Drinks · Updated Oct 2026
How to Make Homemade Soda with Syrup
Make soda with syrup: carbonate cold water first, then stir in 1–1½ oz (30–45 ml) of syrup per 8 oz. Ratios, Italian and cream sodas, ginger ale and pairings.
To make soda with syrup, carbonate plain, very cold water first, then add 1 to 1½ oz (30–45 ml) of syrup per 8 oz (240 ml) of sparkling water and stir gently. At 1½ oz, it's about as sweet as a canned soda; at 1 oz, it's lighter and more refreshing. Any 1:1 syrup on this site works, whether you use a SodaStream, another soda maker or a bottle of club soda. Just don't put syrup in the machine's bottle before carbonating unless your manual says you can.
The basic ratio
Syrups vary in strength, so start at the low end and add more by the teaspoon.
| Syrup | Per 8 oz glass | Per 1 L bottle | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit syrups (1:1) | 1–1½ oz (30–45 ml) | 4–6 oz (120–180 ml) | Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, peach |
| Citrus and spice syrups (1:1) | About 1 oz (30 ml) | About 4 oz (120 ml) | Lemon, grapefruit, ginger, cinnamon |
| Herb and flower syrups | ½–1 oz (15–30 ml) | 2–4 oz (60–120 ml) | Lavender, rose and elderflower turn perfumey fast |
| Rich 2:1 syrups | ¾–1 oz (22–30 ml) | 3–4 oz (90–120 ml) | About 1½ times as sweet as 1:1 |
For reference, a 12 oz can of cola has about 39 g of sugar, or about 26 g per 8 oz. One and a half ounces of 1:1 simple syrup adds about 25 g, so the top of the range matches store-bought sweetness. One ounce adds about 17 g and makes a lighter, more grown-up soda.
A squeeze of lemon or lime, about ¼ oz (7 ml), makes almost any fruit soda taste brighter and less syrupy. Nearly every commercial soda contains acid for exactly this reason.
Carbonate the water first, then add syrup
Soda makers are built to carbonate plain water. Sugar and fruit solids give the gas something to cling to, so syrupy water can foam up violently when you carbonate it or release the pressure. It can also leave sticky residue inside the machine and may void the warranty. Most machines, SodaStream and Aarke included, are designed for water only. A few, like the Drinkmate, are made to carbonate juice and other drinks directly. If yours is one of them, follow its manual.
- Chill the water overnight. Cold water holds far more carbon dioxide, so fridge-cold water gives the fizziest soda.
- Carbonate to your usual level, or one level stronger, because adding syrup knocks out some bubbles.
- Put the syrup in the glass first, add ice, then pour the sparkling water slowly down the side of the tilted glass.
- Stir once, gently, lifting from the bottom with a long spoon. Hard stirring flattens it.
To flavor a whole bottle, tilt the freshly carbonated bottle, pour cold syrup slowly down the inside, cap it, and turn it upside down two or three times to mix.
Italian soda and cream soda
An Italian soda is just syrup, ice and sparkling water. Fill a tall glass with ice, add 1–1½ oz (30–45 ml) of syrup and top with 8 oz (240 ml) of sparkling water. Raspberry, strawberry, cherry and orgeat are classic choices.
For an Italian cream soda, float 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) of half-and-half or heavy cream on top and stir at the table. Acidic fruit syrups can make cream curdle slightly, so add it last and drink right away. Heavy cream holds up better than milk.
American-style cream soda is a vanilla soda. Stir 1½ oz (45 ml) of vanilla syrup into 8 oz of sparkling water, with or without a splash of cream. A drop or two of vanilla extract makes it taste closer to the bottled kind.
Ginger ale from ginger syrup
Homemade ginger ale is the best reason to keep ginger syrup in the fridge. For one glass, stir 1–1½ oz (30–45 ml) of ginger syrup and ¼ oz (7 ml) of fresh lime or lemon juice into 6–8 oz (180–240 ml) of sparkling water over ice.
For more bite, closer to ginger beer, use the full 1½ oz of syrup and add a thin slice of fresh ginger or a tiny pinch of cayenne. True ginger beer is fermented with yeast; this is the quick, unfermented version.
For a Shirley Temple, add ½ oz (15 ml) of grenadine to a glass of homemade ginger ale and garnish with a cherry.
Flavor pairings
Use about 1 oz of the main syrup plus ¼–½ oz of the accent, so the total sweetness stays in range.
| Main syrup | Add | Tastes like |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberry | A few basil leaves or ½ oz basil syrup | Strawberry-basil soda |
| Raspberry | ¼ oz fresh lime juice | A soda-fountain raspberry lime rickey |
| Cherry | ¼ oz vanilla syrup | Cherry vanilla soda |
| Lemon | A mint sprig or ¼ oz mint syrup | Sparkling mint lemonade |
| Grapefruit | A sprig of rosemary or ¼ oz rosemary syrup | Herbal grapefruit soda |
| Hibiscus | ½ oz ginger syrup | Tart, ruby-red ginger soda |
| Pineapple | ¼ oz jalapeño syrup | Sweet-hot pineapple soda |
| Elderflower | Cucumber slices and a lime wedge | A garden cooler |
| Cinnamon | ½ oz orange syrup | Spiced orange soda |
Herbs give the most flavor when you clap them between your palms before dropping them in, which releases their oils without bruising them bitter.
Soda makers and sparkling water
Any soda maker works for this method, because you only ever carbonate water. If you drink sparkling water most days, a machine costs less per glass than bottled seltzer over time. If you only want the odd glass, store-bought sparkling water works just as well. Seltzer is plain carbonated water, club soda has added minerals for a faintly salty edge, and sparkling mineral water often has finer bubbles. Skip tonic water unless you want its bitterness and extra sugar. See all our soda and sparkling gear picks.
SodaStream Terra Sparkling Water Maker
Fizz tap water in seconds, then stir in an ounce or two of fruit or herb syrup for homemade soda at a fraction of can prices.
Best for Homemade sodas every day
Aarke Carbonator 3 Sparkling Water Maker
Stainless steel, no electricity, and it takes standard screw-in CO2 cylinders. The soda maker worth leaving on the counter.
Best for Design lovers and big gifts
Drinkmate OmniFizz Sparkling Drink Maker
Unlike most soda makers it carbonates any drink, so you can fizz lemonade or syrup-and-water directly into craft soda.
Best for Carbonating juice, lemonade and cocktails
FAQ
Can you put syrup in a soda maker?
Only if your machine is designed for it. Most soda makers carbonate plain water only, and adding syrup first can cause foaming, sticky residue and warranty problems. Carbonate the water, then add the syrup.
How much syrup do you add to sparkling water?
Start with 1 oz (30 ml) of 1:1 syrup per 8 oz (240 ml) of sparkling water, and go up to 1½ oz (45 ml) for store-bought sweetness. Use less of rich 2:1 syrups and strong floral syrups.
How do you make Italian soda at home?
Fill a tall glass with ice, add 1–1½ oz (30–45 ml) of fruit syrup and top with 8 oz (240 ml) of sparkling water. Float 1–2 tablespoons of cream on top for an Italian cream soda.
How long does homemade soda stay fizzy?
Drink it right away for the best fizz. A capped bottle of plain sparkling water keeps much of its fizz for a day or two in the fridge, but once syrup goes in, it flattens faster. Mix it by the glass.
Is homemade soda healthier than store-bought?
It can be, because you control the sugar. An 8 oz glass made with 1 oz of 1:1 syrup has about 17 g of sugar and 64 calories, compared with about 26 g of sugar in the same amount of cola. See simple syrup calories for more.