Festive Cranberry Vodka Mule

We hosted a Griswold family Christmas this year and I purchased roughly 764 pounds of food for the festivities but forgot ice.

When I was fishing around the freezer for something to chill the vodka, I came up with several bags of organic frozen cranberries (I keep them on hand to throw in smoothies and baked apple dishes and such). Combined with other random dribs and drabs around the house, and we had the perfect festive house cocktail! I know we’re beyond Christmas, but I’m sharing this recipe in case you wanna let the good times roll for New Years.

A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

GINGER

The recipe calls for freshly mined ginger root. The first night I made these, I was only making them for three people, so I used a garlic press for the ginger. This is my favorite way to do it because it squeezes out juice and little itty bitty ginger pieces, but it’s definitely cumbersome. The next night I was making them for a larger group of people, so I batched up the ginger ahead of time by peeling a full ginger root, chopping it up into chunks, and throwing it in the blender with a smidge of water to facilitate the blending. I put that mixture into a small mason jar, and spooned it into the drinks as I made them.

Another note: I like things SUPER gingery. If you don’t, use less ginger.

FROZEN CRANBERRIES

If you have actual ice like normal people, you don’t have to use as many cranberries. They’re really for looks, anyway. Halve the cranberries and sub with ice.

STEVIA

If you don’t like it, don’t use it. I like my drinks a little bit sweet, especially if I’m trying to mimic a Moscow mule (made with sweet ginger beer). I also don’t like sugar in my drinks because sugar + booze = knock knock knockin on death’s door the next day. So I always use liquid stevia. If you don’t mind sugar, use simple syrup. Could you use honey or maple syrup? Sure. You’re free to try. It just is kind of a hass to mix. You’ve been warned.

PERRIER

Plain seltzer works fine here, too. If you wanna get extra razzamatazz, you can use dry champs or Prosecco.

VODKA MULE INGREDIENTS

1 cup frozen cranberries

1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 full shot of Tito’s vodka

Perrier

3-4 drops liquid stevia extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill a large wine glass or your fave cocktail glass with the frozen cranberries.

Into a large wine glass or your fave cocktail glass goes the ginger, lime, lime zest and vodka. Add the frozen cranberries. Top with Perrier. Transfer everything into a cocktail shaker or separate glass, then pour back into original glass to mix. I always add the stevia last so I can adjust sweetness. Give it one final mix then serve. And enjoy!