Cherry-Orange Kentucky Mule Recipe
Let's bring a summer twist to your traditional Kentucky mule! With a double dose of fruit, spicy ginger kick and bubbly finish, this cherry-orange Kentucky mule is bursting with fresh, seasonal flavor in every sip.
How to Make the Best Cherry-Orange Kentucky Mule
A Summer Twist on a Classic Cocktail
This Cherry-Orange Kentucky Mule takes the beloved mule cocktail and elevates it with fresh, seasonal fruit flavors. By combining bourbon instead of vodka with a double dose of cherries and orange, you get a sophisticated drink that’s perfect for warm weather gatherings. The spicy ginger beer kick balances beautifully with the sweet fruit notes, creating a refreshing and complex flavor profile.
Why You’ll Love This Mule
What makes this recipe stand out is the muddled fresh cherries and mint, which release their essential oils and juice into the drink. The orange peel garnish adds brightness and aroma, while the bourbon gives this mule a warming depth that the traditional vodka version lacks. It’s an easy cocktail to master but tastes like you spent hours perfecting it.
Tips for the Perfect Serve
Serve this drink in a classic copper mug—it’s not just tradition, it keeps the drink perfectly chilled. The key is gentle muddling with the cherries and mint; you want to extract flavor without turning the mint into a pulp. Fresh citrus juice makes all the difference here, so squeeze your oranges and limes just before making the drink for the brightest, most vibrant flavors.
Cherry-Orange Kentucky Mule
Let's bring a summer twist to your traditional Kentucky mule! With a double dose of fruit, spicy ginger kick and bubbly finish, this cherry-orange Kentucky mule is bursting with fresh, seasonal flavor in every sip.
Ingredients
For the Drink
For Garnish (Optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Orange
- Using a paring knife, cut off the bottom of the orange and use that as the base. Carefully cut off a piece of peel by moving the knife away from yourself in a downward direction. Try to cut shallowly to minimize the amount of white pith. Set aside.
Mix the Drink
- Add the orange juice, lime juice and pitted cherries to a copper mug and muddle until the cherries break down. Add mint leaves and lightly muddle — you don't want to overwork the mint.
- Add the bourbon and a handful of ice and stir for about 15-30 seconds.
Finish and Serve
- Top with ginger beer. Gently stir. Over the drink, squeeze and twist the orange peel to release its oils and drop into mug.
- Take mint sprig and place in the palm of your hand, quickly clap your other hand on top to release the fragrance and garnish. Add additional cherries if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a copper mug for the classic mule presentation.
- Freshly squeezed citrus juices make a significant difference in flavor.
- Cherry-infused bourbon adds an extra layer of flavor, but regular bourbon works perfectly fine.