It's no secret that we're massive fans of a particular cocktail at Paykoc and you might be forgiven for thinking that all we do all day is fantasize about it (which of course isn't true...mostly). We are of course referring to our beloved Moscow Mule. We love its simplicity, how it looks when its sat in a nice shiny copper mug and, of course, how it tastes. But that's not all. Another thing that we love about this cocktail is the fact that there are so many potential variations, some relatively subtle and some that have a bigger influence on the drink and its taste. Owing to this and the fact that holiday season is upon us and we're all in need of some good ideas for parties and get-togethers, we thought we would bring you some round-ups of the coolest, weirdest and most interesting Moscow Mule recipes that people have posted in recent weeks. Here's how part 1 turned out...

The Pomegranate Moscow Mule

What better way could there possibly be to give the Moscow Mule a Christmassy feel than by adding a wintertime fruit to the mix. That's what Becky Hardin of The Cookie Rookie did recently and the pictures she took of the cocktail are enough to make anyone want to make one right now. For the health nuts among you, you'll probably already know that pomegranate is incredibly healthy, packed full of vitamins and antioxidants, and it's deliciously refreshing too (the arils are particularly addictive)! Becky explains in her blog post that after adding the pomegranate to the mix, the resultant cocktail is really light and refreshing, and the color of the pomegranate even makes the cocktail look like a Christmas drink. For even better results, she recommends you try swapping out regular vodka (check here if you want to know which vodkas we recommend you use for a standard mule!) for a pomegranate vodka to give the cocktail some extra kick. If you're interested in making this Moscow Mule spin-off this winter, check out the full Pomegranate Moscow Mule recipe here.

Apple Cider Moscow Mule

This is one that we've experimented with ourselves once or twice before with some pretty darn tasty results, although we've never added cinnamon sprinkles to finish it off before. While we weren't thinking of doing that, Eden of Sugarandcharm.com was. While this recipe would be considered more of a fall recipe, when you look at the pictures Eden uploaded (I can't resist thinking of making one when I see visual evidence of a new Mule recipe), you kind of forget what time of the year it is and you just want one. While the standard apple cider Mule we talked about in one of our earlier posts is nice and refreshing, the cinnamon we added after reading Eden's recipe takes it to the next level and adds a "beautiful aroma" to the drink as she puts it (couldn't think of any better way to sum up the effect it has). Her readers loved this mix and if you would like to try it, you should head over to Sugar And Charm now to get the full Apple Cider Moscow Mule recipe.

Sparkling Cranberry Moscow Mule

This is definitely one to rival the Pomegranate Moscow Mule that we mentioned earlier in terms of "Best Christmas Mule" (we might even have to turn that into an official award or something!) given that cranberries are heavily associated with the Christmas period an all. Again, hats off to Courtney of Sweetcsdesigns.com for making me want to prepare one of these Mules right now (the photos are great). This Moscow Mule variation is super easy to make; it really just requires the addition of cranberry juice and then some whole cranberries to garnish it. The sweet-tart taste of the cranberry juice combines perfectly with the ginger beer to create a unique taste that you'll be enjoying all winter. If you would like to check out Courtney's Sparkling Cranberry Moscow Mule recipe, head over to Sweet C's Designs now.

Refreshing Cucumber Moscow Mule

Sandwiches are the first thing that springs to mind when I think of cucumbers, not cocktails, but that's probably because I'm British...It turns out that cucumbers aren't just for "sarnies" or salads though and can they can be used to make a rather mean Moscow Mule as Alexandra Azary of Honestcooking.com pointed out in the recipe she published a couple of weeks ago. The bright, attractive colors of the lime and cucumber are backed up by the ginger beer's spicy warm kick, and it has a refreshing taste with warm undertones; perfect as the weather continues to get colder. The only thing that we didn't like is that it wasn't served in a copper mug in their pictures! For full details of the Refreshing Cucumber Moscow Mule recipe, head over to Honest Cooking's site.

That concludes today's round-up of the latest and greatest Moscow Mule recipes. Why don't you give one or maybe, dare we say it, all of these recipes a try and see what you think. We would love to hear what you have to say and if you found this round-up useful, don't forget to share, like and forward it!

Once you do and realize how great these recipes are consider getting your favorite Moscow Mule Mug engraved with your favorite quote. Check out more options here