Make your own soda at home! This Homemade Cola is a fun, from-scratch version of the classic Coke or Pepsi recipes, made with citrus and spices! A delicious caramely sweet beverage.
After my Dr. Pepper recipe went wild on social media, I knew I needed to make a homemade cola to go along with!
Of course, I then ran into the age-old debate of Coke vs. Pepsi. I know there are die hard fans from both camps, so I created two variations of the same recipe.
Coke tends to be more caramelly with a bite of acid, while Pepsi is described as more citrusy and light. Both are still cola, so the majority of the recipe is the exact same!
Whichever brand you love, there's an option here for you!
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If you're excited about homemade sodas, check out some of my other faves
Why does this recipe work?
Today's colas are known for caramelly flavor with citrus and vanilla notes. While the exact commercial recipes for brands like Coke and Pepsi are proprietary, we can take those flavor notes and use real foods to build a homemade version.
This at-home version recreates those classic cola notes using whole-food ingredients and pantry spices.
Why You'll Love This Homemade Cola
- Dietary needs - this recipe is vegan and has a refined sugar free swap. No processed ingredients anywhere!
- Made From Real Ingredients - No artificial flavors. Every flavor comes from actual fruits and spices!
- Complex Flavor - colas have layers of flavor, so there are quite a few elements in this homemade drink to mimic that classic taste
- Customizable - make a version Coke or Pepsi based on your preference
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Sugar + Water: this first sugar & water combo is for the caramel. If making refined sugar free I recommend skipping the caramel and using one full cup of your sweetener of choice
- Brown Sugar: the rest of the sugar is brown sugar for a richer flavor. If you're using a refined sugar free substitute, like agave or coconut sugar or maple syrup, feel free to sub 1:1 for the amount of sugar listed below. I recommend adding 2-3 teaspoons of extra molasses (depending on if you choose Coke or Pepsi) to make up for that missing flavor
- Water
- Molasses: the key ingredient in brown sugar, adding a bit more molasses beyond what is in the brown sugar helps create a richer flavor
- Spices: cinnamon and star anise. For the best result use whole spices. If you use the ground version of either of these, you'll end up with small spice particles in the final drink - it doesn't affect the flavor as much as it does the texture
- Citrus: cola is a combo of multiple flavors, so we're using lemon, lime, and orange to achieve a nice balance. The zest is what's really giving us the flavor, so grab a microplane and get zesting!
- Salt: just a pinch to enhance the flavor
- Vanilla: vanilla adds a creamy flavor - feel free to use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Apple Cider Vinegar: cola tends to have a bit of a bite at the end, especially Coke, so a bit of vinegar helps to create that flavor. Don't worry - the drink does not at all taste like vinegar
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Caramelize the white sugar. Heat a small steel-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the white cane sugar and 2 tablespoons water, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved do not stir. Do not touch the heat, but allow the mixture to bubble for about 25-30 minutes for the Coke version and 10-15 minutes for the Pepsi version, until you achieve a nice golden brown color. Gently swirl the pan if the mixture looks unevenly colored. If you have a kitchen thermometer, look for a temperature between 330℉ and 340℉.
Step 2. As soon as the caramelized sugar is ready, add the brown sugar, remaining ¾ cup of water, molasses, cinnamon stick, star anise, zests and juices of the orange, lemon, and lime, and the salt. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then allow to gently simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and apple cider vinegar. Let cool 30 minutes.
Step 4. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Then bottle and store for up to two months.
Step 5. For soda, pour 1-2 ounces of syrup over ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lime wedge and a fun straw!
Pro Tip: Keep a close eye on the caramel once it starts changing color. If you aren't ready with the next ingredients, remove from the heat to avoid burning.
Ways To Use Cola Syrup
- Mixed with sparkling water for soda (this recipe!)
- Added to mocktails
- Mixed into iced tea
- Stirred into cherry cola-style drinks
- Used in holiday punches
- Added to bourbon-inspired mocktails
- Drizzled into barbecue sauces
- Ice cream floats
Elizabeth's Kitchen Notes
- Making a caramel: in this recipe I call for a wet caramel as the base of the drink. I found this step to be essential in mimicing the deep caramelly flavor of cola brands like Coke and Pepsi. You can make this drink without making a caramel and it will still taste like cola, but it will not give you the same deep flavor as Coke or Pepsi
- Caramel crystallization: when making caramel you have to make sure every last sugar granule is dissolved into the water or the mixture will start to crystalize. In a regular caramel recipe this would be an issue and you'd need to start over. But because we are adding more water and other ingredients directly to the pot after the caramel, you can absolutely keep going if your caramel crystalizes - as long as it's still semi-liquid and not totally solid, you are good to keep going
- Stick to the ingredient list: there are a lot of ingredients, yes, but they create layers of flavor that make the end result.
- Steeping Time: the longer you let the syrup steep, the more intense the flavor will be. I've found 30 minutes to be the sweet spot. If you let the syrup sit too long, the cinnamon and star anise will dominate the drink
- Coke vs Pepsi: below I've included recipes for both Coke syrup and Pepsi syrup. The coke syrup has a larger proportion of the sugar used in the caramel, as well as more acid at the end. While the Pepsi has just a bit of caramel flavor and less acid, allowing the citrus flavors to shine. Pick your favorite or experiment with what tastes best for you!
FAQ & Expert Tips
Pretty much! It captures the caramelly, spicy, and citrusy flavors of the classic.
Yes! The syrup will last several weeks in the fridge.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this homemade version of soda, with less processed ingredients. Thank you for the gift of sweet drinks. Amen.
Related Recipes
Tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Cola (Coke Copycat!)
Ingredients
Coke Syrup
- ½ Cup White Cane Sugar
- ¼ Tablespoons Water
- ½ Cup Organic Light Brown Sugar can sub agave or sweetener of choice - if you do this, add an additional ½ tablespoon of molasses
- ¾ Cup Water
- 1 Tablespoon Molasses
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Star Anise
- Zest and juice of ½ orange
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- Zest and juice of ½ lime
- Pinch Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1-2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Pepsi Syrup
- ¼ Cup White Cane Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- ¾ Cup Organic Light Brown Sugar can sub agave or sweetener of choice - if you do this, add an additional 2 teaspoons of molasses
- ¾ Cup Water
- 1 Tablespoon Molasses
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Star Anise
- Zest and juice of ½ orange
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- Zest and juice of ½ lime
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- ¾ Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- Pinch Salt
For Soda
- 1-2 Ounces Cola Syrup
- Sparkling Water
- Ice
Instructions
- Caramelize the white sugar. Heat a small steel-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the white cane sugar and 2 tablespoons water, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved do not stir. Do not touch the heat, but allow the mixture to bubble for about 25-30 minutes for the Coke version and 10-15 minutes for the Pepsi version, until you achieve a nice golden brown color. Gently swirl the pan if the mixture looks unevenly colored. If you have a kitchen thermometer, look for a temperature between 330℉ and 340℉.
- As soon as the caramelized sugar is ready, add the brown sugar, remaining ¾ cup of water, molasses, cinnamon stick, star anise, zests and juices of the orange, lemon, and lime, and the salt. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then allow to gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and apple cider vinegar. Let cool 30 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Then bottle and store for up to two months.
- For soda, pour 1-2 ounces of syrup over ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a lime wedge and a fun straw!
Notes
- Cinnamon: ¼ teaspoon
- Star Anise: 1/16 teaspoon (half of a ⅛ teaspoon measure)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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