Mint Julep (low-calorie)
A herbal and refreshing whiskey cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 25% ABV ∙
This low-calorie Mint Julep is bourbon, fresh mint, and sugar-free sweetener syrup, shaken and served over crushed ice in a frosted julep cup.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Fresh mint leaves 12 pcsBourbon 50 mlSugar-free sweetener syrup 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 3 dashes (opt.)
- Fine strain into the julep cup half filled with crushed ice
- Stir the drink with the crushed ice using a bar spoon
- Top up the cup with more crushed ice and stir again
- Garnish with a mint sprig
Tips
- Shake hard enough to break up the mint leaves and release their oils, then fine-strain so the shreds stay out of the cup.
History
This low-calorie Mint Julep replaces the sugar with a sugar-free sweetener syrup to cut the calorie count, keeping the bourbon-and-mint base. The Mint Julep itself is a much older American drink: an 1803 account by a British traveler describes Virginians drinking spirits with mint steeped in them, and Churchill Downs began promoting it as the Kentucky Derby drink in 1938.
FAQ
How many calories are in this Mint Julep?
This low-calorie Mint Julep has about 117 calories per serving. It uses a sugar-free sweetener syrup in place of regular simple syrup, which is what keeps the count down compared with a classic Mint Julep.
What are some common mistakes when making a mint julep?
Skipping the crushed-ice steps is the most common one: without building the ice up in two additions and stirring each time, the cup never frosts and the drink dilutes unevenly.
