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If there’s one no-stress cocktail that’s an absolute showstopper for a holiday party, this is it. It’s my super delicious twist on a classic, and it is dangerously drinkable. This Festive Hot Honey Mule is the perfect balance of “swicy,” “tangy,” and “zesty,” and the color is a gorgeous, jewel-toned red.

Now, you can’t just dump honey into a cold drink—it seizes up and sinks to the bottom. So, we’re using my favorite wow factor hack: a Hot Honey Simple Syrup.

We just simmer our 5-Minute Homemade Hot Honey with water for 60 seconds. That’s it! This syrup is our secret weapon. It mixes instantly, balances the tartness of the lime and cranberry, and plays perfectly with the ginger beer.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The PERFECT “Swicy” Holiday Cocktail: The spicy-sweet kick from our Hot Honey Simple Syrup is so much more fun than a basic mule.
A No-Stress Party Hack: The syrup is the key. You make it in 5 minutes (days ahead!) so you can mix drinks in seconds. Wow factor without the work!
Gorgeous & Festive: For a festive look, showcase this showstopping cocktail in a moscow mule mug.
A “No-Shaker” Dream: That’s right! You build this cocktail right in the mug. Cleanup is a dream!

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, gather your ingredients.

Then, let’s make our super delicious flavor infusion hack: the Hot Honey Simple Syrup. This is our secret weapon. In a small saucepan, combine our 5-Minute Homemade Hot Honey and water. Bring it to a gentle simmer, stirring until the honey is fully dissolved. Let it bubble for 1 minute. That’s it! Take it off the heat and let it cool. This can be made days in advance.

Now, for the assembly. Grab your copper mugs (or a festive rocks glass). This is a no-shaker cocktail, so we build it right in the glass!

Fill your mug to the top with ice. Pour in your vodka, the cooled hot honey simple syrup, a splash of 100% cranberry juice, and a squeeze of fresh lime (for that perfect bright pop!).

Finally, the grand finale. Top the entire drink with ginger beer. You want that fizz. It will fill the rest of the glass and create a beautiful, bubbly top.

Give it one gentle stir. For the final showstopper touch, garnish with a few fresh cranberries and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Ava’s Notes

Why the Syrup?: If you pour cold honey into a cold drink, it will seize into a solid, sticky lump. Our syrup is the way to get that super delicious hot honey flavor into every single sip.
The Batch Cocktail: This is my party dream! You can make an entire pitcher. In a large pitcher, combine: 2 cups vodka, 1 cup Hot Honey Simple Syrup, 1 cup cranberry juice, and 1/2 cup lime juice. Stir it up and keep it in the fridge. When guests arrive, just pour it into ice-filled glasses and let them top it with ginger beer!
Which Cranberry Juice? Make sure you use 100% cranberry juice (the unsweetened, “just cranberry” kind!), not cranberry cocktail. That tartness is essential to balance our sweet syrup.
The Garnish is the Wow Factor: Don’t skip it! That green sprig of rosemary against the red drink and copper mug is everything.