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?
Thanks to all the comments on remembering the oldies but goodies. Took me right back to the corner drugstore/soda fountain next to our grade school. The lovely pleasure of being I an upper grade and stopping on the way home with quarter clutched firmly and expectant delight.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.To any who might scoff at the “non-purity” of this post: pooh! I agree, all things in moderation – and Dr. Pepper is my choice of guilty pleasure. Straight up!
Right on, Jillee and keep your wonderful blog coming!
For more Black Friday freebies and giveaways, subscribe above and appearance back early and often. Keep the
Please log in or create a free account to comment.International Shipping filter selected you’ll need bar.
Some people inquire if you are able to buy Kindle in a store.
Here in Panguitch, Utah, the local KB (Phillips 66 station) has had flavor shots next to the soda machine since I moved here 14 years ago…..I think Swig must have gotten the idea from them!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love that you shared this! I’ve been making
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Homemade soda for my daughter for years.
Using fresh fruit purée, different sugar free
Flavoring and seltzer water. This way she
Could indulge and not have the caffeine.
One of our favorites is blueberry-coconut!
“One Good Thing” Jillee is you can use snowcone
Flavoring as well! So maybe my concoction would
Be an idea for your healthy readers.
We do this as well with our grand-daughter. We mix the sugar free flavorings with just water and she calls her special drink soda. Sometimes we add a splash of diet soda. She thinks she is getting a treat and we get to be with her without sugar or caffeine !
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Soooo funny the first thing that came to mind was an alcoholic drink, but I knew better, I also am living in recovery. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Down south in Mississippi, Sonic is the only drink stop! Their pineapple sprite is wonderful but I never thought of making it myself! I would love to see a post on making these syrups at home… love this site!!
KEC if you are looking for recipes to make your own syrups look up jam and jelly recipes there are tons of flavors out there. When making them just omit the pectin from the recipe & you’ll have syrup. I make mine with crushed fruit but you can strain it if you want. They can be canned with the hot water bath method and then they are shelf stable. I can lots of flavors and have given them as Christmas gifts in with 7 Grain Pancake Breakfast baskets (all homemade items) and July 4th ice cream party toppings gifts. The syrups are great for flavored hot chocolates, waffles, drizzled over cake.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, you’re killing me! I am trying to give up my Diet Coke and you come out with this delicious looking recipe. Guess who’s running to the store today. I can stop drinking soda at a later date!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I was in high school over 35 years ago we all went to the Westerner Drive Up…….my favorite drink was a Pineapple bourbon……..before I left for college I begged them for the recipe and they told me it was half Coke, half Dr Pepper and pineapple syrup….they even gave me a container of syrup to take with me to college. I still like the 1/2 and 1/2 mixture but haven’t had the syrup in forever!!!!!! Now I need to start looking again.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sherry….so many of these drinks sound good, but yours sounds AMAZING! I’m wondering if we could simmer/reduce pineapple juice to make the syrup….or even use frozen concentrate! I’ve got to go try this right now….HA! Thanks for sharing……
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for the memory Joan!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have often told the story of walking from high school to the local drug store to go to the soda fountain for a hot dog, chips and a fountain coke with real cherry juice in it and all for 25¢: People always looked amazed about getting all of that for such a small amount. I was given $1.00 a week allowance, so that 25¢ was well spent! Ahh….the memories of meeting friends at that soda fountain. We had it all!
I used to love chocolate and cherry cokes back in the day. Also in Germany in the late 70’s, they had a half beer, half coke with a shot of Cognac drink that was served in a pitcher.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One of my favorites in my younger days wad made from a gallon of lemonade, a 6 pack of beer and a fifth of vodka. Very refreshing on a hot muggy day!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Growing up, I loved to go to the local drug store. They had a wonderful fountain. I would order a vanilla coke with cream. It was soooooo good. Of course, we walked to the drug store and walked home. Most of the calories were burned up. Lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.To answer the question “what’s wrong with diet soda?” It is the artificial sweeteners that are the controversy. We actually had an oncologist tell us that studies showed a connection between sucralose and leukemia in men and advised my husband to not use artificial sweeteners. (This was after he was diagnosed with leukemia) He had been a heavy user for years in coffee and soft drinks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.‘Also artificial sweeteners contribute short term memory loss. My grandfather was never a big soda drinker. But when he was diagnosed with borderline diabetes, the doctor told him that diet soda was okay to have. (Why the doctor never told him to stick with water, I’ll never know.) Five years after his diabetes diagnosis he was diagnosed Dementia / Alzheimers. Anything you put in your mouth has the potential to make you sick. Just do your research before you indulge.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sorry to hear about the troubles your grandfather had. But his experience doesn’t implicate Diet Coke. Correlation doesn’t equal causation.
Working at a mom and pop hamburger stand in my teens, I was allowed to experiment w/ different syrups in my Dr. Pepper. cherry and vanilla was my favorite until we got a big box of olives in. The owner said if we could think of something to do with them, she wouldn’t send them back. A couple ounces of the juice and 5 or 6 olives added to the ice and Coke or Dr. Pepper became my new favorite drink. although I have given up carbonated drinks, this really sounds good right now…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My favorite “dirty” coke drink is Diet Coke (because a girl has to watch her figure}. with a shot of tequila and a lime. Simple and to the point. I order this when I go out and the bartenders look at me like I’m crazy but they are delicious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We can get Diet Coke with Lime already made here. I never thought about the shot of tequila. Usually the alcoholic add-in is rum – making a Cuba Libre. I happen to have a full bottle of tequila in the cupboard…and some lime juice.
