Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

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5 stars (2 reviews)

3 minutes mins

Posted by Sommer Collier on Jun 12, 2024

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Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe – Turn your favorite childhood orange drink into a bubbly adults-only beverage with only 4 simple ingredients. This fruity homemade version of the popular canned co*cktail is perfect for all your summer pool parties, backyard barbecues, or any fun and casual gathering!

Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (1)

Why We Love This Vodka Seltzer co*cktail Recipe

This Sunny D Vodka Seltzer recipe is a copycat version of the popular canned beverage you can buy in many places around the country. It combines nostalgic childhood flavors of tangy orange drink with a summertime vodka seltzer in one fruity, bubbly, and boozy drink that everyone (21+ of course) loves!

Although you may be able to find SunnyD vodka seltzer at your local grocery store, making it at home is extremely easy with only 4 ingredients. Plus, it’s more affordable and offers the ability to provide quality control with the type of vodka and seltzer water you choose. You can also make your vodka seltzer more or less boozy based on the crowd you’re serving.

This tangy orange vodka seltzer is a crowd favorite, and can be made in advance, adding the seltzer water at the end for bubbles. I like to serve it with a wedge of Cara Cara orange, but you can garnish it any way you like for a refreshing and fun summer drink!

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Ingredients You Need

  • SunnyD Tangy Original Orange Drink – to “unleash the power of the sun” (a throwback for the 1980s and 1990s babies!)
  • Orange-flavored seltzer water – mineral water or club soda
  • Vodka – choose a quality brand for the best-tasting co*cktail
  • Lemon juice – for a nice pop of fresh citrus

Plus ice and whatever garnishes you want, like an orange wedge or slice, lemon slice, and/or mint leaves.

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How to Make a SunnyD Vodka Seltzer

Set out a 16-ounce tumbler and fill the cup halfway with ice.

Add the vodka and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

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Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (5)

Get the Complete (Printable) SunnyD Vodka Seltzer Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Add Sunny D to the cup. Stir well, then stir in the orange seltzer water and garnish. Serve with your favorite summertime dishes.

It’s that easy!

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Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (7)

Recipe Variations

  • Juice – SunnyD now offers a wide variety of delicious flavors, like orange pineapple flavors, orange strawberry, and mango. Choose whichever you like to make the fruity, bubbly, boozy co*cktail of your summertime dreams! Alternatively, make this drink with classic Tang orange drink for a different but still delicious nostalgic bold orange flavor. You can also use real fruit juice, or juice blends!
  • Seltzer – Swap seltzer for club soda, which has minerals added and a slightly salty taste.
  • Alcohol – Use orange vodka or other flavored vodkas you prefer.
  • Without Alcohol – Simply omit the vodka for a nonalcoholic Sunny D mocktail.
  • Servings – This recipe makes one vodka seltzer, but use our serving slider in the recipe below to adjust the recipe and make as many as you like!
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the sweetener in Sunny D vodka seltzer?

In this homemade version of a canned SunnyD Vodka Seltzer, the co*cktail only gets its sweetness from the orange beverage. There’s no additional sweeteners needed here.

Is vodka soda and vodka seltzer the same?

Not quite. Vodka soda is made with club soda, which is a bubbly mineral water that usually includes a bit of sodium. Seltzer, on the other hand, is carbonated pure spring water.

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Looking for More Summer Drink Recipes? Be Sure to Try:

  • Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot
  • Drunken Monkey Rum co*cktails
  • Best Mai Tai co*cktail
  • Texas Ranch Water co*cktail
  • Best Orange Crush co*cktail

Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (10)

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5 stars (2 reviews)

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Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes minutes

This SunnyD Vodka Seltzer recipe turns your favorite childhood orange drink into a bubbly adults-only beverage with only 4 simple ingredients!

Servings: 1 drink

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Set out a 16-ounce tumbler and fill the cup halfway with ice.

  • Add the vodka, squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and Sunny D to the cup. Stir well, then stir in the seltzer water.

  • Garnish and serve.

Notes

Garnishes: Garnish with a fresh orange slice or wedge, a lemon wedge, or fresh mint leaves.

If you prefer the taste of Tang to SunnyD, you can make this recipe as a Tang Seltzer instead!

This recipe makes one vodka seltzer, but use our serving slider here in the recipe card to adjust the recipe to make as many as you like!

Nutrition

Serving: 9oz, Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.3g, Protein: 0.02g, Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 6mg, Fiber: 0.01g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 0.3IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 0.3mg, Iron: 0.01mg

Course: Beverage, co*cktail

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

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Beveragesco*cktails

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2 comments on “Sunny D Vodka Seltzer”

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  1. Rina Reply

    This is so vibrant and fun to make! Incredible delicious!

