When life gives you lemons, skip the lemonade and make a bright, creamy Lemon Drop Cream Soda. Add whipped cream vodka for an adult cocktail or omit it for a family-friendly version.
If you tend to buy more produce than you can use, you’re not alone. I used to let fresh fruit and vegetables languish in the fridge until I finally forced myself to create easy recipes that use what I already have on hand.
One week a grocery store promotion left me with a bag of free lemons. Eight bright lemons stared at me from the crisper every time I opened the door. Lemonade was the obvious choice, but in winter I wanted something a little more comforting and a little less summery.
A simple cocktail — or a fizzy non-alcoholic treat — hit the spot. I wanted something easy that didn’t require special bar tools, so I reached for whipped cream vodka and cream soda flavors to create a lemon-forward, creamy soda that’s quick to make.
This Lemon Drop Cream Soda starts with a tart lemon syrup, balanced with cream and seltzer. The whipped cream vodka is optional but adds a nostalgic, dessert-like flavor similar to an orange creamsicle made with whipped cream vodka and orange soda. If you prefer a non-alcoholic drink, skip the vodka — the lemon cream soda is delicious on its own.
Homemade cream soda is essentially a flavored simple syrup combined with carbonated water. For this recipe, I replaced the usual vanilla with a lemon syrup made from lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar. The syrup is intentionally bold and very lemony; once you add cream and seltzer it smooths out into a bright, creamy soda.
You can also turn these into floats by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream — ice cream makes everything better. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream for an extra-special touch.
Lemon Drop Cream Soda
2 drinks
15 minutes
5 minutes
20 minutes
Bright, creamy, and easy to make, this Lemon Drop Cream Soda is great as a cocktail with whipped cream vodka or as a non-alcoholic treat for everyone.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon whipped cream vodka (optional)
- 2 cups seltzer water
- Homemade whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk together and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Boil 1–2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- Strain the lemon syrup through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the zest. Set the syrup aside.
- For each glass, add 2 tablespoons lemon syrup and 2 tablespoons heavy cream to the bottom. If using whipped cream vodka, add about 1/2 tablespoon per glass (or adjust to taste).
- Top each glass with 1 cup seltzer water, stir gently to combine, and finish with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately. To make floats, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream before the whipped cream.
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