Orange Cream Soda

Here’s how to make Homemade Orange Cream Soda! This fountain drink is easy to make with orange juice and vanilla ice cream.

Here’s a deliciously fun homemade fountain drink that’s sure to turn heads: Orange cream soda! Of course you can buy it in a box. But why not do it yourself? All you need are a few ingredients and you have a deliciously creamy, sparkling drink with an orange essence on the finish. It’s similar to an Italian cream soda without the specialty syrups. It’s the perfect party drink that’s great for both adults and kids!

What’s in an orange cream soda?

A cream soda is a sweet carbonated drink flavored with vanilla to mimic the taste of an ice cream soda. So why not make an orange and cream soda the classic “ice cream soda” way? It is a fountain drink made from ice and a soft drink or a mixture of carbonated water and flavored syrup (Italian cream soda).

This drink is so easy and deliciously refreshing! It’s creamy vanilla flavored ice cream with sparkling wine, with a hint of citrus on the finish. What you need for an Italian lemonade:

• orange juice
• simple syrup: all kinds, classic or vegan
• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Carbonated wateraka club soda or sparkling water

Types of sparkling water

You can use any type of carbonated water or sparkling water in an orange cream soda. The combination of sparkling water, orange juice and simple syrup creates a homemade version of orange soda. These types of sparkling water all work in this drink:

• Sparkling water, also known as seltzer water, fizzy water or carbonated water is a water without additives, which is carbonated by injecting carbon dioxide (CO2). It’s the basis of brands like La Croix or what comes out of a SodaStream.
• Sparkling mineral water is water from a natural mineral spring that has been carbonated. Examples of brands are Perrier or Topo Chico.
• Soda is a sparkling water enriched with added minerals that give it a salty or slightly sweet taste. Club soda is often used in cocktails and soda fountain drinks.

Just don’t use tonic water in an orange cream soda! It’s flavored differently and doesn’t pair well with the vanilla in this drink.

Some additional notes on the ingredients

Do you really need simple syrup here, since there is already sweetness in vanilla ice cream? In a word: yes. The simple syrup adds just the right balance of sweetness to keep it delicately lemony. Since you’re using orange juice and not orange soda, you need that extra boost of simple syrup. It is needed to enhance flavor just as salt is needed for savory recipes.

Serve with orange cream soda

Making an orange cream soda is really nothing more than mixing the ingredients in a glass! You can skip straight to the recipe below, or here are some general ideas to keep in mind when serving this drink:

• Would you like to make it dairy free? Use vegan vanilla ice cream: It’s now widely available in grocery stores.
• Add a fun straw and cocktail cherry for style. It all depends on the presentation! We love these striped paper straws.
• Stir before drinking. This is the most important part! The photos here show the ice on top before it was stirred. Stir for a rich, creamy fizz.

More drinks at the soda fountain

Soda Fountain Drinks are great non-alcoholic, fun and festive fizzy drinks to serve at parties! Here are some of our favorite ideas: