Lemon Cream Soda with Vanilla & Sea Salt
Bright lemon, real vanilla and sparkling water finished with a slow pour of cream and the smallest pinch of sea salt. Somewhere between an Italian soda and an old-fashioned cream soda, but lighter, fresher and made for a warm afternoon.
- Makes
- 2 drinks
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- 5 minutes
- Cool
- 20 minutes
What You'll Need
For the lemon-vanilla syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- Peel of 1 lemon, removed in wide strips with as little white pith as possible
- ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
For each soda
- 2 tablespoons lemon-vanilla syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup very cold sparkling water
- 1½ tablespoons cold heavy cream
- Ice
- Thin lemon wheel, optional
The Simple Method
Make the syrup.
Combine the sugar, water, lemon peel, vanilla bean and sea salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Let the lemon and vanilla steep.
Remove from the heat and let sit for about 20 minutes. Remove the lemon peel and vanilla bean. If using vanilla extract instead, stir it in after removing the syrup from the heat. Chill completely.
Build the soda.
Fill a tall glass generously with ice. Add 2 tablespoons lemon-vanilla syrup and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
Add the bubbles.
Slowly pour in ¾ cup cold sparkling water and give it one gentle stir.
Make the cream swirl.
Pour 1½ tablespoons cold heavy cream slowly over the top.
Don't stir immediately. Let the cream fall through the sparkling lemon soda in ribbons first, then give it a gentle stir before drinking.
Finish with a thin lemon wheel if you'd like.
A Few Things That Make This Easier
Keep everything cold.
The soda tastes cleaner and stays more effervescent when the syrup, sparkling water and cream are thoroughly chilled.
Use lemon peel without much pith.
We want the fragrant oils from the yellow peel without the bitterness underneath.
Don't overdo the lemon juice.
More isn't necessarily better here. The zest-infused syrup supplies much of the lemon flavor while the teaspoon of juice gives it freshness.
Use plain sparkling water.
This recipe already has enough going on. A flavored sparkling water can muddy the vanilla and lemon.
That first minute after the cream goes in.
The glass changes from clear, sparkling lemon to pale, cloudy yellow as the cream moves slowly through the bubbles. It feels a little old-fashioned and a little unexpected.
Which is probably why I like it.
The syrup makes enough for several drinks, so keep the extra covered in the refrigerator and the next one takes about two minutes.
A warm afternoon, a glass full of ice, something fizzy.
Sometimes that's enough of a reason.
More from the Kitchen
Hidden & Seen
Lemon Cream Soda with Vanilla & Sea Salt
Bright lemon, real vanilla and sparkling water finished with a slow pour of cream and the smallest pinch of sea salt. Somewhere between an Italian soda and an old-fashioned cream soda, but lighter, fresher and made for a warm afternoon.
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- 5 minutes
- Total
- 20 minutes
- Servings
- 2 drinks
What You'll Need
For the lemon-vanilla syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- Peel of 1 lemon, removed in wide strips with as little white pith as possible
- ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
For each soda
- 2 tablespoons lemon-vanilla syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup very cold sparkling water
- 1½ tablespoons cold heavy cream
- Ice
- Thin lemon wheel, optional
The Simple Method
01 · Make the syrup.
Combine the sugar, water, lemon peel, vanilla bean and sea salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
02 · Let the lemon and vanilla steep.
Remove from the heat and let sit for about 20 minutes. Remove the lemon peel and vanilla bean. If using vanilla extract instead, stir it in after removing the syrup from the heat. Chill completely.
03 · Build the soda.
Fill a tall glass generously with ice. Add 2 tablespoons lemon-vanilla syrup and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
04 · Add the bubbles.
Slowly pour in ¾ cup cold sparkling water and give it one gentle stir.
05 · Make the cream swirl.
Pour 1½ tablespoons cold heavy cream slowly over the top.
Don't stir immediately. Let the cream fall through the sparkling lemon soda in ribbons first, then give it a gentle stir before drinking.
Finish with a thin lemon wheel if you'd like.
A Few Things That Make This Easier
Keep everything cold.
The soda tastes cleaner and stays more effervescent when the syrup, sparkling water and cream are thoroughly chilled.
Use lemon peel without much pith.
We want the fragrant oils from the yellow peel without the bitterness underneath.
Don't overdo the lemon juice.
More isn't necessarily better here. The zest-infused syrup supplies much of the lemon flavor while the teaspoon of juice gives it freshness.
Use plain sparkling water.
This recipe already has enough going on. A flavored sparkling water can muddy the vanilla and lemon.
Christina's Note
The sea salt shouldn't announce itself. It's there to make the lemon taste brighter and the vanilla a little deeper. Start with the small amount in the syrup. You can always add the tiniest pinch to the finished glass if you want more.
And pour the cream last. Watching it ribbon through the lemon soda might be my favorite part.