Italian Cream Soda is a fizzy and refreshing drink made with sparkling water, fruit syrup and cream! Then topped with whipped cream and a strawberry for a picture perfect summer drink.
Italian Cream Soda Strawberry Recipe
Italian Cream Soda is a special drink to serve poolside or at a summer party. It is refreshing, fruity and more importantly so easy to make!
This easy beverage is made with sparkling water, cream, fruit syrup and is topped with a dollop of whipped cream. What’s more fun than a fizzy fruit drink topped with whipped cream on a hot summer day?!
The great part about this recipe is it can use either a homemade fruit syrup or store bought. I love making my fruit syrup at home, for starters it’s EASY and more importantly I can control exactly what goes into it. However, most store bought syrups are filled with sugar and ingredients I can’t pronounce.
What is Italian Cream Soda?
An Italian cream soda is a drink consisting of sparkling water that is flavored with a fruit syrup and a splash of cream. Perfect for a hot summer day! Italian soda on the other hand is almost the same but just does not include the cream. The flavor possibilities are endless! Get creative with your favorite fruits. Check out my tips in the recipe for different flavors.
What is in Italian Cream Soda?
- Strawberries – my favorite flavor of Italian cream soda is strawberry! The drink tastes just like a milkshake but much healthier. Fresh or frozen strawberries can be used for this recipe as they are cooked down to create a syrup.
- Garden fresh home grown strawberries are a great way to amp up the flavor and fun of this recipe! What’s better than picking strawberries fresh from your garden and making this refreshing drink?!
- Sugar and Water – to create the fruit syrup, sugar and water is simmered with the diced strawberries. The sugar helps breakdown the strawberries and promotes the release of their natural juices and sugars
- Soda Water (or club soda) – is the fizzy part of this drink, store bought or homemade soda water using a Soda Stream can be used for this recipe
- Cream (or milk) – for a real and traditional cream soda, cream should be used however I have made this drink with milk and it is just as delicious! You can also sub with any milk of choice (ex. oat milk, coconut milk, etc.) to suit your preference
- Ice – crushed ice is best for an Italian soda but any ice cube will work just fine
How to Make Italian Cream Soda
Full printable recipe at bottom of page
Prepare the Strawberry Syrup
1 In a small sauce pan over medium heat add the strawberries, water, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Then reduce heat to low.
2 Cover and cook the strawberries for about 5 minutes or until berries are cooked down. Use a spoon or fork to mash the strawberries to help break them down.
3 Optional: Strain the mixture through a sieve or puree in a blender or food processor.
4 Set the strawberry sauce aside to cool at room temperature, or chill in the fridge for 5 – 10 minutes.
Assemble the Italian Cream Soda
5 To serve the drinks add 3-4 spoons of the strawberry syrup to the bottom of 4 drinking glasses.
6 Top with enough crushed ice (or ice cubes) to fill the cup half way.
1 Pour 1 cup of sparkling water into the glasses and then top with 2-3 tablespoons of cream (or milk).
Top with whipped cream and a strawberry to serve and enjoy!
Give it a stir and then enjoy!
Strawberry Syrup Notes
This recipe uses fresh or frozen strawberries to make the strawberry syrup, for an even easier recipe you can substitute the homemade fruit syrup with a store bought flavored syrup. Increase or decrease the amount of fruit syrup, sparkling water and milk in the recipe to suit your taste. Then try creating your own favorite fruit syrup with my suggestions below.
Flavor Variations
Italian Cream Soda is so versatile and can be made with any fruit. I love using a fruit that is in season! Try subbing any of the below fruits with the strawberries in this recipe:
- Peach
- Mango
- Blueberry
- Raspberry
- Blackberry
- Kiwi
The possibilities are endless!
Soda Water at Home
I personally love drinking soda water! So I use my Soda Stream so I can have fresh soda water in seconds without having to buy bottles and bottles from the grocery store. It is a cost effective option for soda water at home
Looking for More Summer Fun Recipes?
Try these no bake desserts:
- Lemon Blueberry Angel Cake – simple no bake dessert using store bought angel food cake. Cubed and layered with blueberry pie filling and lemon pie. A heavenly dessert!
- Dunkaroo Funfetti Dip – everyone’s favorite childhood school snack made healthier!
- Tiramisu – I love coffee desserts so it’s no surprise tiramisu is up there in my top 10 desserts!
Enjoy!
– Sab
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission.
Italian Cream Soda
Equipment
- Soda Stream or store bought Soda Water
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, diced into small pieces
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar, or sweetener or choice (ex. stevia, honey, etc.)
- 4 cups sparkling water, soda water, or club soda (store-bought or homemade with a Soda Stream Machine)
- 4 tbsp cream, or milk, or milk of choice (ex. oat milk, almond milk, etc.)
Garnish
- 4 tbsp whipped cream
- 4 fresh strawberries
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat add the strawberries, water, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Then reduce heat to low.
- Cover and cook the strawberries for about 5 minutes or until berries are cooked down. Use a spoon or fork to mash the strawberries to help break them down.
- Optional: Strain the mixture through a sieve or puree in a blender or food processor.
- Set the strawberry sauce aside to cool at room temperature, or chill in the fridge for 5 – 10 minutes.
- To serve the drinks add 3-4 spoons of the strawberry syrup to the bottom of 4 drinking glasses. Top with enough crushed ice (or ice cubes) to fill the cup half way.
- Pour 1 cup of sparkling water into the glasses and top with 2-3 tablespoons of cream (or milk).
- Top with whipped cream and a strawberry to serve and enjoy!
Mike Anacleto
Saturday 6th of April 2024
Delicious.