Homemade Vanilla Cream Soda
Vanilla Cream Soda
A sweet fizzy vanilla cream soda made with a quick vanilla syrup, chilled sparkling water, and a silky pour of cream.
Homemade vanilla cream soda is a simple soda-fountain drink built from three parts: fragrant vanilla syrup, cold sparkling water, and a small pour of cream. The syrup takes only a few minutes on the stove, but it gives the drink a cleaner vanilla flavor than bottled soda and lets you control the sweetness glass by glass.
The best version starts with well-chilled sparkling water and glasses packed with ice. Pouring the syrup first helps it dissolve evenly, while adding the cream last creates the soft, cloudy swirl that makes cream soda feel special without needing any equipment.
This recipe makes enough syrup for four tall drinks and can be scaled easily for a party. Keep the syrup cold, assemble each soda just before serving, and stir gently so the bubbles stay lively instead of going flat.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
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2
Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 2 minutes without letting the syrup boil hard.
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3
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
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4
Let the vanilla syrup cool for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a jar or measuring cup.
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5
Fill four tall glasses with ice and add 3 tablespoons of vanilla syrup to each glass.
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6
Pour 1 cup of chilled sparkling water into each glass and stir gently to combine.
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7
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of cream into each soda so it forms a pale swirl.
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8
Taste and add a little more syrup if desired, then serve immediately while fizzy.
Ingredients
- granulated sugar:3/4 cup
- water:3/4 cup
- vanilla extract:1 tbsp
- fine sea salt:1 pinch
- chilled sparkling water:4 cups
- heavy cream:1/2 cup
- ice:4 cups
Tips & Notes
- For a stronger vanilla flavor, add half of a scraped vanilla bean to the syrup while it warms, then remove the pod before serving.
- Chill the syrup completely if making it ahead; cold syrup keeps the sparkling water from losing bubbles too quickly.
- Use half-and-half for a lighter drink or a splash of evaporated milk for a more classic soda-fountain flavor.
