When the sun’s heat beats down in the height of summer, many seek respite in the form of a cooling summer cocktail. But if you’re keeping an eye on your calorie count and trying to lose weight, the extra calories in a few sugary cocktails can quickly add up. Luckily, there are plenty of low-calorie summer cocktails that you can enjoy all summer long while still keeping an eye on your waistline.
Whether your go-to liquor is vodka, gin, tequila, whiskey, or rum, or maybe you prefer a wine-based cocktail, there are plenty of refreshing cocktail recipes that are perfect on a hot summer’s day. From a lower-calorie version of traditional cocktails to thirst-quenching fruity mixed drinks, there’s a perfect summer drink for everyone.
Key Takeaways
- The best summer cocktail to drink on a hot day should be light and fruity, and don’t forget to add ice to cool it down.
- Often, all the calories, or at least a large percentage of them, come from sugar-filled mixers. ‘
- The best summer cocktails for when you’re on a diet are the ones made with low-calorie or zero-sugar mixers.
- With the 4th of July fast approaching, now’s the time to restock your home bar to be ready to make endless low-calorie summer cocktails.
Low-Calorie Cocktail Recipes with Vodka
Skinny Bitch
Recipe by Absolut
Calories per serving: Under 100
Coming in at under 100 calories per serving, Absolut’s Skinny Bitch recipe is light on calories but big on flavor. It’s a simple summer cocktail that just requires three ingredients and some lime wedges for garnishing.
Grab a bottle of Absolut vodka, some lime juice, and some soda water, and add them to an ice-filled highball glass. Quick, simple, and easy on the waistline.
Blueberry And Peach Vodka Spritzer
Recipe by Fitty Foodlicious
Calories per serving: 140
Fresh berries and summer fruits combine with the vodka in these refreshing spritzers to create a perfect summer cocktail for your next pool party. In addition to peaches, blueberries, and vodka, you’ll also need to gather up some ginger, basil leaves, lime, and sparkling water.
The peaches, ginger, basil, and blueberries are gently muddled in the bottom of each glass before filling each with ice. Add a shot of vodka and a squirt of lime juice, and top off with sparkling water. You can then add more fresh berries as a garnish.
Basil-ade
Recipe by All Women’s Talk
Calories per serving: 130
A grown-up version of lemonade that’s as boozy as it is refreshing, a cold glass of basil-ade is a super refreshing drink that will cool you down on the hottest of days. Simply add lightly-crushed fresh strawberries and basil leaves to your glass, pour in an ounce of vodka, and top with ice-cold lemonade.
At only 130 calories per serving, too, it’s a refreshing cocktail that you can enjoy all summer long.
Low-Calorie Gin Cocktails
Low Carb, No Guilt Gin Tonic Cocktail
Recipe by Spice Cravings
Calories per serving: 110
A traditional gin and tonic is many people’s go-to drink when they wish to cool down and refresh the palate. The fresh and light botanicals in gin are perfect for a hot day, but the tonic water adds extra calories.
A quick and easy hack to reduce the calorie count is to switch out half the tonic water for club soda or seltzer water. The recipe calls for 1.5 ounces of vodka, and you’ll also need a few drops of lemon juice and plenty of ice on hand.
Classic Gin Rickey
Recipe by Moody Mixologist
Calories per serving: 114
Start by filling a tall glass with ice, then add in a hearty pour of your favorite gin and some lime juice and top up with soda water. A lime wedge makes an ideal garnish, but you are free to choose others that will complement the botanicals in your gin choice.
The gin Rickey is a classic, and the original recipe calls for Plymouth gin, but you can use any gin you prefer too.
Low-Calorie Gin And Soda
Recipe by A Couple Cooks
Calories per serving: 149
A delicious and simple way to cool down at the end of a long, hot summer’s day is to sip on an ice-cold gin and soda. Add some ice cubes to a highball glass, pour two ounces of gin over the ice, then add six ounces of soda water and a squeeze of lime juice.
Low-Calorie Tequila Cocktails
Skinny Margarita
Recipe by Well Plated
Calories per serving: 145
A traditional Mexican margarita is made from tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, and they can come in a bit heavy on calories. If you’re heading down Mexico way or fancy bringing a slice of the Caribbean to your summer cocktail party, you can mix up a lower-calorie version by switching the calorific triple sec for orange juice.
Not only are you dropping some of the calories, but you’re also getting an extra shot of vitamin C. You’ll also need some agave nectar to sweeten and some fresh lime juice.
Light Citrus Paloma Cocktail
Recipe by Cotter Crunch
Calories per serving: 105
While a simple Paloma is a two-ingredient cocktail consisting only of tequila and grapefruit-flavored soda, you can make this fruiter version which also has fewer calories. It’s a light and refreshing summer cocktail, and this recipe uses freshly-squeezed orange juice to make it even more summery.
Ranch Water
Recipe by Sugar And Charm
Calories per serving: 73
Perhaps the lowest calorie cocktail, ranch water, was born out of the oppressive Texan summer heat, so you know it will cool you down on the hottest of days. And the fact that they are so simple to make means you won’t get hot and flustered in the kitchen preparing your summer cocktails.
Simply mix one ounce each of tequila and lime juice, then top with three ounces of ice-cold mineral water.
Low-Calorie Rum Cocktails
Skinny Strawberry Mojito
Recipe by Delicious Spoon
Calories per serving: 112
The light and refreshing flavors of mint and strawberries make this a strong candidate for the best summer cocktail. By switching out the sugar in a traditional mojito for stevia, you can also make it sugar-free. You’ll also need some white rum and either club soda or orange Perrier if you prefer the extra flavor.
