Tangerine Vanilla Recipe

Prepare vanilla

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a small knife and scrape the seeds from the pod into a small bowl. Reserve the scraped pod.

In a small saucepan combine the tangerine juice, granulated sugar, water, tangerine zest, vanilla seeds and the reserved vanilla pod. Stir to combine.

Place the saucepan over low–medium heat and warm gently, stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved (about 3–4 minutes). Do not bring to a full boil — you want a gentle simmer to concentrate flavor without burning off bright citrus aromatics.

Once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is fragrant, lower heat to a bare simmer and cook for 4–6 minutes to reduce slightly and thicken to a light syrup consistency. Stir occasionally and skim any foam from the surface.

Remove the saucepan from heat. Let the syrup cool for 10 minutes, then remove and discard the vanilla pod (you can rinse, dry and save the pod for sugar if desired). Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove zest and any solids into a clean jar. Cool completely before using (about 20–30 minutes at room temperature, or speed up in refrigerator).

The syrup will keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

If you like a sugared rim: rub a cut tangerine wedge around the glass rim, then dip the rim into the teaspoon of granulated sugar placed on a small plate.

Fill a serving glass with ice (about 1 cup). Pour 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled tangerine-vanilla syrup over the ice.

Add 1 cup club soda (or still water for a non-carbonated drink) and gently stir once to combine. Taste and adjust: add more syrup for sweetness/intensity (up to 3 tbs) or more soda/water for a lighter drink.

Garnish with 3–4 fresh tangerine segments and a mint sprig if using. Serve immediately.

Optional: For an adult version, add 1.5 oz (45 ml) vodka or light rum per serving and stir gently after adding spirits.