Dirty Sodas Are A Utah Tradition Turned Nationwide Trend
I’ll begin today’s post about how to make a Dirty Diet Coke with a disclaimer: there will be a lot of soda talk throughout this post, mainly about my personal favorite variety, Diet Coke. I say this because the last time I had the audacity to mention Diet Coke on my blog, the comments got a little out of control.
One of the many valuable lessons I took away from my experience with addiction and recovery was that most things are best enjoyed in moderation. I’m a happier, more well-adjusted person when I operate that way (within reason, of course), and that includes allowing myself to enjoy my favorite diet soda from time to time.
So now that we’ve covered that, let’s take a look at the specific soda-related topic we’ll be discussing in this post: “dirty” sodas.
Related: How To Unload A 12-Pack of Soda Into Your Fridge in 10 Seconds!
What Are Dirty Sodas?
A dirty soda is simply a soda-based concoction with additional flavorings or ingredients, which could include other sodas, milk or cream, simple syrup, fruit purees, etc. It’s rather like an Italian soda or ice cream float.
Dirty sodas have long been a phenomenon where I live, beginning with a small soda stand called Swig in St. George, Utah. Swig has become so popular that other soda shops have emerged all over Utah, and now the trend is spreading across the country.
There are now several drive-thru soda shacks throughout Utah and beyond, including Swig, Quench It, Sodalicious, and FiiZ. But if you’re looking for savings over convenience, dirty sodas are equally delicious when made at home, and they’re easy to make too!
As many of the soda shacks here in Utah sell frosted sugars in addition to dirty sodas, it only makes sense to enjoy one with a homemade sour cream cookie — it could make a great Super Bowl party treat! There are a million different flavor and soda combinations out there, but this dirty Diet Coke recipe is my personal favorite!
The Best Dirty Diet Coke Recipe
Ingredients:
- Ice
- 1 (12-ounce) can Diet Coke
- Lime wedge
- 2 Tbsp coconut coffee creamer (or 1 Tbsp coconut syrup + 2 Tbsp heavy cream)
Directions:
Fill a large glass with ice, then slowly pour the Diet Coke over the ice. Squeeze the lime wedge into the cup, add the creamer (or syrup and cream), then stir. Add more lime or creamer to taste, if desired.
Sometimes I’ll double the amounts above if I’m making it in my 40-ounce Stanley tumbler, but other times the standard recipe is just the right size.
Related: 13 Useful Reasons To Keep A Can Of Coke In Your Fridge
More Delicious Dirty Soda Combos To Try
Half the fun of making dirty sodas at home is mixing and matching different sodas and add-ins. Try mixing different sodas with your choice of syrups, citrus, and cream. Here are some ideas to get you started, but feel free to dream up new ideas of your own!
More Ideas You'll Love
- Orange Creamsicle: Orange soda + vanilla coffee creamer
- Raspberry Dream: Dr. Pepper + raspberry syrup + coconut coffee creamer
- Butterbeer: Root beer + butterscotch syrup + vanilla coffee creamer
- Cherry Limeade: Sprite + cherry syrup + juice of half a lime
Have you tried a “dirty soda” yet?
I’m a little late to the party, but I am obsessed with vanilla diet dr. pepper! So, so good!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve never heard of a dirty soda before; sounds interesting! I had to click here and read all about it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Not sure if you are in Midway or not – but you can get pebble ice at the Silver Eagle in Heber!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The lime makes the half and half curdle! It tastes ok but don’t look clear like the picture.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Tried this yesterday and it was out of this world good! I didnt have coconut syrup but I had vanilla syrup. Added lime and creamer and had it with pebble ice in a mason jar and straw. What a treat!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I can’t wait to try this Dirty Coke recipe! I live in MS and Sonic is THE place to go for super good sodas. They have happy hour from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM and all drinks are half price! And their pebble ice is to die for! I had no idea you could buy the ice by the bag so I will investigate this ASAP tomorrow! Yea, I was trying to quit my Diet Coke, did it for several weeks and recently fell right off that stupid wagon and started having one every now and then.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These sound soooo yummy
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Diet coke and fresh lime juice! Love it. For years I had a friend with lime trees and they kept me in limes.
