A sweet-tart sugar free appletini with all the green apple flavor you remember — 0g net carbs, 0g sugar. My secret is an electrolyte mix instead of apple schnapps, and it works shaken or stirred over ice.
I partnered with Ultima to create this sugar free appletini using their Appletini electrolyte flavor, and I'm genuinely impressed with how close it gets to the real thing. The sweet-tart apple flavor is spot on, and the whole drink comes together in about 2 minutes.
I've made a lot of keto cocktails over the years (my sugar free vodka lemonade and keto strawberry daiquiri are both regulars at my house), but this low carb apple martini surprised me. I expected it to taste like flavored water with vodka. It doesn't. The Ultima mix gives it that bright green apple tartness that makes a classic appletini work, and the powdered sweetener rounds it out so it's not too sour.
My go-to method is a cocktail shaker with ice. I shake it for about 15 seconds until the outside of the shaker frosts over, then strain into a chilled martini glass. The shaking aerates it and gives the drink a smoother, almost silky texture that you don't get from stirring. If you don't have a shaker, a mason jar with a tight lid works fine. I've done it both ways.
For parties, I make a big batch in a pitcher. I mix everything except the ice, keep it in the fridge for a couple hours, and pour individual drinks over ice when people are ready. It actually tastes better after it sits because the flavors meld together. I made a double batch for a friend's birthday last fall and people kept asking what was in it.
If you want a mocktail version, just swap the vodka for sparkling water. I've done this for afternoons when I want something that feels like a cocktail but without the alcohol. The Ultima mix does all the heavy lifting on flavor, so you're not missing much. Check out my pina colada, rose spritzer, and keto hot buttered rum if you're building out your keto cocktails rotation.
How to Make a Sugar Free Appletini
I partnered with Ultima to create this sugar free appletini using their Appletini electrolyte flavor, vodka, and a few pantry ingredients. The whole drink comes together in about 2 minutes. Want a mocktail instead? Swap the vodka for sparkling water. Ultima’s appletini flavor carries the green apple taste on its own, so you get a fun low carb apple martini that’s actually zero carb.
Can You Drink Alcohol on Keto?
I drink alcohol occasionally on keto and it hasn’t stalled me out, but I’m selective about what I pour. Zero-carb distilled spirits like vodka, rum, whiskey, and gin are your best options. They don’t contain sugar or carbs on their own. The catch is that your body prioritizes metabolizing alcohol over burning fat, so I keep my cocktail nights to once or twice a week. That’s been my sweet spot for staying on track.
Why This Appletini Is Zero Carb
Apples are not low carb. One medium Red Delicious has 29.8g total carbs and 24.9g net carbs. Traditional appletinis use apple juice or apple schnapps, both loaded with sugar. I tried a few sugar free approaches before landing on Ultima’s appletini electrolyte mix. It nails the sweet-tart green apple flavor without any sugar or carbs. I’ve compared it side by side with a schnapps-based version and the Ultima version is honestly closer to what I want from a keto appletini.
What Is Ultima Replenisher?
Ultima makes sugar free electrolyte drink mixes with no artificial sweeteners. Zero carbs, zero calories, and plant-based dyes. I started using them for post-workout hydration a few years ago, and I like them because they actually taste good without that chemical aftertaste some electrolyte brands have. The appletini flavor is one of their newer ones, and it works perfectly as a cocktail base for this sugar free appletini.
How to Mix Your Appletini
I’ve made this appletini three ways and they all work. A cocktail shaker gives the best result. I shake for about 15 seconds until condensation forms on the outside, then strain into a chilled martini glass. The ice aerates the drink and gives it a smoother texture. You can also stir everything in a glass and serve over ice, or strain out the ice into a martini glass. For batch prep, I mix a full pitcher without ice, refrigerate for 2 hours, and pour individual servings when people are ready.
More Keto Cocktails
If you’re building out your keto cocktail lineup, I have a few more you’ll want to try. My pina colada is tropical and creamy, the rose spritzer is light and perfect for warm weather, and my strawberry daiquiri is the one I make most often in summer. I also have a sugar free vodka lemonade that’s dead simple if you want something with fewer ingredients.
In a large glass or cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, Ultima Appletini mix, sweetener, lemon juice and water.
2
Shake or stir
Shake in a cocktail shaker or stir if using a large glass. Then strain ice and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with apple slices or blueberries.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/2 of recipe
Calories
64
Fat
0g
Protein
0g
Total carbs
0g
Net carbs
0g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this appletini ahead for a party?
I do this all the time. I mix everything except ice in a pitcher and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. The flavors actually improve after sitting. When guests arrive, I pour individual drinks over fresh ice or shake them in batches. I've prepped up to 8 servings at once and they hold well in the fridge for 24 hours.
What vodka works best for an appletini?
