Easy Apple Cider Moscow Mule

This Apple Cider Moscow mule is as refreshing as the classic version, with a bit of a cozy twist! Apple butter adds big apple flavor that’s perfect with spicy ginger beer.

At first glance, apple cider and Moscow mule might sound like an unlikely pairing. Apple and lime? Does it really work? But if you’ve ever had one before, you know: heck yeah, it works.

This recipe infuses warm fall flavors into the classic cocktail—and since ginger beer is also warm, it ends up being a fantastic pairing. Somehow it manages to be both refreshing and cozy, sweet and tangy, and fabulously effervescent. (Fizzy cocktails like this Moscow mule and Apple Cider Mimosas are some of my favorites!)

One of the best things about apple cider Moscow mules—and this Cranberry Moscow Mule recipe—is how easy they are to make. If you don’t have a well-stocked bar at home, the only liquor you need for this recipe is vodka, so you don’t need to spend a small fortune stocking up on ingredients. Plus, if you want to make it for a party, I have instructions for making a big batch below.

Serve this at holiday parties for a fun, light, and fizzy alternative to the kinds of warm, heavy drinks you usually find at get-togethers this time of year. (Eggnog, I love you, but I’m not drinking you with a holiday meal!)

Ingredients for Apple Cider Moscow Mules

Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.

• Vodka – No need to buy the priciest brand, but don’t buy the cheapest either. A happy medium is always best!
• Sweetened Lime Juice – For sweet and tangy balance.
• Apple Butter –  This is the star ingredient that infuses the cocktail with rich apple flavor. We use apple butter instead of cider because it’s more concentrated; we already have enough liquid from the vodka and ginger beer.
• Ginger Beer – Spicy ginger beer is the best part of a Moscow mule!
• Fresh Lime – To amp up the tartness. 
• Pomegranate Arils – A festive garnish. 

How to Make Apple Cider Moscow Mules

Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full printable instructions.

1. Prepare the mug. Fill a copper mug or glass with ice. 
2. Combine. Add all the ingredients except the ginger beer and pomegranate arils to a shaker with ice.
3. Shake. Shake shake shake until the apple butter is incorporated into the rest of the ingredients.
4. Finish. Strain into the mug, then finish with the ginger beer and garnish with pomegranate. 

Tips for Making Moscow Mules

Here are some tips for making this apple cider Moscow mule recipe—or any Moscow mule!

• Use a copper mug. Serving your Moscow mule in a copper mug isn’t just about aesthetics or tradition! The copper mug keeps the drink nicely chilled. If you make these often, it’s definitely worth investing in a set.
• Chill the mug. If you’re using a copper mug, you can chill it in the freezer before preparing your drink. This will keep it even colder—although on a cold day, you might want to skip it!
• Don’t use ginger ale. Put down the bottle of Canada Dry! Step away from the Schweppes! While ginger ale may seem like a good substitute for ginger beer, it doesn’t have the spicy flavor that makes Moscow mules so delicious. (If you’ve ever been to a garbage bar that makes Moscow mules with ginger ale, you know that they taste like disappointment.)

Variations and Substitutions

Switch things up with one of these variations:

• Add a cinnamon stick. For an extra bit of fall flavor, add a cinnamon stick to your cocktail for garnish.
• Make it non-alcoholic. Omit the vodka and replace it with apple juice or apple cider for a mocktail apple cider mule.
• Give it more of a kick. For EXTRA ginger flavor, add slices of fresh ginger to the cocktail shaker.

How to Make Apple Cider Moscow Mules for a Crowd

Making this recipe for a party is easy! First, scale up your ingredients based on the number of people you’re serving. If you’re going to be pouring the drinks all at once and right after mixing, you can stir everything together in a pitcher and then pour. 

If you’re going to be serving a little at a time, I recommend leaving out the ginger beer to keep your apple cider Moscow mules from going flat. Mix everything else in a pitcher, pour over ice in mugs, and then top off with the ginger beer and garnish.

More Cocktail Recipes

• Honey Deuce Cocktail
• Cadillac Margarita
• Lemonade Gin Mojito Cocktail Recipe
• Tom Collins (Gin Sour Cocktail)
• Corpse Reviver No. 2
• How to Make a Mimosa
• Kir Royale

For more easy fall recipes, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!