| | | | |

Strawberry Italian Cream Soda

Homemade strawberry cream soda is the perfect drink for hot days. It’s made with homemade strawberry syrup, non-dairy milk (or milk of choice), and seltzer water served over ice.

Looking for more fun drinks? Try my sparkling cranberry mocktail with ginger and orange, grapefruit paloma mocktail, or lavender lemonade.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

  • Refreshing – This drink is super refreshing on a hot summer day.  
  • Healthy-ish – Unlike traditional Italian cream soda, there are no artificial flavors or food dyes. This homemade version uses real fruit for the strawberry flavor and organic cane sugar.
  • Versatile – There are endless variations to make when it comes to cream soda. Next time, try a different fruit for a different flavor profile. 

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make a homemade strawberry Italian soda:

  • Strawberries – you can either use fresh or frozen fruit. If out of season, use frozen strawberries for the best flavor. 
  • Organic cane sugar – to make the strawberry simple syrup.
  • Oat milk – or milk of choice.
  • Club soda or sparkling water

How to Make Strawberry Cream Soda: Step By Step

Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!

  1. Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then reduce to medium heat and add the strawberries. Simmer for 15 minutes (10 minutes if using fresh strawberries), stirring occasionally.
  2. Place a fine mesh strainer over a jar and pour the strawberry syrup through. Let the syrup cool completely, then store it in the fridge for at least an hour before using it. Once the strawberries have cooled, store them in the fridge.
  3. Add ice and pour 4-8 ounces of sparkling water into each glass, depending on the size.
  4. Mix 2 tablespoons of strawberry syrup and 2 tablespoons milk of choice into each glass. Add a spoonful of the strained strawberries over the top before serving.

Helpful Tips

  • Want a strawberry soda? Leave out the milk, and you’ll have a healthier homemade soda.

Quick Tip: Make the strawberry syrup ahead so it has time to chill before using.

Storage

Store leftover strawberry syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this strawberry cream soda recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

  • No strawberries? – try other fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apricots, kiwifruit, cherries, peaches, plums, mango, pineapple, or orange.
  • No organic cane sugar? – You can also use honey or white sugar. Anything darker and it’ll make the syrup too dark of a color.
  • No oat milk? – use another creamy milk such as cashew or coconut. Alternatively you can use full fat, lite, or coconut cream from a can.
  • Not dairy free? – use heavy cream or milk of choice.

Variations

Make your own infused simple syrups for different flavors or try one of these combinations below:

  • Piña colada – switch out the strawberries and oat milk for fresh pineapple and coconut milk.
  • Creamsicle – switch out the strawberry syrup for orange simple syrup and add vanilla extract to the milk.
  • Strawberries and cream – add vanilla extract to the milk and strawberry syrup mixture.
  • Apple pie a la mode – use apple juice or apple cider in place of the strawberry syrup and mix ground cinnamon with the milk.
  • Kombucha cream soda – add your favorite flavor of kombucha in place of seltzer water.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do with the leftover cooked strawberries?

The syrup-soaked strawberries are SO good. If you have some left over after you make the drinks, you can add them to oatmeal, toast, smoothies, on top of your favorite vanilla ice cream, or straight from the container.

What other ways can I use the strawberry syrup?

I highly recommend making my strawberry matcha latte recipe. Matcha and strawberry are a great flavor pairing.

You can also use it for another type of mocktail or cocktail, or serve it over pancakes, oat flour crepes, or on top of vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

More Fun Drinks

I hope you love this Strawberry Cream Soda! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!

Strawberry Italian Cream Soda

5 from 1 vote
Glasses of homemade strawberry cream soda with stewed strawberries on top.
Homemade strawberry cream soda is the perfect drink for hot days. It's made with homemade strawberry syrup, non-dairy milk (or milk of choice), and seltzer water served over ice.
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
 

Strawberry Simple Syrup

Italian Cream Soda

  • ice cubes
  • 16-32 ounces sparkling water 4-8 ounces per glass, depending on size
  • ½ cup chilled strawberry simple syrup 2 tablespoons per glass
  • ½ cup oat milk or milk of choice 2 tablespoons per glass

Instructions

  • Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then reduce to medium heat and add the strawberries. Simmer for 15 minutes (10 minutes if using fresh strawberries), stirring occasionally.
  • Place a fine mesh strainer over a jar and pour the strawberry syrup through. Let the syrup cool completely, then store it in the fridge for at least an hour before using it. Once the strawberries have cooled, store them in the fridge.
  • Add ice and pour 4-8 ounces of sparkling water into each glass, depending on the size.
  • Mix 2 tablespoons of strawberry syrup and 2 tablespoons milk of choice into each glass. Add a spoonful of the strained strawberries over the top before serving.

Notes

Makes 1 cup of strawberry simple syrup, so you’ll have some left over.
See the blog post for helpful tips, storage, and ideas on how to use the leftover fruit.

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

No strawberries? – try other fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apricots, kiwifruit, cherries, peaches, plums, mango, pineapple, or orange.
No organic cane sugar? – You can also use honey or white sugar. Anything darker and it’ll make the syrup too dark of a color.
No oat milk? – use another creamy milk such as cashew or coconut. Alternatively you can use full fat, lite, or coconut cream from a can.
Not dairy free? – use heavy cream or milk of choice.
See the blog post for more variations to try.

One Comment

  1. Your new website is beautiful! I love the way the pictures come in of different ideas.
    The drink looks wonderful!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating