Icy, sweet-tart, and sugar free, with frozen strawberries blended into hard seltzer and sugar-free ginger ale until it drinks like summer. I built this after TikTok filled up with White Claw slushie videos that were loaded with sugar, and the low carb version tastes better than the originals. What I learned is to chill the glasses first, because it melts fast and is meant to be drunk right away. 82 calories and 3.1g net carbs a glass.
I started making this hard seltzer strawberry slushy after TikTok was flooded with White Claw slushie videos. Those versions were loaded with sugar, so I made my own low carb frozen cocktail that tastes better than the sugary originals. One blender, five ingredients, and you have a poolside drink that looks like you spent way more effort than you did.
The key to getting a real slushy texture (not a watery mess) is the ratio of ice to liquid. I use 3 cups of ice to 2 cans of hard seltzer and 2 cups of sugar-free ginger ale. If you want an even thicker consistency, freeze your White Claw in ice cube trays first. One of my readers suggested this and I tried it. He was right. Way less dilution, and the texture holds up even if you are sitting outside in the heat.
I have made this with White Claw, Truly, and a few store-brand seltzers. They all work. Berry-flavored White Claw is my go-to, but I have also done Black Cherry and Mango. Each flavor changes the slushy just enough to keep it interesting. I usually match the seltzer flavor to whatever frozen fruit I have on hand. Frozen mango with Mango White Claw is a combination I keep coming back to.
If you want something stronger, add a shot of vodka or rum on top after blending. I do this when it is just adults and nobody is driving anywhere. It layers nicely because the slushy is already cold and thick. For more cocktail ideas, try my keto margarita, keto strawberry daiquiri, keto mojito, or sugar-free vodka lemonade.
One thing I learned from reader feedback: the monkfruit sweetener is not actually optional. I listed it that way originally, but without it the ginger ale flavor steamrolls the strawberry. Even a tablespoon of powdered monkfruit fixes the balance completely.
This is the kind of recipe that makes eating low carb feel easy. Summer pool drinks were the thing I thought I was giving up, and this strawberry slushy proved me wrong.
Is hard seltzer keto friendly?
I drink hard seltzers all the time, and I have tracked the carbs on more brands than I can count. White Claw and Truly both have 2 grams of carbs per can. They do contain a small amount of sugar, but it is so low that they fit comfortably into a keto day as long as you are watching your total carb count.
I usually grab berry-flavored Truly or raspberry White Claw for this recipe, but any flavor works in a White Claw slushie. Mango, Black Cherry, and Lime are all good options. If you like tropical frozen drinks, my Blue Hawaiian cocktail is another one worth trying.
Which sugar-free ginger ale works best?
I have tested three brands in this recipe and they each bring something different. Regular ginger ale is loaded with sugar and carbs, so make sure you grab a sugar-free version.
Zevia Ginger Ale: My top pick. Sweetened with stevia, no artificial sweeteners, no caramel color. This is the cleanest option and I use it most often.
Canada Dry Diet Ginger Ale: Sweetened with Acesulfame Potassium. Has caramel coloring. Tastes the most like traditional ginger ale if that is what you are after.
Sparkling Ice Ginger Lime: Sweetened with sucralose. Zero carbs per serving. I like this one when I want a sharper ginger-lime flavor in the slushy.
How to make a mocktail version
I make the alcohol-free version for my kids all the time. Just swap the hard seltzer for more sugar-free ginger ale or flavored sparkling water. I add an extra tablespoon of monkfruit sweetener when making the mocktail version because without the seltzer, it needs a little more sweetness.
If you want more mocktail ideas, my keto lemonade blends up into a great frozen drink too, or try the keto frozen lemonade for a Chick-fil-A copycat version.
Do you actually need the monkfruit sweetener?
I originally listed the monkfruit as optional, and one of my readers called me out on it. He made the slushy without sweetener and the ginger ale flavor completely took over. I went back and tested it side by side. He was right. Without even a tablespoon of monkfruit, you lose the strawberry sweetness entirely.
If you do not have powdered monkfruit, I have also used erythritol, stevia, and allulose in this recipe. They all work. My go-to is Lakanto powdered monkfruit. Save 15% with code KETOFOCUS at checkout.
Best blender for frozen cocktails
I have made this slushy in four different blenders and the difference is real. A high-powered blender pulverizes the ice into a smooth, even texture. A weaker one leaves you with chunks. If you are making blended cocktails regularly (or even things like my keto pina colada), investing in a good blender pays off.
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I freeze the White Claw in ice cube trays before blending?
