Coca – Cola Recipe

Prepare concentrate

In a small bowl combine orange zest, lemon zest, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground coriander, crushed dried lavender, and ginger. Add scraped vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and stir to blend. This is a concentrated aromatic mixture that will be infused into the syrup.

If using whole spices or fresh ginger, lightly toast (dry) the orange and lemon zest and spices in a small skillet over medium heat for 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant. Allow to cool before proceeding.

Make simple cola syrup

In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tbsp light brown sugar with 3 tablespoons of water. Warm over low heat, stirring until sugars dissolve completely and the mixture becomes a clear syrup (1–2 minutes). Do not let it boil vigorously. Remove from heat.

While the syrup is still warm, stir in the Cola Spice Concentrate (all contents from the small bowl). Allow the spices and zests to steep in the warm syrup for 5–10 minutes to extract their aroma and flavor.

Strain the warm syrup through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee filter into a clean small jar to remove solids and zest. Press gently on solids with the back of a spoon to extract liquid, then discard the solids. Stir in the 1 tsp vanilla extract (if using vanilla extract instead of bean) and 1 tsp caramel color if you want a darker cola hue. If using powdered caffeine, stir it into the syrup now until dissolved (ensure it is food-grade and measured accurately).

Taste the concentrated syrup — it should be noticeably sweet and aromatic. If it tastes too thin, you can return to very low heat and reduce another 1–2 minutes, but do not burn. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.

Assemble Coca–Cola style soda

In a large chilled glass, add 1 cup ice. Pour 2 tablespoons of the prepared cola syrup over the ice. Add 2 cups chilled carbonated water (seltzer) slowly to preserve bubbles. Stir gently with a long spoon to combine, tasting and adjusting: add up to 1 more tablespoon syrup if you prefer a sweeter/stronger cola flavor.

Add 1 tsp fresh lime juice and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice to the assembled soda and stir gently to incorporate bright citrus notes. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

Serve immediately while fizzy. If making multiple servings, scale syrup (2 tbsp per serving) and keep syrup refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 5 days. Stir or gently shake before using, as some separation may occur.