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    Home » Recipes » Beverages

    Low Carb Old Fashioned Cocktail

    by Oscar Chimenti, Last Modified: April 20, 2023 This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. See the Disclosure Policy linked in my footer.

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    glass of old fashioned cocktail with a cherry and orange wedge.

    Some sweetener, bitters and whiskey make this Low Carb Old Fashioned Cocktail, it's really that easy. I swapped the sugar for a low carb sweetener to make this low carb and diabetic friendly.

    When you enjoy whiskey but may not want to drink it straight up, this is the best way to dress it up and make it a little easier to imbibe.

    Old fashioned cocktail with an orange wedge and cherry this recipe
    Jump To:
    • 🥘 Ingredient notes
    • 👨🏻‍🍳 Steps by step instructions
    • 🍴 More low carb recipes
    • ⏲️ Tips and serving suggestions
    • 💭 Frequently asked questions
    • 🍽 Other recipes you may like
    • Low Carb Old Fashioned Cocktail

    🥘 Ingredient notes

    Simply made with whiskey, erythritol and bitters, this cocktail is a classic twist on the original.

    • Whiskey: bourbon whiskey is the main ingredients here so choose wisely. I used a Jim Beam White Label Bourbon for this cocktail. Some other great options are Four Roses Single Barrel, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey or Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey.
    • Erythritol: dissolving erythritol with some warm water helps make this a smooth cocktail. We don't want to see the sugar at the bottom of the tumbler so dissolving it makes it just right.
    • Bitters: The Angostura website defines bitters as it "adds a layer of complexity, intensifies the flavor of other ingredients, counteracts the harshness of acidic contents and decreases the harshness of spirits." I used their aromatic bitters for this cocktail recipe.
    Tumbler filled with an old fashioned cocktail topped with orange wedge and cherry

    👨🏻‍🍳 Steps by step instructions

    How to make a Low Carb Old Fashioned Cocktail

    STEP 1: Pour warm water in the tumbler and stir with the erythritol until dissolved or use my Low Carb Simple Syrup recipe as an alternative.

    adding warm water to a tumbler
    adding erythritol to warm water
    stirring the water and erythritol

    STEP 2: Next add 3 dashes of bitters, ice and the whiskey

    adding 3 dashes of bitters
    adding ice to the glass
    adding the whiskey to the glass

    STEP 3: as a garnish you can add an orange wedge and a cherry (both optional)

    adding orange wedge

    🍴 More low carb recipes

    • Low Carb Negroni
    • Low Carb Egg Roll Ups
    • Low Carb Strawberry Pound Cake
    • Low Carb Korean BBQ Short Ribs
    • Low Carb Jalapeno Burgers

    ⏲️ Tips and serving suggestions

    • Amount of alcohol: this recipe calls for 2 oz of whiskey you may want to try the first one with 1 oz of whiskey and then add more if needed.
    • Variations: although the purists may not agree there are many twists on the old fashioned cocktail. You can add hot water to it and make it a warm winter drink. Or how about adding coffee to it and get some caffeine in at the same time? How about a whiskey smash where you can add a low carb simple syrup, lemons and shake it over ice. The options are endless, here is a website I found that has several twists on the Old Fashioned.
    • Serving: cocktails like this often go well with something salty like salted almonds or pecans. If having a meal this would go well with a steak, chicken wings or pork chops. A wedge salad with blue cheese dressing would also go nicely with this drink. Here are some of my recipes that would go well with an Old Fashioned:
    • Cilantro Lime Chicken Wings
    • Keto Air Fryer Devilled Eggs
    • Low Carb Panzanella Salad

    💭 Frequently asked questions

    What does a low carb old fashioned cocktail taste like?

    Like the traditional cocktail this drink tastes rich, silky and smooth. In essence it tastes like whiskey with some add sweetness and aromatics.

    When was the old fashioned invented?

    According to Wikepedia "The Pendennis Club, a gentlemen's club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky, claims the old fashioned cocktail was invented there.

    What makes this drink low carb?

    Each serving contains roughly 2g of carbs.

    Is it ok for diabetics to drink alcohol?

    Everyone has an opinion on this. However, for myself I can drink in moderation and continue to manage my blood sugars. If you are trying to lose weight alcohol can stall your progress. Having a couple of low carb drinks for myself don't usually spike my blood sugars. I suggest you check your blood sugars in order to see how it affects you as everyone is different. I use a Fora 6 Connect Blood Glucose monitor (use IHACKEDDIABETES10 for 10% off) to check my blood sugars.

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    old fashioned cocktail in a tumbler
    Healthy Low Carb and Diabetic Friendly Book Cover

    Please comment, rate or review my recipe below!

    old fashioned cocktail with a cherry and orange wedge in a tumbler

    Low Carb Old Fashioned Cocktail

    Oscar
    A true classic made with sweetener, bitters and whiskey make this Low Carb Old Fashioned Cocktail
    5 from 47 votes
    Print Pin This Recipe
    Prep Time : 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time : 0 minutes mins
    Total Time : 5 minutes mins
    Course : Drinks
    Cuisine : American
    Diet : Diabetic
    Servings : 1 person
    Calories : 134

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 0gFat: 0gFiber: 0g

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 teaspoon warm water
    • 1 teaspoon sweetener
    • 3 dashes bitters
    • 2 oz bourbon whiskey
    Get Oscars New Recipe E-bookCheck out Low Carb & Diabetes Comfort Food!

    Instructions
     

    • In a tumbler stir together the warm water and erythritol until dissolved. Alternatively you can use a ¼ oz of my simple syrup recipe (see recipe in the notes).
    • add 3 dashes of bitters, ice and the whiskey. Mix and enjoy.
    • (optional) garnish with orange wedge or peel and a cherry
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    Notes

    2g of carbs per cocktail
    All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
    • Amount of alcohol: this recipe calls for 2 oz of whiskey you may want to try the first one with 1 oz of whiskey and then add more if desired.
    Simple Syrup Recipe to use instead of the sweetener and warm water.

    This recipe card provides the basic details to make this recipe. For more information, questions or variations please review the content above the recipe card.

    Updates and Revisions

    If conflicting information between the video and recipe card, the recipe card will always have the most up to date information, ingredients and instructions.

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutritional Information

    All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kayla DiMaggio

      June 17, 2021 at 9:31 pm

      5 stars
      This makes me want to start my weekend early!

      Reply
    2. Audrey

      June 17, 2021 at 9:13 pm

      5 stars
      This was a great low carb drink.

      Reply
    3. Oscar Chimenti

      June 17, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      Even non whiskey drinkers enjoy this cocktail. Love the combo with the sweetener.

      Reply

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    I am a Type 2 Diabetic and enjoy creating low-carb and diabetic-friendly recipes that are good for you! All recipes are developed to help you make great food without the highs and lows of diabetes.

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