Speak of which – the price of limes in the US is horrific! $1 each!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This drinks sound wonderful! But I must be missing something – what’s wrong with diet soda?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ha! Unfortunately, it’s not just Diet soda that is “wrong”. LOL. While I also try to adhere to the 80/20 rule when it comes to healthy food and beverage choices; there are purists who think that they will surely die if a drop of soda (any kind of soda) touches their lips. Additionally, they take their crusade on the road and vehemently try to convince the rest of the world of their impending doom upon consumption of such horrendous products. LOL
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I think the problem with Diet Coke is the aspartame…at least that’s my problem with it. I figure if you’re gonna indulge, go full sugar & really, really enjoy it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/7-side-effects-of-drinking-diet-soda
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I was growing up, we had Vanilla Cokes, Cherry Cokes and Chocolate Cokes. Made at the restaurant or drug store or soda shop, right there in front of you. Coke syrup, not canned or bottled Coke and it was mixed the way you wanted (more syrup than called for or less – your choice). Vanilla, Cherry flavoring (also a syrup) or chocolate syrup was added. It was SO good! Today, whenever I go to Big Boy or Steak – n – Shake, I STILL order a Chocolate coke/cola. It’s not the same since the cola is premixed, but I am still a happy camper when I have one. I could make it at home, but somehow it’s not quite the same (probably because at the restaurant it’s regular cola and at home we have diet). Still….. I think when I get home this evening, I will treat myself to a chocolate diet cola, kick back and remember all the good times that were had over [what is now called] dirty colas. Thanks for the recipes. I will be trying them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great post and well said. Good for you…I think we need to enjoy a variety of foods! My rule of thumb is eat all the right foods 80% of the time and the remaining 20% you can enjoy the ‘other ‘ foods life has to offer. This allows you to enjoy yourself at a dinner party once in a while with a glass of wine or to enjoy the wonderful desert. Life is short, enjoy each day and all it has to offer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m with you….the 80/20 rule keeps me healthy and having fun at the same time.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My Mom always said “what goes around, comes around”. Dirty Cokes are a recycled phenomena from the 1950’s.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here in Canada we had Cherry Cokes, Vanilla Cokes, Chocolate Cokes, Strawberry Cokes and of course Dirty Cokes but the Dirty Cokes contained all the above flavourings. The Cokes were made at the soda fountain, not taken out of cans (cans were not available back then, anyway!
You brought back a load of delicious memories for me, thanks.
Oh my, I grew up in Virginia and when I was in elementary school we would go to the ‘drugstore’ for lunch. We would sit up at the counter and for 25 cents get a hot dog, chips, and a chocolate or cherry coke! Heaven. Cannot wait to try this Dirty Diet Coke since I
Please log in or create a free account to comment.have to have at least one each day!
I worked as a carhop at a small mom and pop drive-in restaurant in MT when I was in high school back in the late ’70s. The drive-in was stared in the ’50s by the mother of my employer. The fountain drinks with a shot of syrup were favorites with our customers as well as the employees.
My personal favorite was a chocolate cream Dr. Pepper. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just what I was thinking Barbara. This concept has been around a long time. My Mom introduced her five kids to flavored Soft drinks when we were barely out of diapers (and I’m 50 this yr. lol). She also introduced us to adding salted peanuts to our Cokes, another yummy concoction. She also showed us how good pouring any soft drink, be it a cola or fruit flavored soft drink, over vanilla ice cream. I also like coal over chocolate ice cream lol. So yeah, they can say it’s a “NEW” craze but those who have been around a while or had parents who grew up in the days of Soda Fountains know better ;-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dr. Pepper over chocolate ice crem & Coke or rootbeer over vanilla. Floats.
Fun ideas. I have to have my diet coke about once a week, or else come friday evening my body is in as state of collapse. That dirty diet coke sounds good. My favorite variety is the diet coke with the cherry sold in stores. It’s also fun if
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Buying a fountain drink to mix in the cherry with
Vanilla.
You forgot the most important ingredient in your concoctions…..Rum !!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Coconut rum to be precise! Yum
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was thinking exactly the same thing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I live in Arkansas, nowhere near Utah. There is no such animal as Swig.
I am, however, an incredibly HUGE fan of Diet Coke with Vanilla from Sonic. This is my truly guilty pleasure!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh yes!! I absolutely love Coke Zero with equal parts Torani Sugar Free Cherry and Sugar Free Chocolate syrup. And Diet A & W Cream Soda is good with the Sugar Free Salted Caramel syrup. Thank you for these other suggestions!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OH, I will have to try this!!! Love anything salted caramel!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This concept looks so yummy. Something different with simple ingredients! One question though, wouldn’t the lime make the half and half go sour? I really stink at food chemistry so I just avoid mixing citrus and dairy without much thought.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi girls, Australia here.This sound wonderful, but please explain what “Half & Half” is.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In the States, half and half is one part milk to one part cream. While it has a variety of uses, many people I know tend to favor it as an additive in their coffee.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Half and half is milk/cream mixture that is often the creamer of choice for coffee drinkers…it is lighter than light cream.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.“Half &Half” here in Canada is usually 10% MFN (milk fat). On the East Coast of this country it’s also called “Blend”. Funny how the same thing can be called by so many names, isn’t it? Hope all this helps!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.