From the roundup: 12 Easy Non Alcoholic Drink Recipes: Mocktails, Smoothies, and Lemonades
This cherry vanilla cream soda mocktail has become my go-to for any occasion where I want something that feels a little special without turning on the stove. Tart cherry juice concentrate, a half teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and a drizzle of simple syrup come together in about two minutes flat, and then you just pour everything over ice and top it with cold sparkling water.
The flavor is genuinely good, not in a “it’s healthy so we’re pretending” way. The tart cherry concentrate gives it a deep fruit base, and the vanilla rounds it out so it really does taste like an old-fashioned cream soda. My kids have no idea there’s no sugar syrup factory involved.
Total time is five minutes and all of that is hands-on. There’s no chilling, no steeping, nothing to wait for. If you have ice and cold sparkling water ready, you’re ready.
How this one started
Last summer I was trying to put together something for the adults at a birthday party who weren’t drinking, and I didn’t want to hand them a can of soda and call it a day. I had a bottle of tart cherry concentrate in the fridge that I’d been using for smoothies, and I just started stirring things together over the sink. The vanilla was an accident, honestly. I grabbed it thinking it was almond extract, added it anyway, and it turned out to be the best part.
Now I make a double batch of the cherry vanilla base before any gathering and keep it in a jar in the fridge. People can pour their own over ice and add sparkling water, which also means I’m not stuck at the counter making drinks all afternoon.
Why you will love this
- Ready in five minutes with zero cooking, just stir and pour
- Uses real tart cherry juice concentrate so the flavor is actually fruit, not artificial syrup
- Sweetness is adjustable, taste the base before you pour and add more simple syrup if your crowd likes it sweeter
- The base keeps in the fridge for up to five days, so you can make it ahead for a party
- Scales easily, just multiply the base and let people build their own glass
Tips for success
- Use 100 percent tart cherry juice concentrate, not a sweetened cherry drink blend. The label matters here because the sweetened blends are already diluted and you lose control of the flavor balance.
- Pour the sparkling water over the back of a spoon. It takes two extra seconds and keeps the carbonation from dying before the first sip.
- Stir once from the bottom up before serving. The cherry base sinks to the bottom over the ice and if you skip this step the first half of the drink tastes like plain soda water.
- Add the cream last if you’re using it, and stir gently. If you dump the sparkling water in first and then add cream, it foams up and you lose carbonation fast.
Common questions
- Can I make this for a big group? Yes. Multiply the base ingredients, mix in a jar or pitcher, refrigerate, and add sparkling water per glass at serving time.
- Is it very sweet? At two tablespoons of simple syrup it’s lightly sweet. Taste the base before pouring and adjust. Kids in my house usually want a little more.
- Does the cream make it taste different? It adds a small amount of richness and makes the texture slightly silkier, closer to an old-fashioned cream soda. It’s optional but worth trying once.
- Can I use flavored sparkling water? Yes. A lemon or cherry sparkling water works well. Avoid anything strongly flavored or it competes with the vanilla.
Substitutions
If you don’t have tart cherry concentrate, pomegranate juice concentrate is the closest swap and gives a similar deep, slightly tart flavor. For the simple syrup, a small amount of honey or agave stirred in until dissolved works fine. Plain sparkling water can be swapped for club soda or a lightly flavored lemon sparkling water if that’s what you have open.
For a dairy-free version, skip the half-and-half or use a tablespoon of full-fat coconut cream instead. It adds a subtle coconut note but still gives you that creamier texture. If you’re making this for younger kids and want to skip the cream entirely, it’s still a solid drink without it.
Make-ahead and storage
Mix the cherry vanilla base (concentrate, vanilla, and simple syrup) up to five days ahead and store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Give it a quick stir before using since the vanilla can settle slightly.
Do not add the sparkling water until you’re ready to serve. Carbonation fades within a few minutes once poured, so build each glass fresh. There’s no useful way to freeze this one.
Cherry Vanilla Cream Soda Mocktail
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small measuring cup or bowl, stir together the tart cherry juice concentrate, vanilla extract, and simple syrup until fully combined. Taste it and add a little more simple syrup if you want it sweeter. The base should smell deeply of cherry and vanilla.
- Fill two tall glasses generously with ice cubes. You want the glasses well chilled before adding the liquid.
- Divide the cherry vanilla base evenly between the two glasses, pouring it right over the ice.
- If you are using the half-and-half or cream for a creamier soda, add one tablespoon to each glass now and stir gently once or twice.
- Slowly pour the chilled sparkling water over the back of a spoon into each glass to preserve the carbonation. Fill each glass to within half an inch of the rim.
- Give each drink one gentle stir from the bottom up so the syrup does not sit on the ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry if you like, add a straw, and serve immediately while the drink is still fizzy.
Notes
← Back to 12 Easy Non Alcoholic Drink Recipes: Mocktails, Smoothies, and Lemonades