Orange Soda Recipe

Orange Soda

1. 1

   Make orange simple syrup

   Combine 0.5 cup granulated sugar and 0.5 cup water in a small saucepan. Add the 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture just comes to a simmer (about 3–4 minutes). Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes to extract more orange flavor. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove zest solids and cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes).

2. 2

   Prepare orange base

   While the syrup cools, strain 1 cup fresh orange juice through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher to remove pulp and seeds. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Add the cooled orange simple syrup and stir to combine. If you want a stronger orange aroma, add 1/4 teaspoon orange extract and mix thoroughly.

3. 3

   Assemble the soda

   Fill four tall glasses with about 1/2 cup ice each (total roughly 2 cups ice). Pour 1/4 cup of the orange base into each glass (this yields a concentrated orange mixture). Top each glass with 3/4 cup chilled club soda or sparkling water, pouring gently to preserve carbonation. Stir once gently to combine. Taste and adjust: for sweeter soda add a splash more simple syrup; for tarter soda add a few drops of lemon juice.

4. 4

   Garnish and serve

   Garnish each glass with an orange slice on the rim and an optional mint sprig. Serve immediately while fizzy. Leftover orange base (if any) can be refrigerated up to 3 days; keep club soda separate until serving.