Homemade Orange Italian Cream Soda

It’s undeniable, both kids and adults alike thoroughly enjoy sipping on fun beverages.  Especially when sitting poolside.  Although it seems like the kiddos get left out of the fun a lot of the time because most of those fun drinks with the little umbrellas contain some giggle juice.  And they honestly don’t understand why in the world they can’t have a sip of that fun, colorful drink with the mini umbrella and cherries.

And, I honestly don’t blame them.  Why can’t they get one of those drinks that’s packed with all their favorites; fruit, cherries, whipped cream and a fun, paper umbrella?

Well, they can.  Cream sodas are a favorite of all; it doesn’t matter if you’re 5 or 95, everyone likes that creamy, fizzy beverage.  And it’s a plus if it’s flavored.

What’s not a plus?  Well, paying that hefty price that restaurants and soda fountains have attached to the beloved favorite.  So, instead of dropping a wad of cash for a bit of relaxation and nostalgia make your own at home.

Wow your guests, impress your kiddos and bask in the simple, yet amazing flavors of your own, homemade cream soda.  There are about 100 flavor combinations you could use in these homemade sodas, the options are endless.

I let Tucker take the reigns on this one and gave him full creative control and he opted for orange vanilla.  I couldn’t find orange Torani syrup, so I pursued the snow-cone isle in Wal-Mart and found some flavor packets and one of them just happened to be orange.  So, I added a little powder to a cup along with some water, stirred it together and we had our own orange flavored syrup.

These drinks came together in about 60 seconds, which is the perfect amount of time when you’ve got a kiddo watching you and intensely awaiting the awesomeness that is homemade Italian cream soda.  The bright, cherry orange color didn’t help him contain his excitement either. The wow factor was taken up about a million notches when he saw the the half and half hit the soda mixture and streams of cream oozed through the ice cubes and struck through the bright orange soda.  As if that weren’t enough, topping them with whipped cream and a cherry truly sealed the deal!

Slightly tangy from the orange with the subtle undertone of vanilla, a creaminess from the half and half and some fizz thanks to the addition of club soda.  It’s the perfect mix of flavors.  These sodas are an ideal beverage to sip on poolside, the perfect afternoon treat, and a wonderful option to wow guests pre or post meal.  They can me customized by using your favorite flavor combos as well as for any holidays.

So, go ahead, make your own Italian cream soda in the comfort of your own home!

Homemade Orange Italian Cream Soda

Ingredients:


1 1/2 Cups club soda
1/3 Cup orange flavor syrup (Torani or even snow cone syrup)
1/4 Cup vanilla flavor syrup
4 Tbsp half and half
Whipped cream
Maraschino cherries

Directions:

Combine the orange and vanilla syrup in a small cup and stir to combine, set aside.  Divide the club soda evenly between 2 glasses.  Next, pour even amounts of the syrup mixture into each glass and stir to combine.  Fill both glasses two-thirds full with ice.  Slowly pour 2 tablespoons of half and half into each glass.  Top with whipped cream and cherries.

Serve to guest, along with a spoon to mix the half and half into the beverage before drinking.*

*Alternately, you may mix the half and half into the soda and flavored syrups before topping with the whipped cream and cherries.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original