Italian Soda Recipe

An Italian Soda is a classic, refreshing drink that’s easy to make with 3 ingredients! We’re sharing the details on how to make an Italian soda recipe. Our favorite flavor combinations and two of the best Italian soda recipes!

This drink is one of my absolute favorite summertime treats! They’re refreshing, flavorful, and oh-so-easy to make. And the best part? You can customize them and use your favorite flavors!

If you love serving fun drinks at parties try our agua fresca recipes, virgin piña coladas, and our lemon lime spritz!

Growing up, this was my favorite summer treat. My mom and I would always stop by a little coffee shack called Coffee Heaven on our road trips to Oregon. I remember ordering Italian blueberry soda instead of ice cream because they were so refreshing.

What’s in an Italian Soda?

You might be wondering, what exactly is in an Italian soda? It’s a drink made of club soda and flavored syrup often served with cream (aka Italian cream soda).

This tasty concoction was invented by Torani, the San Francisco-based syrup company. Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre were the first to create the term “Italian soda” in 1925.

So, what’s the secret to this delicious drink? The key ingredient is, of course, the flavored syrup. You can find a variety of syrups on the market, ranging from classic flavors like strawberry and chocolate to more unique options like lavender and almond.

Once you’ve chosen your syrup, simply add a few pumps to a glass of club soda and enjoy. If you’re feeling fancy, you can top it off with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of making your syrup, you can use syrup from the store. Torani syrup works perfectly!

These sodas are the perfect summer drink. Now let’s make some!

Italian Soda Video Recipe:

Looking for more drinks to make at home? Try our berry lemonade and our freshly made watermelon juice.

How To Make Italian Sodas

These are easy drinks to make using seltzer water, a bit of heavy cream, and sweet syrups. Use different flavors to create your fun drink!

The full recipe is in the recipe card below.

Ingredient Notes

• Flavored Syrup – This can be homemade or already made, like Torani. There are a variety of flavors that you can use!

• Cream – Half and half, heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream all work well.

• Sparkling Water – Club soda or seltzer water works. Suppose you have a soda maker that works really well too. Any type of carbonated water is good.

Steps on How To Make Italian Soda

• Fill a tall glass with ice and pour in the syrup. Add more syrup for extra flavor.

• Add the soda water over the top.

• Next, pour in the cream and then stir it. This will make a delicious creamy drink.

• Garnish with fresh berries.

Homemade Italian Soda Syrup

The homemade syrup is simple syrup. You can make any flavor you want using sugar, whatever, and fresh seasonal fruit or spices. Homemade syrups are pretty easy to make too!

I store them in these inexpensive glass bottles, and they work perfectly.

If you don’t want to make your own, you can also use flavored syrups like Torani syrups or Monin.

Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar – This is used to sweeten the syrup.

• Water – Used to dilute the sugar and create a syrup.

• Berries – We used fresh strawberries and blueberries. Raspberries would be great too.

Directions

• To make the homemade syrup add 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup of berries (your choice) into a saucepan. 

• On medium heat, allow the sugar to dissolve into the water. Add in the berries and continue to simmer for at least 10 minutes until the berries are soft. 

• Remove from the heat and let the syrup sit for another 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve – keep the juice and discard the berries.

• Let the mixture cool before using. It will stay fresh for a few days in the fridge.

Try our homemade hibiscus simple syrup, simple cranberry syrup, and gingerbread syrup or honey simple syrup.

Tips For Making This Italian Soda Recipe

• Let the simple syrup cool before mixing in.

• Use the freshest fruit available.

• Use a generous amount of ice.

• Garnish with berries.

• You can use whole milk for these sodas too.

• Add an extra splash of cream if you prefer.

Italian Soda Flavors

The flavor combinations are endless when making an Italian soda with cream! You can mix flavors to create delicious combinations. Here are some of the best Italian soda flavors:

• Berries: Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries

• Cranberry – It would be great with our simple cranberry syrup and for a holiday party.

• Peaches, Apples, Pear

• Lavender, Rosemary, Mint

• Vanilla

• Cinnamon

• Gingerbread

• Caramel

• Orange

Different Types of Sparkling Water You Can Use

Soda Water – Carbonated water that contains no sodium. It is often used in place of regular water or soda.

Mineral water – contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium. It is often used in place of regular water or soda.

Club soda – Club soda is carbonated water that contains sodium. It is often used in place of regular water or soda.

Seltzer Water – carbonated water that contains no sodium. It is often used in place of regular water or soda.

Favorite Italian Soda Flavor Combinations

Try any of these syrup flavors! There are our favorite flavors and combinations:

Pear and Vanilla – Nothing better than a pear and vanilla combo.

Lavender and Peaches – The perfect summer combination.

Caramel and Cinnamon – Another favorite and great year-round.

Cherry and Lime – Make this when cherries are in season. You can also do raspberry syrup.

Pineapple and Coconut – A pina colada version!

Rosemary and Cranberry – Great for the holidays.

Non-Dairy Italian Soda Recipe

For a non-dairy Italian soda, use coconut cream or a non-dairy heavy cream alternative to replace the cream.

How to Make an Italian Soda Bar

Making an Italian soda bar is a great way to entertain guests or enjoy a refreshing treat on a hot day. All you need is a selection of flavored syrups, club soda, and ice. You can also add some additional toppings like whipped cream, fruit slices, or chocolate chips.

To set up the bar, start by placing the flavored syrups in individual bowls. Then, set out a pitcher of club soda and some glasses. Add ice to the glasses and place them on a tray. Finally, put out any toppings you want to offer.

Invite your guests to choose their favorite syrup and add a few pumps to their glass. Then, they can top off their drink with club soda and add any toppings they like.

Sugar-Free Options

There are sugar-free options for this drink. You can find sugar-free syrups at most grocery stores. When choosing a sugar-free syrup, make sure to check the label to see if it is also gluten-free.

Garnishes

A garnish is typically a fruit slice, candy, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or whipped cream. Here are some more ideas:

• Fruit Slices

• Fresh Berries

• Candy

• Chocolate Chips

• Sprinkles

• Maraschino Cherry

When to Serve

These festive drinks are perfect for many occasions! Create an Italian soda bar where guests can make their sodas and mix flavors. Here are some occasions you can serve this:

4th of July Parties

Summer BBQ’s

Garden Parties

Summer Pool Parties

Backyard Carnival Party

Birthday Party they’re also perfect for a last-minute birthday party!

Mother’s Day Brunch

Serve them with our fun Italian Cookies too!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does it Cost to Make an Italian Soda at Home?

Making an Italian soda at home is a lot cheaper than buying one in the store. On average, it costs about $1-$2 per 12-ounce glass. The ingredients you’ll need are just seltzer water, ice cubes, flavored syrup, and cream if desired.

You can buy a liter of seltzer for around $0.50, and flavored syrups typically range from $6-$7 for a 750 ml bottle. This amount will make at least 12 glasses of Italian sodas. Adding cream will add about $0.50 more to the cost of each glass.

Check Out More Drink Recipes

If you like this fun drink, try these recipes!

Hydrating Watermelon Cucumber Refresher

The Best Homemade Lemonade

Peach Lemonade Recipe

Watermelon Lemonade

Arnold Palmer Drink

Meyer Lemonade

Be sure to check out our Strawberry Tequila Sodas and Italian Paloma Cocktail too!

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