I tried this after one of my readers suggested it, and it works. Freezing the hard seltzer into cubes before blending gives you a much thicker slushy with less dilution. I do this when I know we will be drinking them outside in the heat, because the texture holds up way longer than using regular ice.
Is the monkfruit sweetener really optional?
I originally said it was optional, but after testing it both ways I changed my mind. Without the monkfruit, the ginger ale flavor takes over completely and you lose the strawberry sweetness. I add at least a tablespoon every time now. If you do not have monkfruit, erythritol or allulose work too.
Can I make a big batch of this for a party?
I have scaled this to 4x for pool parties and it works perfectly. Just multiply everything, blend in two batches (most blenders cannot handle that much ice at once), and pour into a pitcher. I keep extra in the freezer and re-blend for a few seconds when someone wants a refill.
What other fruit and White Claw flavor combos work?
I have tested a few and my favorites are frozen mango with Mango White Claw, frozen cherries with Black Cherry White Claw, and mixed berries with the berry flavor. I match the seltzer flavor to the frozen fruit so the flavors line up instead of competing.
How do I keep the slushy from getting watery if I'm drinking it outside?
I freeze the hard seltzer into ice cube trays beforehand, which cuts the melt problem almost entirely. If you skip that step, the slushy holds up for about 15-20 minutes in the shade before it starts thinning out. I also use a thicker glass (not a thin plastic cup) because it insulates better.
Can I add vodka or rum to make it stronger?
I do this when it is just adults. Add a shot of vodka or white rum on top after blending. The slushy is already thick and cold, so the spirit layers in nicely without watering it down. I would not add more than one shot per glass or it throws off the flavor balance.
Can I make this without alcohol?
I make the mocktail version for my kids all the time. Replace the hard seltzer with more sugar-free ginger ale or flavored sparkling water. I add a little extra monkfruit sweetener to the alcohol-free version because the seltzer provides some sweetness that you lose when you swap it out.
How many calories and carbs are in this slushy?
My version comes out to about 82 calories and 3g net carbs per serving. I have made two in one sitting without worrying about my macros, which is the whole point of making a keto version of this drink.
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I’m slow at drinking these, so I cut the ice down to two cups and added extra frozen strawberries instead. It stays thick a lot longer and tastes more like strawberry.
Love this! Second summer making it and I finally started chilling the glasses in the freezer first, since the recipe says serve immediately. That was my problem all along, the texture holds way longer now than it ever did in a room temp glass. I make it most weekends and that one little change fixed the only thing I didn’t love! ❤️
You found a trick I hadn’t tried, Gwen! I freeze the hard seltzer into cubes to cut the melt, but a frozen glass on top of that would stretch it even further. Thank you for sharing that!
Skip the monkfruit if you’re using Wild Berry White Claw, it’s already plenty sweet. That’s what sets it apart from the premixed keto drinks I was buying.
Had this feeling the ginger ale was doing something in there that I couldn’t really taste on its own, so I tried blending in a small knob of fresh ginger, maybe half an inch, and it kind of unlocked everything, the strawberry got sharper and the drink stopped tasting like sweet cold seltzer and started tasting like an actual cocktail. My only note is the base recipe on its own is a little one-note for me which is why I rate it four and not five, but the fresh ginger fix takes maybe three seconds and brings a lot. Go easy on it though, I went too far once and ended up with something that tasted like a health shot.
Fresh ginger in the blender, Rick, I never would have thought to go there. Half an inch sounds about right too, that stuff takes over fast. Thank you for the honest four stars, I’d rather have that than a five with nothing in it.
Confession: one cup of frozen strawberries against all that seltzer and ice looked like it’d just disappear into pink water. It doesn’t, the flavor carries. Might throw in a handful more next time if I want something more berry-forward, but this ratio works.
Camila, I had that exact moment during testing. The cup holds up way better than it looks. A cup and a half is where it tips into actually berry-forward.
Fresh works, add an extra half cup of ice to make up for losing the frozen bulk. I’ve done it when I’ve run out, it still comes out close. Little less thick but not by much.
Was skeptical about blending two cans of hard seltzer into anything (figured it would just go flat and watery), but this comes out genuinely thick and slushy. Tried a few other frozen keto cocktails over the years and they all taste like sugar-free compromise. This one doesn’t. The White Claw holds up better than I expected and the frozen strawberries keep it cold without diluting. Already planning to double the batch for the deck this weekend.
