule is a bright, bubbly, and beautifully seasonal mocktail that turns simple ingredients into a festive, refreshing celebration in a glass. With its jewel-toned color, spicy ginger fizz, and fragrant rosemary garnish, it’s perfect for entertaining — or simply bringing a little holiday magic into an ordinary day.