Vodka Collins (low-calorie)
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 8.1% ABV ∙
A low-calorie Vodka Collins is a lighter riff on the classic highball, mixing vodka, fresh lemon juice, sugar-free sweetener syrup, and soda water over ice. Brisk and fizzy with a tart edge, this pours light-bodied and crisp, finishing clean without any syrupy weight or lingering sweetness.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake the first 3 ingredients with ice: Vodka 45 mlLemon juice 30 mlSugar-free sweetener syrup 20 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Top with Soda water and briefly stir
- Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry
Tips
- Shake only the vodka, lemon juice, and syrup first — adding soda water at this stage flattens its fizz.
- Pre-chill the Collins glass so the soda water doesn't lose its sparkle against a warm surface.
- Stir just briefly after topping with soda water; over-stirring knocks the carbonation flat before serving.
History
The low-calorie Vodka Collins has no separate creation story of its own: it is simply the standard Vodka Collins made with a sugar-free sweetener instead of syrup, a modern adaptation reflecting the diet-conscious cocktail trend rather than a documented invention by any named bartender or venue. The Vodka Collins itself is a straightforward swap on the Collins, substituting vodka for gin to give a more neutral, less botanical spirit base while keeping the same lemon-and-soda structure. The Collins traces to the Collins family of drinks first recorded in the 1870s, its name and exact origin still debated among cocktail historians, with the low-calorie version simply lightening that formula by dropping the added sugar.
FAQ
How many calories are in a Vodka Collins?
This low-calorie Vodka Collins has about 113 calories per serving, thanks to a sugar-free sweetener syrup standing in for regular simple syrup.
What are the ingredients for a low-calorie Vodka Collins?
This version is vodka, fresh lemon juice, a sugar-free sweetener syrup, and soda water, shaken and topped up, then garnished with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. The sugar-free syrup replaces regular syrup to cut calories while keeping the same tart, fizzy structure.
What goes in a Vodka Collins?
Vodka, fresh lemon juice, a sweetener syrup, and soda water, built long over ice in a Collins glass. This recipe uses a sugar-free sweetener syrup in place of regular syrup, making it a lighter take on the classic.
What is the lowest calorie vodka cocktail?
A Vodka Collins made with a sugar-free sweetener syrup instead of regular syrup is one of the lightest options, coming in at around 113 calories per serving. Vodka mixed simply with soda water and citrus keeps calories down because it avoids sugary liqueurs, juices, and cream.
What's the healthiest thing to mix with vodka?
Soda water and fresh citrus juice are the lowest-calorie mixers for vodka, since they add flavor and fizz without sugar. This Vodka Collins uses exactly that combination, plus a sugar-free sweetener syrup instead of traditional simple syrup, to keep the calorie count down.
What to mix with vodka for weight loss?
Soda water and a sugar-free sweetener syrup are the lightest mixers for vodka, since they add fizz and sweetness without the sugar calories. This Vodka Collins uses that swap to keep the drink tart and refreshing at a lower calorie count.