  2. Kristen Reply

    This drink was amazing and the Sunny D really brought me back to my childhood.

Sunny D Vodka Seltzer Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

How to make your own vodka seltzers? ›

Here's our secret recipe: Mix 4 parts of cold water with a shot or shot and a half of your favorite flavored vodka (or gin). Carbonate it in your Drinkmate. You're done. Enjoy!

Who makes SunnyD vodka Seltzers? ›

SunnyD was first developed in 1963 by two Florida dads and grew to peak popularity in the '90s. The brand, which was acquired by Harvest Hill Beverage Company in 2017, said in a press release they've seen renewed interest with 30% growth since 2019.

Can I mix vodka and hard Seltzer? ›

Take a fan-favorite Truly Hard Seltzer flavor, blend it with triple-distilled vodka, and what do you get? Your new favorite drink, that's what. Tastes like sweet strawberries, tart lemonade, and the exact moment you realize you have a long weekend and your roommate is gone.

How much alcohol is in a SunnyD Vodka Seltzer? ›

SUNNYD Vodka Seltzer contains 4.5 percent alcohol by volume.

How much vodka to add to seltzer? ›

The proportion of soda water to vodka in this recipe is 2.5 to 1 (a ratio that appears to have the widest appeal) consisting of one 150 ml can of soda water to 60 ml vodka = 210ml plus ice melt total liquid in glass.

What is the difference between vodka soda and vodka seltzer? ›

While a vodka seltzer is similar to a vodka soda, the difference is that a seltzer typically contains additional flavors, whether that's a splash of juice or a wedge of lime. It's also important to note that many of the hard seltzers that come in cans contain no vodka at all.

What is the best vodka for seltzer water? ›

Of all the premium vodkas found behind just about every bar in the world, Ketel One is a reliable go-to for a Vodka Soda. Try muddling in pairings of fresh fruit and herbs, like strawberry and basil, or grapefruit and thyme, for a vibrant upgrade to the basic Highball.

Does SunnyD Vodka Seltzer need to be refrigerated? ›

Always refrigerate SUNNYD after opening and drink before the “best before” date stamped on the bottle. If SUNNYD is sticking around in your fridge for that long, you might be doing something wrong.

How do you make a Nashville SunnyD shot? ›

Rim the pint glass: use a lemon or lime to wet the rim, use Natural Blonde: Salty Blonde rimmer. Add the vodka, Bloody Mary Mix, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon honey, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the honey syrup as needed. Fill glass to the top with ice, and garnish with celery stalk, olives, lemon wedge…

What happened to SunnyD? ›

Sunny Delight would never quite bounce back from the controversy of the late 1990s. Within a couple of years, sales had halved. In the 2000s, the soft drink was rebranded as SunnyD in the UK and re-emerged with a 70% fruit juice content (later reduced to just 15%), no artificial ingredients and no added sugar.

What alcohols should you not mix? ›

From beer and tequila to wine and whiskey, any combination of alcoholic drinks seems to lead to chaos. Despite these prevalent rules of thumb, there is no scientific evidence that points to a direct danger provided by putting two different types of alcohol together.

Is vodka seltzer healthy? ›

"It's best to get your vitamins from a variety of nutritious foods, not from hard seltzer." Although hard seltzers may taste good and be lower in calories than other alcoholic beverages, they are not healthy.

What is soda water and vodka called? ›

Spritzers or spritzes are not mixers at all, but rather vodka co*cktails made with soda water or something else bubbly, served over ice.

What is Sunny vodka made from? ›

Sunny Vodka, it should be noted, is distilled in South Carolina using corn grown in the U.S. It launches today ($24.99 per 750-ml bottle) in retail locations in California, Las Vegas, Florida and New York as well as online.

What are the ingredients in a vodka sunrise? ›

Just 3 ingredients required - all you need is vodka, orange juice and grenadine.. that's it! No equipment required - absolutely NO equipment is required to make this vodka sunrise co*cktail recipe... not even a co*cktail shaker. Simply prepare the co*cktail directly in the serving glasses.

How do you make a Nashville Sunny D shot? ›

Rim the pint glass: use a lemon or lime to wet the rim, use Natural Blonde: Salty Blonde rimmer. Add the vodka, Bloody Mary Mix, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon honey, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the honey syrup as needed. Fill glass to the top with ice, and garnish with celery stalk, olives, lemon wedge…

How is Sunny D made? ›

CONTAINS: WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP AND 2% OR LESS OF: CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE, CONCENTRATED TANGERINE JUICE, CONCENTRATED APPLE JUICE, CONCENTRATED LIME JUICE, CONCENTRATED GRAPEFRUIT JUICE, CONCENTRATED PEAR JUICE, CITRIC ACID, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), NATURAL FLAVORS, ...

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