Cherry Coke Recipe

Cook cherries into syrup

Combine the pitted cherries, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Maintain a low simmer for 8–10 minutes, until cherries soften and the liquid becomes slightly syrupy.

Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to gently crush the cherries to release more juice and flavor, but leave some texture if you want small fruit bits in the syrup.

Finish and strain

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or jar, pressing on solids to extract syrup. Discard solids (or reserve for yogurt/toast).

Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes (about 1 cup).

Pour 2 tablespoons (about 30 ml) of the chilled cherry syrup over the ice for a medium-sweet cherry flavor. Adjust amount to taste: 1 tbsp for subtle, 3 tbsp for strong. (Note: syrup quantity is included in recipe yield—syrup makes multiple drinks.)

Slowly pour 2 cups of cold cola over the syrup and ice to preserve carbonation. Stir gently once or twice with a long spoon to combine, taking care not to over-stir.

Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lime or lemon wedge if desired. Serve immediately.