Vanilla Ice Cream Soda Recipe

By
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold is a literary agent, author, blogger, and recipe developer who has contributed an extensive number of baking and candy recipes to Serious Eats. 
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Updated Apr. 15, 2020
vanilla ice cream soda
Alexandra Penfold

With very little effort you can make an awesome ice cream soda in your own kitchen. The ingredients are easy enough to come by: seltzer, milk, vanilla syrup, and vanilla ice cream, but as with any deceptively simple dish, it's worthwhile to splurge on the top of the line stuff; for me that means making a homemade quick vanilla bean simple syrup (the leftovers are great for cocktails or iced coffee!) and using either homemade ice cream or my favorite store bought vanilla. Creamy and sweet, this is makes for a nice cool down treat on a hot day, just make sure you have a straw or two on hand for optimal sipping enjoyment.

One of the joys of the ice cream soda is that as the ice cream melts it further sweetens the drink. With that in mind, I only include a tablespoon of syrup. If you have a sweet tooth feel free to add a bit more to taste.

Recipe Facts

Active: 5 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serves: 1 serving

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean syrup (or to taste)

  • 1/4 cup homemade or best quality store bought vanilla ice cream

  • 1/4 cup whole milk

  • 1/2 to 1 cup seltzer

Directions

  1. In a tall glass, add vanilla syrup and milk and use a long spoon to mix together thoroughly. Top with several scoops of ice cream and 1/2 to 1 cup of seltzer depending on the capacity of your glass. Serve immediately.

Special equipment

Large glass, long spoon

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
156 Calories
6g Fat
24g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Sodium 54mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 128mg 10%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 146mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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