I love just about any cocktail or mocktail made with ginger beer. You just can’t go wrong with that spicy, sparkly beverage. It’s the perfect vehicle for a delightful holiday mocktail, like this cranberry apple cider mule mocktail.

This non-alcoholic bev has got it all: spiced apple cider, bright cranberry syrup, tart lemon juice, and spicy ginger beer to top it all off. It’s the perfect festive mocktail to celebrate the holiday season.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s got all the festive flavors you love! Apple cider. Cranberries. Ginger beer. It’s the perfect cup of cheer to toast to the holidays.
It’s not too sweet. Without the alcohol, many mocktails end up being little more than sparkling juice. But with the tartness of the cranberries and lemon paired with the spiciness of the ginger beer, this mocktail packs in the flavor.
The cranberry syrup can be made in advance and it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.
It can easily be adapted to serve a crowd (see details below).
If you want to turn this mocktail into a cocktail, a shot of vodka or whiskey is a great addition. It’s the perfect drink to delight drinkers and non-drinkers alike!

Start With The Cranberry Syrup

Making cranberry syrup is as easy as making cranberry sauce. The only difference is you’ll be straining out the solids at the end. To make the syrup, you’ll need…

6 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained (about half a bag)
½ cup water
6 tablespoons cane sugar

Toss everything in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and let it simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. The cranberries should be breaking down and the sugar should be dissolved.

Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer. The syrup will be thick thanks to the high level of pectin naturally found in cranberries, so be sure to press the solids well to get as much syrup as possible.

Let the syrup cool and then store it in the fridge until ready to use. It’ll store for up to a week.

How To Make The Cranberry Apple Cider Mule Mocktail

To make the cranberry apple cider mule, start by filling a glass ½-way with ice. It honestly doesn’t matter what type of glass you use. I’ve used rocks glasses, highball glasses, and wine glasses. So pick whatever glass suits your fancy and fits the vibe you’re going for.

Add about 4 ounces of apple cider to the glass, along with 1 tablespoon of cranberry syrup and a squeeze of lemon. Give everything a mix to combine.

The amount of lemon you use depends on how tart you like your mocktail. You can use just a single wedge or up to half a lemon. I find a quarter of a lemon adds a nice level of tartness without being too pucker-inducing. But if you’re a lemon-lover, half a lemon might be more your speed.

Top your glass with enough ginger beer to fill and you’re ready to toast, sip, and enjoy!

Tips To Serve A Crowd

For small, intimate gatherings, building individual mocktails isn’t a big deal. But if you want to serve a crowd, the last thing you need is to be stuck mixing up each glass one by one.

Instead, mix up a big batch of the apple cider mixture and serve it alongside bottles of ginger beer. Here’s what you’ll need to make about 16 servings…

½ gallon apple cider
1 cup cranberry syrup
4 lemons, juiced

Mix the apple cider, cranberry syrup, and lemon juice in a pitcher. Store it in the fridge until ready to serve.

Set up a serving area with the glasses, a big bowl of ice, apple cider mixture, and bottles of ginger beer. You’ll probably need about eight 12-ounce bottles of ginger beer.

Your guests can then serve themselves by filling their glasses with ice and then adding about half apple cider mixture and half ginger beer.

This is my preferred method for serving a crowd over punch-bowl-style because I hate it when a drink has gone flat. However, you can absolutely serve this punch-bowl-style if preferred.

When ready to serve, fill a punch bowl with ice, then add the apple cider mixture and about an equal amount of ginger beer to the bowl. Be sure to do this just before serving to that it hasn’t gone flat by the time your guests arrive.