Enjoy this low carb Dirty Shirley this weekend! It’s the grown up version of your favorite childhood cocktail but this recipe has 0 carbs. Although my version is made with gin you can use plain vodka as well.
For this recipe you’ll need: gin, sugar -free ginger ale or sprite, Skinny Girl White Cherry water enhancer, limes, and ice
If you are in a hurry click here to go to the recipe.

When I was growing up there was no such thing as a mocktail but there was such a thing as a Shirley Temple. Ginger ale, Maraschino cherries, and grenadine were mixed to create a sweet, bubbly drink that made me feel very grown up. My parents and I often went to a particular restaurant that had the white table cloths, the silver, and the bored maitre de so often pictured in Madmen. The thing was that the minute Dad entered the place the maitre de was all smiles and carefully choose the best table always for Monsieur, Madame, and la petite poupée (which means little doll not poopy little kid).
Back then restaurants were quiet with hushed conversation and soft music. Even as a toddler I would not have considered getting down from my chair or making noise. The adults sipped fancy cocktails and laughed quietly while any child in the place knew that fidgeting and carrying on would win you a trip to the car. I miss those days. You go to restaurants now and yo you can barely hear yourself think let alone talk with someone else at your table.

As I grew up I preferred other drinks and when I was finally old enough for a real cocktail the first one I ordered was a Pina Colada. I didn’t even think about my old friend Shirley Temple.
A few years ago I saw that my childhood favorite had joined me in adulthood by transitioning into the Dirty Shirley — basically a Shirley Temple with vodka.
That sounded great except the carbs were crazy high between the sugary soda and the grenadine. I decided to see if I could recreate something similar without the carbs. I tried it with cherry vodka but I just didn’t like the flavor. This may be a personal issue since a friend got me so drunk on cherry vodka and Sprite for my 16th birthday that he couldn’t bring me home. I have not really been a fan of cherry vodka since then so this could definitely be a personal issue.
What I liked best was my Citadelle gin (not sponsored – I just really love the flavor of that gin) and Skinny Girl White Cherry water enhancer (again, not sponsored). Try this low carb Dirty Shirley with the cherry vodka if you like but be sure to do your due diligence — I’ve been surprised by carbs in some of the flavored vodkas.

Y’all know I love the various water enhancers to create my favorite cocktails. The white cherry is one of my favorites — works in so many different drinks! A bar set makes it easier to create your favorite drinks because you’ll be measuring accurately as well as using other tools to help you create the perfect drink.
Here’s that low carb Dirty Shirley recipe. Cheers!

Table of Contents
Lowcarb Dirty Shirley
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Ginger Ale sugar free
- 2 ounces gin
- 1/4 teaspoon Cherry of Skinny Girl White Cherry Water Enhancer
- 1/4 lime
- Ice
Instructions
- Place the ice in an on the rocks glass.
- Add the ginger ale and gin.
- Stir in the cherry water enhancer.
- Squeeze the lime into the glass.
- Add a lime slice for garnish.
Nutrition
If you liked this low carb Dirty Shirley you might also like these other low carb cocktails…



We actually tried this yesterday and it was so delicious! I can’t wait to try this someday. Thanks a lot for sharing!
With my birthday coming, this recipe is perfect because me, my mom and my dad are all following a low carb way of eating.
Enjoy!
Omg, thank you this is truly delicious. I have an aunt who was a bar maid back in the day and I drank many a Shirley temples as a child. I love this! Dirty even better! Tfs
🙂 thanks Naomi! Glad you liked it!
Sounds refreshing for summer! Low carb-yes. Zero carb- no. Any alcohol, by definition, has carbs. Thanks for the idea! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks :)…. I don’t know where you got your information but it’s wrong. Pure spirits like whiskey, brandy, cognac, vodka, tequila contain zero carbs and they are all fine on low carb.