Apple Cider Cinnamon Mule
A spicy, fizzy, alcohol-free mule built on cinnamon-steeped apple cider, fresh lime and sharp ginger beer. Served over ice in copper mugs or tumblers, it tastes like autumn in a glass.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Wait
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Makes
- 4 drinks (about 10 oz / 300 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Chill the ginger beer and the apple cider in the fridge for at least 2 hours so the drinks stay cold and fizzy.
- The cinnamon-infused cider needs about 45 minutes to cool and chill, so make it first.
- Use unfiltered apple cider (not clear apple juice) for the best depth of flavor.
- Juice the limes just before serving; the juice tastes flatter if it sits for hours.
Simmer cinnamon cider
- Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of the apple cider into a small saucepan.
- Add the 3 cinnamon sticks and the maple syrup, if using.
- Set over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Cider smells strongly of cinnamon and tiny bubbles rise around the edges; maple is fully dissolved
Tip: Do not boil hard, or the cider can reduce and taste cooked and syrupy.
Steep and cool
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the cinnamon sticks steep in the cider for 15 minutes.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, discarding the used sticks.
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Ready when: Cider is deeply amber and fragrant
Chill the base
- Stir the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) cold apple cider into the pitcher.
- Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until the mixture is completely cold to the touch.
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Ready when: Pitcher feels cold all the way through
Tip: Never add ginger beer to a warm base; it will go flat immediately.
Juice the limes
- While the base chills, squeeze the limes to get ½ cup (120 ml) juice and strain out the seeds and pulp.
- Slice 1 more large lime into 8 thin wheels for garnish.
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Ready when: Juice measures ½ cup (120 ml)
Tip: Roll the limes firmly on the counter before cutting to get more juice.
Combine base and lime
- Stir the lime juice into the chilled cider base.
- Taste: it should be tart and lightly sweet.
- Add up to 1 extra teaspoon maple syrup if it seems too sharp.
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Ready when: Base tastes bright and balanced; ginger beer will add more sweetness
Fill the glasses
- Fill each of 4 mugs or tumblers with 1 cup (about 125 g) ice.
- Pour about ¾ cup (180 ml) of the cider-lime base into each.
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Ready when: Each glass is about two-thirds full
Top with ginger beer
- Slowly pour about ¾ cup (180 ml) cold ginger beer into each glass, tilting the glass slightly to keep the bubbles.
- Stir once, gently, from the bottom up.
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Ready when: Drink is lightly foaming and evenly pale amber
Tip: Stir only once or twice; more stirring knocks out the fizz.
Garnish and serve
- Tuck 2 lime wheels and 1 cinnamon stick into each glass.
- Serve right away while the drink is cold and fizzy.
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Ready when: Garnishes sit on top of the ice and the drink is fizzing
Good to know
Tips
- Choose a spicy ginger beer (not ginger ale) for the authentic mule bite.
- Copper mugs keep the drink extra cold, but any sturdy glass works.
- Add a pinch of ground cloves or a star anise to the simmering cider for more warm spice.
- For a single serving, mix ¾ cup cider base with ¾ cup ginger beer over ice.
Make ahead
"Make the cinnamon cider base with lime juice up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add ice and ginger beer only when serving."
Storage & reheating
"Serve immediately. The assembled drink does not keep, as it goes flat. The cider-lime base (without ginger beer) keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the base in an airtight container up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and stir before using. Do not reheat the finished drink; for a warm version, gently heat only the base and top with ginger beer in the mug."
Substitutions
- pure maple syrup → honey or brown sugar. Use the same amount; stir into the hot cider until dissolved. Omit honey for vegan guests.
- ginger beer → ginger ale plus 1 tsp fresh ginger juice. Gives a milder, sweeter drink; reduce maple syrup to 1 tbsp.
- cinnamon sticks → ½ tsp ground cinnamon. The drink will be slightly cloudy; whisk into the hot cider and strain through a coffee filter.
- fresh lime juice → fresh lemon juice. Use the same amount for a softer, less sharp tartness.