This fizzy and refreshing strawberry cream soda is made with an easy homemade balsamic roasted strawberry sauce.
I’ve learned over the years that I simply have no impulse control when it comes to farmer’s markets. The number of bags I bring and my ability to carry it all back seem to be the only deterrents to my need to snatch up everything in sight.
That holds particularly true for berry season so of course I’m swimming in strawberries at the moment, and raspberries and blackberries are next on my list.
Simple yet sophisticated, this strawberry Italian cream soda is made for this time of year when strawberries are at their sweetest and most abundant; each refreshing sip showcasing their sweetness while balanced with a hint of acidity and creaminess.
Luckily, this pretty pink drink is just a slice, stir and roast away from hitting your glass.
How to make a strawberry cream soda:
- You start with a pile of strawberries, sliced thin, then add honey (or maple syrup if you prefer) for added sweetness along with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for depth and acidity.
- The berries roast and release their ruby-hued juices, creating a concentrated syrup rich with the flavors of ripe berries that serves as the base of the drink.
- Next you add some fizz in the form of sparkling water and top it all off with a layer of coconut milk that sink and swirl into the glass creating ribbons of pink as you stir.
Of course feel free to swap out strawberries for other berries here as they come into season. A raspberry cream soda would be equally delicious. And while I’ve included measurements for the syrup and coconut milk, there’s really no wrong way to make an Italian cream soda. Add as little or as much syrup and cream as your taste buds prefer.
More Homemade Sodas:
Strawberry Cream Soda
This fizzy and refreshing strawberry cream soda is made with an easy homemade balsamic roasted strawberry sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 oz/230g strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 Tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup/60ml wildflower honey (or maple syrup for a vegan version)
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml filtered water.
- ½ cup/ 120 ml regular coconut milk
- Sparkling water or club soda for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Toss the strawberries with the balsamic vinegar, honey and water in a shallow oven-proof dish.
- Roast until the strawberries are soft and the juices are bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Let cool slightly. Strain through a fine mesh sieve (pressing hard on the solids to extract as much juice as possible) and refrigerate syrup until completely cool.
- Place a few Tablespoonfuls (about 2 to 3) of the cooled balsamic strawberry syrup in the bottom of a glass. Add crushed ice and sparkling water. Top off with 2 Tablespoons (or more if you’d like it creamier) of the coconut milk.
- Serve with a spoon. Stir when ready to drink.
Notes
For Vegan use maple syrup instead of honey.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 96Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
mira says
This is a beautiful drink! Love making Italian Cream Soda, need to try this one!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Such a pretty cream soda, those strawberries are gorgeous!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Yay for the strawberries (and even more blueberries, my favorite!). What a gorgeous looking drink, and I definitely need to try roasting fruits. I haven't done it before! :/ As always, your photos are so inspiring and I want to go to the kitchen to cook right away!
Caroline says
I am so excited to make this! I've roasted strawberries once and they were phenomenal! Love that added balsamic…genius! Pinning this beautiful refreshing drink right now!
Rachel says
Those strawberries are flawless, girl!
Steph @ Steph in Thyme says
Creamy dreamy goodness! This sounds so luxurious, yet elegant. I love the balsamic touch to the roasted strawberries. Diiiii-vine. (and I always bring back way more than I can carry from the farmer's market...overload of green lately!)
Loriel says
I can't even begin to explain how delicious this looks!
Sheena @ Tea and Biscuits says
I haven't had cream soda since I was a kid, your recipe looks delicious! Pinned 🙂
fabiola@notjustbaked says
This is looking so refreshing and just right perfectly sweet. I love the pictures, they are beautiful!