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Ingredients
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Syrup Base
Carbonation & Finishing
Garnish (optional)
Method
Syrup Base
Prepare cherries
If using fresh cherries, pit them. If using frozen, allow to thaw slightly. Place cherries in a medium saucepan.
Cook fruit with sugar
Add granulated sugar, water, and light corn syrup to the saucepan with cherries. Stir to combine.
Add aromatics
Add the split vanilla bean (or vanilla extract), star anise, ground ginger, and kosher salt to the pan.
Simmer
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until the cherries have broken down and the liquid has thickened slightly.
Macerate and mash
Use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to mash the cherries against the side of the pan to release more juice and flavor. Continue simmering 2–3 minutes more.
Strain syrup
Remove from heat. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and strain the cherry mixture, pressing solids gently to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard solids (or reserve for use on ice cream).
Finish syrup
Stir in fresh lemon juice and (if using) vanilla extract now to brighten the syrup. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as needed. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until cold (at least 1 hour). Yields about 1 to 1 1/4 cups syrup.
Carbonation & Finishing
Mix with soda
When ready to serve, combine 1 part chilled cherry syrup with 3 parts chilled club soda or seltzer. For the recipe quantities above, use about 1 cup syrup to 3 cups soda to make a bright, cherry-forward soda. Adjust ratio to taste (more syrup = sweeter, more cherry).
Optional boozy boost
If you want an adult version, stir in maraschino liqueur or cherry brandy, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon per serving as desired.
Serve
Fill glasses with ice if desired. Pour the cherry soda over ice, garnish with fresh or maraschino cherries and a lemon slice. Serve immediately to preserve carbonation.
Storage
Store leftover syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Keep soda separate and combine just before serving to maintain fizz.