The easiest way to make an Italian soda recipe! This creamy soda is a refreshing, customizable drink that’s a hit at summer parties and gatherings! Made with just three simple ingredients: seltzer water, heavy cream, and sweet-flavored syrups.
Growing up, this was my favorite summer treat. My mom and I always stopped by a coffee shack called Coffee Heaven on road trips to Oregon. I remember ordering Italian blueberry soda instead of ice cream because they were refreshing. I wanted to recreate these so my kids could experience the same joy.
Why Italian Sodas are Perfect for Any Occasion
Italian sodas add a fun twist to any party. They’re great for 4th of July celebrations, garden parties, and family get-togethers. Serve them alongside my Italian cookie recipe or a fresh fruit platter for an unforgettable spread!
What’s in an Italian Soda?
This drink blends club soda with flavored syrup for a light and fizzy base. It’s often topped with cream for a smooth finish. It’s also known as an Italian cream soda or French soda.
The key ingredient here is the flavored syrup, which comes in options ranging from strawberry and vanilla to unique choices like lavender and hazelnut. You can customize your soda with your favorite flavor or make a variety for guests to sample.
Serve these at 4th of July Parties, Summer BBQs, Garden Party or Summer Pool Parties. They would be perfect paired with my Italian cookies and a fresh fruit platter.
If you love this Italian soda recipe, check out some of my other popular drink recipes, like my refreshing agua fresca recipes, virgin piña coladas, and lemon-lime spritz!
How to Make Italian Soda at Home
Here’s everything you need for a refreshing homemade Italian soda.
Ingredients
- Flavored Syrup: Choose from various store-bought syrups or make your own for extra flavor.
- Cream: Use heavy cream, half-and-half, or any milk you prefer for a creamier texture.
- Sparkling Water: Club soda or seltzer both work well. You can create the perfect fizz at home if you have a soda maker.
- Garnishes: Add fresh herbs, fruit, or maraschino cherry for a charming finish.
Directions
Garnish: Top with fresh berries or a sprig of mint for a picture-perfect presentation.
Add Ice and Syrup: Start by filling a glass with ice and adding your syrup. For a more robust flavor, use a little extra syrup.
Pour in Club Soda: Add your sparkling water to create a bubbly, refreshing base.
Add the Cream: Finish by pouring in the cream, then stir to combine. This creates a creamy, dreamy drink.
Recipe Variations
Sugar-Free Options
Use sugar-free syrups to enjoy a lower-calorie Italian soda. Many brands offer fruity, sugar-free flavors that work great in this recipe.
Dairy-Free Italian Soda
To make a non-dairy version, replace the cream with coconut, almond, or another dairy-free alternative.
Italian Soda Bar for Entertaining
Set up an Italian soda bar for parties! Arrange syrups, club soda, ice, and toppings like whipped cream, fruit slices, and chocolate chips. Guests can mix and match flavors to create their own perfect drink.
Check out my snow cone bar and mojito bar for more fun ideas.
Seasonal & Holiday Italian Soda Variations
Make Italian sodas festive all year with these seasonal twists!
- Winter: Peppermint Mocha: Add peppermint and mocha syrups, then top with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.
- Spring: Lavender Lemon: Mix lavender and lemon syrups, garnishing with a lemon slice or edible flowers.
- Summer: Peach Ginger: Combine peach and ginger syrups, adding fresh peach slices and mint.
- Fall: Caramel Apple: Blend caramel and green apple syrups, finishing with a cinnamon stick and apple slice.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are made with syrup, carbonated water, and cream and do not contain caffeine like regular sodas; they are freshly made. They also look different from the cream; you can create as many flavors as possible.
The Italian soda recipe outlined in this post is naturally gluten-free. However, if you have a gluten intolerance or celiac disease, it’s always prudent to check the labels of the products you use, especially the flavored syrups, to ensure they are free of gluten-containing additives.
You can use any type of cream, such as half and half, heavy cream, or whipping cream. You can use coconut cream or a non-dairy heavy cream alternative if you want a non-dairy option.
I buy my syrups online or you can find them in Cost Plus World Market. They always have a great selection.
Technically, an Italian soda is made with flavored syrup and carbonated water, offering a light and fizzy taste. French soda, also called Italian cream soda, adds cream to the mix, giving it a richer and creamier texture. However, growing up an Italian cream soda always had cream!
More Sweet Drink Recipes
If you like this fun drink, try these recipes:
Be sure to check out my Strawberry Tequila Sodas and Italian Paloma Cocktail too!
want to save this?
Enter your email below and I’ll send it directly to your inbox!
Italian Soda Recipe
Ingredients
Italian Soda
- 2 ounces syrup, homemade blueberry or strawberry syrup
- 3 ounces club soda, any sparkling water
- 1 ounce cream, heavy cream or half and half
Instructions
Italian Soda
- Fill a glass with ice.
- Pour 1/4 part syrup over the ice.
- Add in the club soda.
- Pour in a small amount of cream and stir.
This sounds really easy and can’t wait to try it.Always looking for new things to make that everyone would like
wow……..looks delicious will definately will do this.
i cannot believe that i can do recipes from italy sitting in South Africa thanks God for technology……..love it thanks girl
Great article indeed! An example of an alternative to Italian soda that is Italian in origin is a chinotto, a carbonated drink made from the juice of a native Italian citrus fruit called the myrtle-leaved orange or myrtifolia. By the way, thanks so much for your article.
I made the syrup tonight and will make the drinks tomorrow! It tastes wonderful. I kept the remaining cooked strawberries in a separate container to put on pancakes, waffles, crepes, or ice cream (it tastes too good to throw out!)
The best way to serve an Italian soda is in a tall iced glass, with some whipped cream on the top.
amazing! and gorgeous photos… can’t wait to try!
My granny always make it, so delicious!:)
Ummmm! These look lucious! It might be a good idea to use Seltzer rather than Club Soda. The reason being that Club Soda has alot of sodium and many people need to control that intake.
Your entire Blog is delicious!!
This is a great (not to mention terribly simple!) beverage!
One question – Sugar & Charm:
How do you maintain your gorgeousness after indulging in sweets and all? 😉
Yummy. It looks so delicious. I really want to try this. Look at the color. Amazing.
Wow it makes me thirsty.I like both fruits,
Usually I try various syrups at home but I haven’t tried Italian sodas. It looks lovely and I will try this very soon.
i just tried it.. its amazing.. thnkx
These look delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I’ve never had them before, but I’m going to try them out. They look cute for a party as well.
I also shared them on my blog. If you want to see it, here’s the link http://www.tparties.blogspot.com/2012/10/sweet-of-week-italian-sodas.html
Your blog is super cute. I love Italian Cream Soda and I actually did a blog post about this recipe from your cute site.
Thanks!
Kathy
http://www.LivingMyStyle.com
Thanks Kathy!! Glad you like Sugar and Charm and thank you for blogging about me!!
I don’ think the syrups will stay fresh outside of the refrigerator for very long. There are no preservatives to keep them lasting 😉
I made these last night using whipping cream and it did a whole root beer float explosion type of thing lol. It foamed up a LOT. Did that happen for anyone else? I didn’t use any ice but other than that I followed the recipe.
After bottling these syrups, how long would they keep unrefrigerated? This is one more thing I’d like to make to sell at craft fairs if it seals good enough to keep for a while to sell?
I love Google because it helps me find lovely sites like your blog!
I’m looking foward to making these.
Thanks for sharing!
*bookmarks site*
Help…When I added (fresh) half – half it became lumpy (curdle). What went wrong, cream was fresh and I followed the directions.