That ‘sugar-free compromise’ thing is exactly what I was trying to avoid with this one. The frozen strawberries are the reason it holds. If you’re doubling for the deck, freeze the White Claw in ice cube trays first, it stays thick way longer in the heat.
Before keto I used to make frozen strawberry daiquiris every summer (the kind with the sugary mix from the bottle), and I haven’t touched anything like that in almost two years. Made this on a warm evening last week and the first sip genuinely caught me off guard. The frozen strawberries blending with the hard seltzer gets this texture so close to what I remembered. I’ve missed this more than I realized.
That texture is the thing. Frozen fruit into seltzer does something in the blender I didn’t expect either. Two years is a long time to miss a summer drink.
Tried this with a lime White Claw instead of berry and threw in a handful of fresh mint, and the flavor went from ‘strawberry slushy’ to something that tastes like a proper cocktail you’d pay $14 for at a rooftop bar. I had no idea a swap like that would do that much. One thing I figured out: freeze your serving glasses for a few minutes first so it stays slushy longer instead of turning into watery pink juice halfway through. Making this every warm weekend now.
Mint with lime White Claw didn’t cross my mind but now I need to test it. The frozen glass trick is smart. I usually just add more ice which obviously doesn’t help.
Never made a frozen cocktail from scratch before, so I wasn’t totally sure I was doing it right. Grabbed two cans of White Claw, threw the frozen strawberries and everything else in, blended it up, and the result was way more legit than I was expecting. The frozen strawberries give it this actual slushy consistency, not just crushed ice floating around in pink water. 82 calories a glass and I made two without a second thought. I skipped the monkfruit because it looked optional and figured the White Claw sweetness would carry it (which it did fine), but now I’m wondering if adding it changes the flavor much or mostly just bumps the sweetness? Making this again for a spring cookout this weekend regardless.
More of a flavor shift than a sweetness bump. Without it the ginger ale takes over and you lose the strawberry almost entirely. I add at least a tablespoon every time now.
Used Truly strawberry lemonade instead of berry and squeezed in half a lime before blending. Tartness cuts through where the plain berry version doesn’t. Color holds longer too, if it’s sitting for a bit.
So I’ve made this three times in the last two weeks, and what finally clicked was stopping the blend-everything-at-once approach. Ice and frozen strawberries go in with just the ginger ale first (about 20 seconds), then pour in the White Claw at the end and pulse it twice, maybe three times. Stays icy and a little fizzy instead of turning into a watery pink smoothie, which kept happening. That last bit of carbonation makes it drink more like a frozen cocktail than blended juice. Also tried strawberry White Claw instead of berry and the strawberry flavor came through way stronger, which I liked better. Been making it on warm April evenings. It’s kind of become my thing.
Pulsing the White Claw in at the end makes sense. You’re basically just blasting all the carbonation out when you run it with the ice for a full 20 seconds. Strawberry White Claw over berry I haven’t actually tested side by side… but I’m doing it this weekend.
I’ve been keto for almost a year but somehow never made a frozen cocktail until this weekend. The carbonated-liquid-in-a-blender thing had me skeptical (I was sure it would go flat and watery), but the slush texture was spot on. 82 calories a glass, so I made a second before I even finished the first. This is going to be a whole spring situation.
The carbonation does go flat but the frozen strawberries are what hold the texture together. And yeah, two is basically one serving at 82 calories. Spring is going to be expensive.
Made these Saturday night and my wife who normally avoids anything sugar-free kept going back for more without once asking what was in them. Told her it was White Claw and frozen strawberries. She laughed and said ‘no way,’ so yeah, these are happening all summer.
My 16-year-old spotted me making this, assumed it was a regular slushy, and drank half the batch before I said a word. The White Claw plus frozen strawberries really does taste like something from an actual bar menu, not a keto workaround.
Used a lime White Claw instead of berry (only thing I had), and with the frozen strawberries it tastes more like a frozen strawberry margarita than a slushy. Did not expect that. Good surprise.nnTip if your blender isn’t high-powered: blend the ice and ginger ale first, then add the seltzer and strawberries. I got chunks the first two tries before I figured that out. Switched the order and it came out completely smooth.nnFour stars mostly because I’m still figuring out monkfruit amounts for my taste, but that’s on me.
Lime White Claw with frozen strawberries is basically a strawberry margarita slushy. Not complaining. The order tip is legit – ice first gives the blender something to work with. For monkfruit, start at one tablespoon and taste before you add more.
Pro tip if you want more slush and less liquid: freeze your hard seltzer in ice cube trays first (I used White Claw) and it holds up SO much longer without watering down.