I use a mid-range unflavored vodka like Tito's or Ketel One. You don't need top shelf since the Ultima mix does most of the flavor work, but I'd avoid the bottom-shelf stuff because harsh vodka comes through in a drink this simple. I've also tried it with green apple flavored vodka and it was almost too sweet, so I stick with plain.
Can I use a different flavor of electrolyte mix instead of the appletini flavor?
I've tried the lemonade and grape Ultima flavors as substitutes, and they make completely different drinks (the grape one was actually really good as a purple martini). The taste will be different from the apple version, but that's half the fun of experimenting. Just keep in mind that the appletini flavor is what makes this taste like a classic apple martini.
What's a good substitute for vodka if I want a non-alcoholic version?
I swap the vodka for sparkling water when I want a mocktail, and it still tastes great. The carbonation adds a nice effervescence that plain water doesn't give you. I wouldn't use apple juice since it adds a lot of sugar and carbs. The Ultima mix gives you plenty of apple flavor on its own.
How do I keep apple garnishes from browning?
I toss my apple slices in a little lemon juice right after cutting them. They stay bright green for at least 2-3 hours, which is more than enough time for a party. I usually slice them thin, fan them on the rim, and drop one in the glass. The lemon juice doesn't change the flavor of the drink at all.
Can I use flavored vodka instead of plain?
I've tested this with green apple vodka and caramel vodka. The green apple version was a bit one-note and overly sweet for my taste. The caramel vodka, though, made a really interesting fall twist on the appletini. If you go flavored, just skip the extra sweetener since flavored vodkas tend to be sweeter already.
How long can I store leftover appletini?
I keep leftover appletini in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. After that the flavors start to flatten out. Give it a good shake before serving since the Ultima mix settles to the bottom. I usually just make what I'm going to drink that night, but for parties I'll batch-make and store the whole pitcher.
What's the best way to rim the glass for this appletini?
I run a lemon wedge around the rim and dip it in a mix of powdered sweetener and a pinch of citric acid. It gives you that sweet-tart edge on every sip without adding carbs. I skip the cinnamon sugar rim that some recipes call for since cinnamon can overpower the apple flavor. Keep the rim thin so it's a subtle accent.
This is closer to a real appletini than I expected the electrolyte substitution to get. Schnapps isn’t just sweet, it has body, and I figured vodka plus a powder packet was going to drink like some cocktail-flavored wellness thing. The Ultima mix has enough weight behind the apple note that it doesn’t fall apart in the vodka, makes sense once you taste it. Wrong about this one.
Rebecca, schnapps is texture as much as flavor, and that’s the part that took the most work to replace. The Ultima has a weight to it that most powdered drink mixes don’t. Most of them add sweetness and dissolve flat. I went through probably six options before that packet clicked. The erythritol pulls the apple note together too, a lot of keto sweeteners just go thin in cold vodka.
Marco, cocktails were the first thing I stopped making when I went low carb. The rim with powdered sweetener and citric acid is what makes it feel like an actual bar drink.
I’ve made appletinis exactly once since going keto, with apple extract, and it was a low point I’d rather forget. What I miss from my twenties was the tart pull of it, that specific sting that wasn’t just vodka. The Ultima packet does something extract never could. There’s a green apple note in there that reads like the real thing, and the lemon juice keeps it honest, keeps it from going too soft. Made a round of these for a dinner I hosted and stood there thinking about a specific bar two blocks from my old apartment. A lot to ask of a 64-calorie drink. But that’s where it took me.
I cut the erythritol to about half a teaspoon and added a bit more lemon juice. It got sharper, more cocktail-like. The Ultima mix is already pretty sweet, so a full teaspoon was too much for me. Also: coupe in the freezer for ten minutes before straining. Keeps it cold without watering it down.
Most low-carb appletinis I’ve tried taste like vodka with a faint apple suggestion. The Ultima mix actually delivers where extract drops fall flat. Still getting used to no schnapps, but the sweet-tart balance is close enough. Spring patio drink, sorted.
Added an extra squeeze of lemon on top of what the recipe calls for and it tasted way more like the real thing. Good base, but it needed that tartness to actually taste like an appletini.
My Whole Foods stopped carrying the Ultima appletini flavor and I’ve hit three stores with zero luck. Hosting a keto girls’ night Friday and this is the drink I had my heart set on, so I’m scrambling. I have lemonade and grape Ultima on hand, and I’m wondering if lemonade could work with the vodka or if it just falls apart without the apple. The whole concept is the apple schnapps swap, so subbing in lemonade might defeat the point entirely. Would the erythritol and lemon juice amounts stay the same or do those need adjusting for a totally different flavor?
I’ve tested both of those. Lemonade works but yeah, it’s not an appletini anymore, completely different vibe. I’d cut the lemon juice to just a few drops since the lemonade Ultima already has citrus in it, erythritol stays the same. But honestly for a girls’ night? The grape one made a surprisingly good purple martini. That might be the better call.
