This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If you like a good Moscow Mule recipe and you like gin drinks, you’re going to love a London Mule. Empress Gin is one of my favorites, it’s a gorgeous purple and tastes delicious in any cocktail so win-win! This drink is perfect for the holidays or dinner parties because you can make them ahead, they’re festive, and absolutely delicious!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love London Mule
This cocktail has warm vanilla and cinnamon that pairs so perfectly with this gorgeous empress gin. It is such an amazing festive drink. It is also a large batch recipe that makes it perfect for company. You make it ahead and won’t be stuck in the kitchen working out your arm muscles shaking drinks all night! 💪
How To Prepare
🎛️ First we are going to start with making the cinnamon vanilla simple syrup for your London Mule. Add the sugar, cinnamon sticks, water and vanilla to a saucepan and simmer until thickened and reduced by about ⅓. Add in maple syrup.Let it cool completely.
🍹 To your pitcher, add your gin (I use Empress1908. It has a unique delicious flavor and it’s purple which makes this drink so pretty!), lemon juice and start with ¾ cup of the simple syrup, add in ginger beer and soda water. Adjust for sweetness at this point. Make sure you add the cinnamon sticks to your pitcher so it continues to infuse the flavors. Top with ice.
🍋 Garnish with rosemary, lemon and a cinnamon stick.
🫶 And that is it, subscribe for more!
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitutions
- Gin → If you want a Moscow Mule instead of a London Mule, just use vodka instead of the Empress gin for this cocktail.
- Vanilla Bean Paste → If you don’t have vanilla bean paste you can use vanilla extract.
- Simple Syrup → If you’re short on time you can just buy your simple syrup at the store and add a little cinnamon to it.
- Variations
- Blackberry Variation → For a little pizzazz, you can add a few blackberries with a touch of honey to the bottom of each cup and use a muddler to combine.
- Apple Variation → You can add some apple slices as garnish for a pretty pop.
🔥Chef Nadia’s Tip🔥
Pre-chill your mugs in the freezer and it will keep your drink colder longer!
The Perfect Pairings
A great way to start the night off with this London Mule drink is to make my Prosciutto Toast. They are so easy and always a crowd pleaser. Then going into dinner a nice Arugula Apple Salad and Balsamic Glazed Ribeye Skewers are a great balance for this drink. And to end the night, a Dubai Chocolate Crepe Cake, which is also a show stopper!
London Mule: Questions Answered
Simple syrup can be made up to a month ahead as long as it is stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
No definitely not. The ginger beer will lose its carbonation so this is definitely a drink you stir.
To make this ahead, get all the elements ready but wait to add the ginger beer and soda water till right before serving or it will go flat.
I really love Empress1908 Indigo. You can get it at Total Wine and they sell it at a lost of Costco at a good price too.
London Mule
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 pitcher
Ingredients
Cinnamon Vanilla Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
London Mule
- 2¼ cups gin, Empress1908 is my fav
- ⅔ cup lemon juice
- ¾-1 cup Cinnamon Vanilla Simple Syrup
- 2½ cups ginger beer
- 1½ cup sparkling water
- ice, to fill pitcher
- Cinnamon sticks, garnish
- Rosemary, garnish
- Lemon slices, garnish
Instructions
Cinnamon Vanilla Simple Syrup
- Add the water, sugar, vanilla bean paste and cinnamon sticks to a saucepan. Simmer until reduced by about ⅓. Turn off the heat and add the maple syrup. Let cool completely.
London Mule
- To your pitcher, add gin, lemon juice and ¾ cup of the Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup. Just before serving, add the ginger beer and soda water. Adjust for sweetness and add more of the Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup if you would like. Add the cinnamon sticks to your pitcher and top with ice.
- Garnish your cold glass with a cinnamon stick, rosemary, and lemon slice.
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you sincerely! 💖