Easy
Spicy, Fruity & Bubbly
3 Minutes
Highball Glass
Ingredients
The Holiday Mule is a festive twist on the classic Moscow Mule – Absolut Vodka, cider, ginger beer and fresh lemon juice, built directly in a highball glass with ice and garnished with a cinnamon cane.
Same bold, spiced ginger character as the original, with cider adding a crisp, autumnal sweetness that makes it feel unmistakably seasonal. Consider it the Moscow Mule’s holiday alter ego.
How To Make a holiday MULE COCKTAIL
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Knife
Citrus Press
Bar Spoon
How to Mix
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Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
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Cut a Lemon in half and juice using a citrus press or citrus elbow.
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Use a jigger (or measuring instrument) to measure and pour the freshly squeezed Lemon Juice into the glass.
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Use the jigger to measure and aa Absolut Vodka.
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Measure and add the Cider.
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Measure and pour the Ginger Beer gently into the glass.
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Stir once gently with a bar spoon to combine.
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Place a Cinnamon Cane directly into the glass to garnish.
All about the Holiday Mule
The Holiday Mule is a built cocktail and a festive variation on the classic Moscow Mule – vodka and ginger beer at its core, with cider and fresh lemon juice in place of fresh lime juice, and a cinnamon cane in place of the lime wedge garnish.
Worth noting – there is more than one cocktail called a Holiday Mule. Some versions, also known as a Yule Mule, use cranberry juice and lime juice in place of cider and lemon juice, garnished with fresh rosemary and frozen cranberries. Our version uses cider for a crisper, more autumnal character.
A Holiday Mule tastes sharp, spiced and citrusy. The ginger beer leads with its characteristic heat, balanced by the crisp sweetness of cider and the clean, smooth base of Absolut Vodka. Fresh lemon juice adds a bright acidity that keeps everything in check, and the cinnamon cane garnish adds a warm, aromatic note.
The Holiday Mule is a modern seasonal variation on the Moscow Mule – itself a cocktail with roots in Los Angeles in 1941.
The original Moscow Mule’s combination of vodka, ginger beer and lime juice has inspired countless variations over the decades, and the Holiday Mule is among the most popular – a festive adaptation that swaps lime juice for lemon and adds cider for a seasonal twist.
While the exact date and origin of the Holiday Mule are unknown, the recipe you see here appears in a video published on the Absolut Drinks YouTube channel in 2014.
- Use fresh lemon juice
Bottled lemon juice won’t give you the same bright, tart acidity that keeps the drink balanced. Squeeze fresh – grab a couple of lemons and a citrus press or citrus elbow. It takes thirty seconds and makes a noticeable difference. - Add the ginger beer last
Always add the ginger beer last and pour gently to preserve the carbonation. Stir once, lightly, with a bar spoon. Over-stirring will flatten the fizz and a flat Holiday Mule is nobody’s idea of a good time. - Choose the right cider
The cider adds a crisp, autumnal sweetness to the drink – a dry cider works best. A sweeter variety will tip the balance resulting in a sweeter drink and one which loses the all-important acidity from the lemon juice.
- Yule Mule
The most widely known variation of the Holiday Mule. Swap the cider and lemon juice for cranberry juice and lime juice, garnish with fresh rosemary and frozen cranberries. Festive enough to make even the most reluctant party guest feel the holiday spirit. - Add a dash of cinnamon syrup
For a warmer, more spiced version, add a dash of cinnamon or holiday spice syrup. It amplifies the cinnamon cane garnish and gives the drink a deeper, more festive character. Consider it the Holiday Mule in a Christmas jumper. - Try it with Absolut Peppar
How spicy is too spicy? Swap Absolut Vodka for Absolut Peppar and the ginger beer’s spiced heat gets a huge, peppery boost. A spicier, more intense version of the Holiday Mule – not for the faint-hearted, but definitely for the adventurous.
- Glassware
The Holiday Mule is built in a highball glass – but for a nod to the original Moscow Mule, a copper mug works just as well and keeps the drink colder for longer. Either way, fill it generously with ice before you start. - Cinnamon cane
Place a cinnamon cane directly in the mug – it adds a warm, aromatic note that reinforces the seasonal character of the drink and makes for a great visual. Don’t skip it – it’s doing more work than it looks. - Apple slice
Together with the cinnamon cane, cut a thin round slice of apple and drop it directly into the glass – it enhances the cider in the drink and adds a crisp, fresh visual finish. - Rosemary sprig
For a more festive finish, add a sprig of fresh rosemary on the rim. Its pine-like aroma complements the ginger and cinnamon naturally. It also makes the drink look like it belongs on a Holiday card.
Holiday Mule FAQ
The Moscow Mule is vodka, ginger beer and lime juice, served in a copper mug and garnished with a lime wedge – clean, zesty and the original. The Holiday Mule swaps lime juice for lemon juice, adds cider and replaces the lime wedge with a cinnamon cane and apple slice, giving it a warmer, more autumnal character. It’s also served in a highball glass rather than a copper mug, though a copper mug works just as well.
A dry, crisp cider – the kind that adds sweetness without making the drink too sweet. A sweeter cider will work but may tip the balance. When in doubt, go dry and adjust from there.
Yes, you can make a batched Holiday Mule. Simply multiply the ingredients by however many servings you need and combine the vodka, cider and lemon juice in a large pitcher or drinks dispenser.
Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. Add the ginger beer per glass just before serving – adding it to the batch in advance will flatten the carbonation. Garnish each glass with a cinnamon cane and serve over ice.
Yes, you can make an alcohol-free Holiday Mule. Leave out the vodka and replace it with an equal measure of apple juice or sparkling water for a non-alcoholic version that keeps the same crisp, spiced character. The ginger beer and cider do most of the heavy lifting here, so the drink holds up well. Garnish with a cinnamon cane as usual.
