Virgin Moscow Mule

This Virgin Moscow Mule is the perfect summertime sip. Pair flavorful non-alcoholic ginger beer with a sweet and tangy combination of cranberry, orange, and lime juices to please all ages.

Last fall my youngest brother got married. The reception was small and at a nice restaurant. My children loved being able to go up to the bar and order all the fancy mocktails they could drink.

My daughter and I have decided it would be fun to have a section on mocktail recipes and other non-alcoholic drinks here at Baking Me Hungry, like this Pina Colada Mocktail. Having a mocktail version is great for events like a baby shower as well.

A nod to the classic cocktail, the Moscow mule, our virgin Moscow mule mocktail uses a blend of fresh citrus, cranberry, and ginger beer without any added alcohol.

After this make sure to try our lovely non-alcoholic drink the Kiwi Mocktail.

Ingredients

Ginger Beer - You want a non-alcoholic ginger beer for this recipe. We used Gosling. Fever Tree is another common brand. There are some spicy ginger beer varieties out there and others that are milder in ginger flavor. They should be relatively inexpensive at your local grocery store so try different brands of ginger beer until you find a favorite.

Cranberry Juice - Try to find 100% cranberry juice. You are only using a little bit and the tartness of the real cranberry juice pairs perfectly with the ginger.

Fresh Citrus - We used a combination of freshly squeezed orange juice and freshly squeezed lime juice for this non-alcoholic moscow mule recipe.

Cranberries - Optional, to garnish. But they add a lot of color. I like to keep a bag in the freezer just for this purpose.

How to Make a Virgin Moscow Mule

This virgin Moscow mule recipe is simple, has simple ingredients, and only takes about 2 minutes to make. Although I added specific measurements in the recipe card you really can just wing this virgin mule recipe. You want a little lime juice, a little more orange juice, a little more cranberry juice than those, and then just top if off with ginger beer.

Step Five: Garnish and serve. Cranberries are a fun garnish during the holiday season. Or simply add a lime wedge and/or an orange wedge.

Variations

Sweetness - If you would like your ginger beer mocktail a bit sweeter you can add some simple syrup or another sweetener that dissolves easily. For a less sweet mocktail use sparkling water or seltzer instead of cranberry juice.

Juices - Swap out the cranberry juice for apple juice, apple cider, pomegranate juice, mango juice (try our Mango Mule Mocktail), grapefruit juice, apricot nectar, or even guava nectar.

Ginger Ale - For a milder drink use ginger ale instead of ginger beer. Club soda or lemon-lime soda are also good choices if you don't want to add ginger beer.

Mint - If you like a virgin mojito you can also add some mint to a mule. Muddle a few fresh mint leaves in the copper cup and then proceed with the recipe.

Garnish - Garnish with fruit slices, a twist of citrus, patterned paper straws, paper umbrellas, or even fun toys. I'll never forget the time I ordered a cocktail and it came with a 12-inch blue plastic whale across the top of it.

Alcoholic Cocktail - If you want one with alcohol you can add an ounce or two of vodka.

Try our Virgin Strawberry Mojito next. It is a great way to make another popular cocktail non-alcoholic.

Common Questions

📖 Recipe

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Orignally Published November 21, 2022. Revised and Republished April 14, 2025.