If you're counting your calories or carbs but still crave a cocktail, then vodka and diet ginger ale is a great go-to drink. Vodka has 65 calories per ounce and zero carbs, while diet ginger ale has no carbs or calories. You can also include other low-cal mixers and fun garnishes that may add a few additional calories and carbs to your cocktail along with a ton of flavor, and the diet ginger ale provides nice flavors and aromas to mixed drinks containing nearly flavorless vodka.
Vodka and Diet Ginger Ale Cocktail
Diet ginger ale is lightly sweet with a nice, gingery bite. It's easy to make a basic vodka and diet ginger ale cocktail.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1½ ounces vodka
- 5 ounces diet ginger ale
- Ice
- Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice.
- Add the vodka and diet ginger ale.
- Stir.
- Garnish with the lime wheel and mint sprig.
Pump up the flavor using homemade-infused vodkas. If you make your own, you won't have to worry about added sugar. Some flavors to try:
Low-Carb Moscow Mule
A traditional Moscow mule contains vodka, lime, and ginger beer. This version uses diet ginger ale, which is lower in carbs and calories than the ginger beer.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Drop or two of liquid stevia or liquid Splenda (optional, to taste)
- Ice
- 4 ounces diet ginger ale
- Lime wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, vodka, and liquid stevia.
- Add ice and shake.
- Strain into a mule cup filled with ice. Add the diet ginger ale.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and a mint sprig.
Diet Blackberry Mule
Adding a sugar-free fruit-flavored syrup makes the basic mule even more delicious. Feel free to substitute any sugar-free syrup flavor to this tasty cocktail to make your own creation. Fruit flavored syrups pair the best with ginger.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1½ ounces vodka
- ¾ ounce sugar-free blackberry flavored syrup
- Ice
- 4 ounces diet ginger ale
- 3 fresh blackberries and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, vodka, and blackberry syrup.
- Add ice and shake.
- Strain into a mule cup filled with ice.
- Add the diet ginger ale and stir.
- Garnish with a fresh blackberries and a mint sprig.
Low-Cal Mint Mule
Mint is another terrific flavor to add to your vodka and ginger beer without adding additional calories or carbs.
Ingredients
- 10 mint sprigs
- ¼ teaspoon liquid stevia or liquid Splenda
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1½ ounces vodka or homemade mint-infused vodka
- Ice
- 4 ounces diet ginger ale
- Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint sprigs with the stevia or Splenda.
- Add the lime juice and vodka.
- Add ice to the shaker and shake.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Add the diet ginger ale and stir.
- Garnish with lime wedges.
Low-Carb Boozy Italian Soda
If one of your coffee house favorites is the creamy Italian soda, then you'll love this low-carb boozy version.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces sugar-free syrup of your flavor choice
- 2 ounces vodka
- Crushed ice
- 5 ounces diet ginger ale
- 2 ounces heavy cream
Instructions
- In a collins glass, combine the syrup and vodka. Stir.
- Add crushed ice. Pour the ginger ale over the ice. Stir.
- Pour the heavy cream over the top.
Orange-Ginger Cocktail
This cocktail is still low in calories, although the freshly squeezed orange juice has 13 calories and 3 grams of carbs per ounce, so if you're counting calories or carbs, you'll want to calculate that into your daily intake. You can also substitute freshly squeezed lemon juice, which has 6 calories and around 2 grams of carbs, or grapefruit juice, which has 11 calories and just over 3 grams of carbs.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 dashes orange cocktail bitters
- Ice
- 3 ounces diet ginger ale
- Orange wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the juice and vodka. Add ice and shake.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Add the ginger ale and stir. Garnish with an orange wheel.
Sea Breeze Fizz
The sea breeze is a refreshing cocktail made from vodka, grapefruit juice, and cranberry juice. This version captures the flavors with fewer carbs and calories, and it adds an interesting and fizzy element with diet ginger ale.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 1½ ounce diet cranberry cocktail
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- 6 ounces diet ginger ale
- Lime wedge and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the grapefruit juice, diet cranberry cocktail, and vodka.
- Add the ice and shake.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice.
- Add the diet ginger ale. Stir.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and mint sprig.
Cocktails With Vodka and Diet Ginger Ale
For such a simple cocktail, there's really a lot you can do with a base of diet ginger ale and your favorite brand of vodka. It's a great low-calorie, low-carb mixed drink that can be a part of your healthy lifestyle as long as you imbibe with moderation. Don't be afraid to experiment with flavor to see what you can come up with.
