Maple Cherry Italian Cream Sodas

Italian Cream Sodas have become a “thing” we do every summer for the past three years. My daughter just loves them … and we both love inventing new flavors and doing our annual cream soda photo shoot. With this marvelous maple cherry flavor, we got my son hooked too.  He loves the cherry flavor and, in fact, it might have completely disappeared if I hadn’t warned the kids to save some of the syrup for photos. So glad that they actually did because I really wanted to share this delicious homemade soda flavor with you.

If you’ve never had an Italian cream soda, it is pure delight. Fizzy soda water with a flavored syrup and then cream drizzled on top … they are enchanting and wonderful and, for us, the essence of summer. It’s funny that I can’t recall my first taste of a cream soda, but I remember my daughter’s. It was at a coffee shop downtown. My best friend was visiting and my daughter was with us. She wasn’t sure what to have and we both encouraged my little girl to try the cream soda. She did … and was instantly in love. That was when I decided I need to create these lovely concoctions at home.

These easy homemade cream sodas are a true kid-pleaser, but adults will love them too. If you want to make them even more “adult-friendly”, add a shot of cherry brandy or vodka. The cream is optional, but it really is so fun to watch the magical swirls of color and cream when you add the cream, and it tastes SO good!

If you want to explore and make even more Italian Cream Sodas, I have some more flavor options for you:

• Strawberry Rose
• Mulberry Maple Rose
• Cherry Vanilla Rose
• Very Berry (with Basil, Vanilla and Strawberries)

You can also make cream sodas with the Strawberry Rhubarb syrup from my Rhubarb Rose Cocktail … that recipe is, essentially, a grown-up version of the Italian Cream Soda.

Maple Cherry Italian Cream Sodas

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: About 8 - 10 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the maple cherry syrup:

• 1 1/2 lb. fresh, pitted cherries
• 1/2 – 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

To make a soda:

• Ice
• About 6 oz. club soda
• 1 shot of maple cherry syrup
• 1 shot of fat free half & half (or regular half & half cream)

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Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients for the syrup into a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until the cherries are soft and the syrup is fragrant and a beautiful cherry color.
2. Let the mixture cool, then filter through a fine filter or cheesecloth to filter out the cherries. Pour into an airtight jar and store in the fridge.
3. When it’s time to make a homemade soda, fill a tall glass about 2/3 full of ice. Fill about 2/3 way with club soda. Pour in a shot of the syrup. Stop and taste … is it sweet enough? If not add a little more syrup.
4. Then, for the magic part: pour in a shot of the half & half. Watch all the magic swirls and bubbles playing together. Stir and enjoy!

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Notes

Total time does not include cooling/straining time for the syrup.

Using more water in the syrup will result in more syrup, but it will be less concentrated in sweetness and in flavor. If you want to cut down on the refined sugar, use 1/2 cup water and more maple syrup … or try substituting your favorite sweetener for some or all of the sugar.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2015, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

This recipe was shared at Munching Monday, Simple Supper Tuesday, Tuesday’s Table, Treasure Box Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Share it Wednesday, The Wednesday Roundup, Thursday Favorite Things, Foodie Friends Friday, The Weekend ReTreat, What to Do Weekends, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Shine Bloghop and The Hearth & Soul Bloghop.