Coca – Cola Recipe
Make Coca – Cola Recipe in just 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Classic Coca-Cola (homemade style)
Method
Classic Coca-Cola (homemade style)
Make the cola syrup
Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, dried orange peel (or orange zest), and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Stir until the sugar dissolves, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 4–6 minutes to infuse the spices. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
Strain and finish syrup
Strain the infused syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl to remove solids. While still warm, stir in the vanilla extract, lemon juice and lime juice. Add the optional caffeine-free cola flavoring if using. Taste and adjust: add up to 1–2 teaspoons more sugar if you prefer sweeter cola. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes) or refrigerate to speed cooling.
Assemble the drink
Fill a tall pitcher or four glasses with ice (total about 2 cups). Pour 4 cups of chilled carbonated water into the pitcher. Add 3/4 cup of the prepared cola syrup to the carbonated water, then gently stir once or twice to combine. Taste and adjust the syrup ratio—use more syrup for a stronger, sweeter cola (up to 1 cup syrup per 4 cups water) or less for a lighter soda.
Serve immediately garnished with lemon or lime slices. Store any leftover syrup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When using stored syrup, always combine with chilled carbonated water and stir gently to preserve fizz.