The Most Delicious 'Dirty Sodas' You Can Make at Home
Dirty Drinking
If there’s something that Mormons and voracious TikTokers have in common, it’s their love and appreciation of “dirty sodas.” These non-alcoholic mixed soda drinks — which are typically spiked with flavored syrups, heavy cream, and other ingredients — have surged in popularity across the Mountain West and on Zoomer-dominated social media since the beginning of the pandemic. (Pop star Olivia Rodrigo might have something to do with that). As we wait for the biggest soda-shop chains like Swig and Sodalicious to expand across the country, we’ve gathered 15 dirty soda recipes you can make at home.
Related: A Surprising Ingredient Makes These Drinks and Desserts Irresistible
Creamsicle Orange Vanilla
Ingredients: Orange soda, vanilla-flavored creamer, and ice.
Perhaps the prototypical dirty soda, orange cream soda is simple, almost universally loved, and caffeine-free. The author cautions readers not to substitute the flavored creamer with vanilla extract.
Recipe: Growing Up Gabel
Related: Cheerwine and More Regional Sodas the Rest of the Country Needs
Sugar and Soul’s Dirty Soda
Ingredients: Coke, coconut creamer, lime juice, a slice of lime, a maraschino cherry, and ice.
Like the Big Al, Sugar and Soul’s no-frills take on dirty soda relies on three core ingredients, making it perfect for newbies. It’s also one of the only recipes on our list that provides measurements. So if you’re a control freak in the kitchen, go with this dirty soda.
Recipe: Sugar and Soul
Related: Classic Soda Fountains That Will Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Buttery Beer
Ingredients: Butterscotch syrup, root beer, vanilla cream, and pebble ice.
Not to be confused with Harry Potter’s drink of choice, this sweet and creamy concoction made with butterscotch syrup is bound to give you a sugar rush. And if “pebble ice” has you scratching your head, you’re not alone. Not to be confused with the crushed variety, pebble ice — aka nugget ice — is that light, chewable frozen gold that you get from Sonic.
Recipe: Swing Drinks
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Pink Dirty Soda
Ingredients: Strawberries, strawberry jam, condensed milk, Yakult, lychee sparkling water, and ice.
With its chunks of real strawberries, beautiful pink pastel color, and unique ingredients, this is the most elegant drink on our list. But ingredients like lychee sparkling water and the probiotic drink Yakult might make it hard to track down all the supplies.
Recipe: Thirsty Cafe
Ruckus
Ingredients: Dr. Pepper, pineapple syrup, coconut syrup, peach puree, cream, and ice.
Fiiz’s Ruckus will satisfy culinary maximalists’ urge to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks because this beverage comes loaded. On its own, Dr. Pepper has a signature blend of 23 flavors and Fiiz is mixing that in with two syrups, some puree, and a splash of cream.
Recipe: Fiiz Drinks
Big Al
Ingredients: Diet Coke, fresh lime, coconut syrup, and ice.
The Big Al is, as our TikTok host says, a dirty soda for high-powered professionals (and people who like coconut flavor). With three ingredients, this dirty diet coke is simple, fresh, and sophisticated — perfect for the boardroom.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
Peaches and Cream Reviver
Ingredients: Sprite, peach puree, vanilla cream, and ice.
Unlike most “reviver” cocktails, you won’t find any alcohol here. (Hot drinks and alcohol are verboten by Mormons). Nonetheless, there’s probably enough caloric energy in this drink to send a small child to the moon, so it lives up to its name. And the combination of sprite and peach puree? Devine.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
The Waikiki
Ingredients: Coke, pineapple syrup, coconut creamer, and ice.
If you’re in the mood for something tropical, then look no further than The Waikiki. Like a pina colada sans rum, this coca cola-based dirty soda will have you dreaming of sandy beaches and a cool ocean breeze.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
Dirty Diet Pepsi
Ingredients: Diet Pepsi, cherry syrup, lime juice, whipping cream, and ice.
Another variation on the Big Al, this dirty diet Pepsi is richer than most dirty sodas, as it includes a splash of heavy whipping cream. To balance out the drink’s milkiness, TikToker Angie Batis adds a generous squeeze of lime and a few pumps of cherry syrup.
Recipe: Angie Batis
Mango Breeze
Ingredients: Frozen mangos, mango puree, sugar-free coconut syrup, sugar-free vanilla syrup, cream, water, and ice.
Not everyone’s OK with drinking a 1,000-calorie mix of corn syrup, artificial flavors, creamer, and carbonated water. Understandable. But even the most health-conscious among us can enjoy dirty sodas like Swig’s (nearly) sugar-free mango-flavored refresher.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
Bloody Wild
Ingredients: Mountain Dew, strawberry puree, mango puree, and ice.
Mountain Dew may be an underdog in the soda world, but Swig is hoping that this dirty soda converts its most ardent critics. And as one of the few recipes without milk, the Bloody Wild should be a go-to choice for fans of strawberry puree as well as vegan and lactose intolerant dirty soda fans.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
Coconut Raspberry Refresher
Ingredients: Coconut La Croix, raspberry syrup, coconut syrup, lime juice, coconut creamer, and ice.
If you’re taking a break from caffeine, this coconut raspberry refresher might tide you over until the headaches stop and your energy levels are back to normal. It’s lower on sugar than most dirty sodas, and it’s full of refreshing flavors like raspberry, coconut, and lime.
Recipe: Julia Jensen 16
Happy Camper
Ingredients: Root beer, toasted marshmallow syrup, half and half, and ice.
In the mood for s’mores? This dirty soda mixes Torani’s unusually specific toasted marshmallow syrup with root beer and cream to make a liquid version of the popular campfire snack.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
Naughty and Nice
Ingredients: Dr. Pepper, English toffee syrup, half and half, and ice.
Hot cocoa and tea seem better suited for the winter months. But if you live in LA, Miami, or just love soft drinks, then this Christmas-themed dirty soda might be the perfect mix of festive and refreshing.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
Pretty in Pink
Ingredients: Sparkling water, grapefruit syrup, guava syrup, fresh orange juice, and ice.
This beverage shares little in common with the Psychedelic Furs’ song or the 1986 film “Pretty in Pink” but it is tasty and nice to look at. With three fruit flavors including red grapefruit and sparkling water, it might appeal to people who don’t love soft drinks.
Recipe: Swig Drinks
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