Karol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Let’s see…Cheerwine with h/h, Vanilla Coke with h/h, regular Coke w/grenadine and h/h, and Peach Nehi with h/h are my favprites. Also, who could pass up a Cherry Limeade with extra cherry (Sprite w/cherry) from Sonic during Happy Hour? Not me!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Fast food places in Oregon now have flavored pop. I love grape sprite! You can mix any combinations you want at the self serve machines! They are good!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OK……As long as we’re confessing our “dirty” little Diet Coke dirty drink secrets, here’s mine: Occasionally, I’ll buy the largest size cappuccino at the local QT (gas station/convenience stop). I even doctor it up with an extra sweetener, cream and flavoring! I drink part of it, then put the rest in the fridge for the next day, when I mix it with ice cold Coke Zero……Aaahhh……….absolute indulgence!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I saw the picture of the puree, and before I read what it was, I couldn’t figure out why you were putting in ketchup and mustard, but figured that must have been what made it “dirty”. Glad I continued reading to find out that it was fruit puree!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.On the east coast (NJ) we always had Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale for the holiday. It is not available on the west coast :( so now we mix our own :) It just would not bet he holidays without it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.But in the summer–it is all about the lemonade mixers. I can lemonade concentrate and all kinds of fruit syrups when they are in season. I also can various flavors of cranberry juice. For BBQs & get togethers we put a bit of everything out & everyone makes their own gourmet lemonades. Cranberry Lemonade is usually our base.
I’m not going to lie, when I saw the word ‘dirty’ I was totally expecting alcohol! But these seem just as tasty and refreshing. Pop, or soda, isn’t the best drink, but it makes a fabulous treat :] thanks for sharing!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Any reason why Coke Zero wouldn’t work just as well? I have never liked Diet Coke, but love the Coke Zero.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My favorite blend is coke, amaretto syrup and half and half. Delicious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can get diet coke with Sugar Free Vanilla syrup at the fountain of Racetrac for .99. If I don’t think there is enough vanilla in it, or even if there is, I add the liquid vanilla coffee creamer to it. Yummmm. I got a small bottle of natural raspberry flavoring at HomeGoods recently and I put that in my Sprite zero. I recently picked up some watermelon flavor at Michaels and like to put that in my Sprite zero as well. Can’t wait to try a “dirty diet coke”! The possibilities are endless! Thanks for sharing, I thought I came up with this all on my own. haha
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve just recently started following you on instagram and your blog and I’ve really enjoyed it so “thank you”! My favorite drink combo is mtdew, a shot of strawberry and raspberry and the kicker…… a shot of red bull! It burns all the way down and tastes soooo good!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used to work at an Arctic Circle, and we had “Lime Squeezes.” It’s just a lemon-lime soda (Sprite, Sierra Mist, 7-Up, whichever you like) with fresh lime juice squeezed in. The more, the better :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My goodness…the memories! I grew up in Windsor, Ontario…right across the border from Detroit, Michigan. As a treat, Dad used to bring us over to Detroit to the Vernors store (maybe it was a factory?) and we would get a Vanilla Vernors or Chocolate Vernors. Oh, the yumminess! It is difficult to find Vernors here in Laramie but when I do, I will put some in a tall glass and add vanilla ice cream. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Vernors! As a born and bred Michigander, I’m high-fiving you on the Vernors mention. We can get it down here in St. Louis, where I live now, but I never thought of flavoring it. Inspired!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was raised in Michigan and drank Vernors often. Our Michigan-born uncle living on Long Island introduced us to a glass of milk with Vernors splashed in. I don’t know his ratio, but I’ll do roughly 3:1 milk Vernors–enough Vernors to see some fizziness but not really see a color change to the milk. Vernors floats are great, too. I’ll have to try some other combinations.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Since I was about 5, I have loved cherry rootbeer. It was what my Dad ordered at Bob’s Big Boy and so that was good for me too….. and still to this day, that is my soda of choice. It makes me miss him though… :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.They just put a swig by my house, it is amazing! My favorite drinks that I have tried are the bloody wild (mountian dew, mango puree, and strawberries) and the dizzle (sprite, pineapple chunks, and coconut cream). So yummy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My daughter and I had a delicious drink at a restaurant recently. Sprite and cotton candy. Yummy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.And to answer the question about artificial sweeteners in soda, they are very bad for you. I was sick for three days from the sweeteners in sugar free gum.
These sound like fun. We used to stop at the drugstore when walking home from high school. My favorite was to have a fresh lemon juiced into my Coke.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Kaitlyn, you and Jillee have just inspired me :) We have a SodaStream at home and now I’m just sitting here imagining all the gazillion different combinations I could make with my own blank canvas of carbonated water! :D Thanks a million!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just Trixie! What a great idea! I’m afraid my Soda Stream has taken a vacation for a few months, but this inspires me to start creating with it once again…..thanks!
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