Creamy Pineapple
Recipe by All Women’s Talk
Calories per serving: 150
While the name suggests this summer cocktail may be a little heavy on calories, there’s no actual cream involved. Instead, you’ll just need some Perfect Purée Caramelized Pineapple Concentrate for texture and also some Bacardi, lemon juice, agave nectar, and pineapple juice.
Melon Ball Mojitos
Recipe by Craving Something Healthy
Calories per serving: 108
Who said low-calorie cocktails couldn’t be fun? This low-calorie cocktail contains a melange of melons alongside fresh mint and basil leaves, Caribbean rum, and sparkling water. For the melons, you’ll need watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew.
Start by muddling the fruit, herbs, and sweetener in a cocktail shaker, then add the seltzer water and rum. Then shake vigorously and strain into a nice glass filled with crushed ice.
Low-Calorie Whiskey Cocktails
Chivas Highball
Recipe by Chivas
Calories per serving: 110
Super simple and super refreshing. To make a Chivas highball, you’ll just need Chivas 12 and soda water. Simply add them to your glass, and be generous with the ice. Garnish with an orange slice or zest for added summery zing.
Skinny Whiskey Sour
Recipe by Ms. Alisha Carlson
Calories per serving: 105
The juxtaposition of sweet, simple syrup and sour lemon juice gives a classic whiskey sour its signature flavors. If you are looking for a low-calorie version of this classic, you can switch out the sugary simple syrup and fructose-rich lemon juice for lemonade-flavored Mio Liquid Water Enhancer.
Japanese Highball
Recipe by Sidewalk Shoes
Calories per serving: 71
To make a low-calorie whiskey highball the Japanese way – the first step is to choose your Japanese whisky (the recipe recommends Toki Suntory). Then to make your drink the Japanese way, first cool the glass by swirling some ice around it. After adding the whisky, stir 13.5 times in a clockwise direction, then pour the club soda over a bar spoon. The meditative method of mixing this drink helps cool you down before your first sip.
Low-Calorie Wine Cocktails
Skinny Sangria
Recipe by Veg Annie
Calories per serving: 109
Tropical summer sangria is a staple of the summer barbecue or pool party and for a good reason. It’s full of fruity goodness and the perfect drink for cooling down. Grab an inexpensive bottle of red wine, some vodka, club soda, a collection of summer fruits (oranges, strawberries, cranberries, and lemon), and lots of ice. Mix the ingredients together in a large pitcher, and sweeten with stevia instead of sugar or simple syrup.
Easy Rosé Spritzer
Recipe by Salt and Lavender
Calories per serving: 105
Light, bubbly, and refreshing, these low-calorie cocktails come together in a simple and delicious way, and each cocktail only contains 105 calories. A nice sparkling wine, like a Prosecco Rosé, works well, and the only other ingredients needed are club soda and a slice of lemon.
Not only are these low-calorie cocktails a great summer drink, but they also make your wine last a little longer.
Farmers’ Market Wine Cocktail
Recipe by The G-Free Foodie
Calories per serving: 138
If you’re a fan of a bloody mary or sangria, the farmers’ market wine cocktail may just become your favorite cool cocktail this summer. You’ll first need to make a batch of tomato water. Then you will also need cherry tomatoes, basil and parsley leaves, a bottle of red wine, sea salt, and plenty of ice.
For the red wine, there’s no need to break the bank, with an inexpensive red made from Gamay grapes being a good choice. If you want to add a bit of spice, like a bloody mary, you can also add in some slices of fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers.
Cranberry Mimosa
Recipe by Champagne and Coconuts
Calories per serving: 123
If you have a special occasion coming up over the summer, you can still crack open the Champagne and celebrate without worrying about your calorie intake. These cranberry mimosas are a low-calorie twist on the classic mimosa recipe.
You’ll need a couple of ounces of Champagne per drink, plus cranberry juice and orange liqueur. Fresh cranberries and rosemary make a good garnish, and if you don’t have champagne flutes on hand, a chilled martini glass will work just as well.
FAQs
Which cocktail is the lowest in calories?
Ranch water and Japanese Highballs are among the summer cocktails with the least calories.
What cocktails can I have on a diet?
White spirits – vodka, gin, white rum – mixed with low-calorie mixers, like club soda or diet soda, are low-calorie cocktails that you can enjoy while on a diet. Also, cocktails that are sugar-free or naturally sweetened rather than ones that are full of processed sugar.
How do you order low-calorie cocktails at the bar?
The next time you order a drink at the bar, choose a low-calorie drink with sugar-free soda, sparkling water, or a squeeze of fresh fruit – fresh grapefruit juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, pomegranate juice, or lemon juice – instead of cocktails are full of overly sweet, processed fruit juice, simple syrup or cream.
Low Calorie Summer Cocktails
- Skinny Bitch
- Blueberry And Peach Vodka Spritzer
- Basil-ade
- Low Carb, No Guilt Gin Tonic Cocktail
- Classic Gin Rickey
- Low-Calorie Gin And Soda
- Skinny Margarita
- Light Citrus Paloma Cocktail
- Ranch Water
- Skinny Strawberry Mojito
- Creamy Pineapple
- Melon Ball Mojitos
- Chivas Highball
- Skinny Whiskey Sour
- Japanese Highball
- Skinny Sangria
- Easy Rosé Spritzer
- Farmers’ Market Wine Cocktail
- Cranberry Mimosa
