Homemade Cranberry Soda Recipe Using Fresh Cranberries (2024)

Last Updated on December 4, 2019 by Diane Hoffmaster

This homemade cranberry soda recipe has been sponsored by Soda Sense. All opinions are my own.

This refreshing cranberry soda is made with fresh cranberries, real sugar, and carbonated water. That's it! No artificial ingredients, no store bought cranberry juice, and no bottles of pre-made soda water. Skip the club soda or soda water and make your own at home. Simmer syrup with orange or lime zest if desired. Or, add a spritz of orange juice or lime juice to your homemade cranberry soda right before serving for a unique twist.

Why Make Homemade Soda

Making homemade soda is incredibly easy. It also helps you avoid the artificial ingredients in store bought soda, reduce your plastic usage, and save money on your grocery bill. With the holidays coming up, a home soda machine is a great gift idea for anyone who wants to eat healthier. And this cranberry soda recipe is a festive holiday drink the whole family will love!

This cranberry soda starts with a simple cranberry syrup recipe that you make with fresh cranberries. Once you have the cranberry concentrate, you can make your own homemade soda by simply adding carbonated water made using a soda machine. There is a great program called Soda Sense to make soda machine cartridge return quick and easy. So, make homemade soda using natural ingredients. Then, keep your soda machine stocked with CO2 cartridges so you can make MORE! Because you and your family will want to drink this every single day!

Tips for Using Soda Machines

The most common home soda machine on the market is probably SodaStream. However, there are others out there if you look. There is some trial and error to making homemade soda using a soda machine. I will share a few tips that I have learned while making my own soda:

• Play around with the amount of carbonation. This is a feature that YOU can control. Add more or less 'bubbles' depending on your personal preference.
• Skip the store bought syrups. All you are doing is replacing bad for you soda with bad for you syrups. Most of them contain artificial ingredients and preservatives. If you are really in a hurry and want pre-made soda syrups, look for all natural ones.
• Start with chilled water. There are science people who explain it in detail but basically, chilling the water before carbonating it will use less gas.
• Add the syrup after carbonating the water. Carbonating a syrup filled beverage is NOT recommended and will result in a very sticky mess.
• Experiment with how much syrup you use. The perfect amount will depend on your level of sweet tooth.
• Keep extra canisters on hand! It's a lot more convenient to have a spare on hand in case you run out.
• Look for easy cartridge return programs: Soda Sense is an easy cartridge exchange program for home soda machines that will help ensure that you always have a full cartridge in your machine! Make this cranberry soda recipe year round, whenever you want!

How does Soda Sense Work?

Soda Sense has re-imagined the way CO2 exchange works. That means you never run out of bubbles for your homemade soda recipe. It is a door-to-door, on-demand solution to your CO2 cartridge needs. And they are having a great deal right now to celebrate their December launch:

• Save 5% Instantly: Enter your email and instantly get 5% off for signing-up.
• SHARE the great news! Share with friends to get even more savings.
• EARN even more! The more people you refer, the more you can save. Up to 20% off!

Most similar cartridge exchange programs require you to drop off the cylinders at a designated drop-off location. Then you have to go through the process of ordering refills through the website. That can get to be a hassle.

Soda Sense is difference. To get started, sign up for free on their website. They offer a guided experience to help you choose the best option to begin your exchange program. Once they deliver your first package, just keep the exchange box your canisters were delivered in. Use it to mail back two empties of your choice. Once your empties are received, they refill your cartridges at a membership rate and mail them right back. Just in time for you to make more homemade cranberry soda!

Make Fresh Cranberry Simple Syrup First

The first step to making homemade cranberry soda is to start with your own cranberry syrup. This is incredibly easy to make and will stay good in the refrigerator for several weeks. Stock up on fresh cranberries during the holidays and put them in the freezer. Then, you can make cranberry syrup all year long! If you want to add a depth of flavor to your cranberry simple syrup, throw in a few orange peels or lime peels while it simmers.

Like this homemade cranberry soda recipe? Try these cranberry recipes, too!

• Whipped Cranberry Butter Recipe This whipped cranberry butter recipe is a delicious addition to an otherwise unexciting bagel!
• Cranberry Almond Donut Recipe The smell of warm, yummy cranberry donuts is about the best aroma on earth.
• Cranberry Cheddar Bagel Bites If you are looking for an appetizer that is simple to make in only a few minutes, these cranberry cheddar bagel bites will be a big hit.

To make homemade cranberry syrup, just combine water, sugar, andcranberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the cranberries have completely softened. You want to maintain a gentle simmer and stir frequently.

Once finished, strain through a mesh sieve, pressing on the cranberries to extract the most liquid. Pour into a mason jar and let cool to room temperature. Then, use in your homemade cranberry soda recipe. Cover the jar and place in the fridge to use for weeks. Looking for more cranberry simple syrup uses? You can make co*cktails with it or make an almond cake with cranberry syrup from Smitten Kitchen.

How to Make Cranberry Soda

Once you have turned your fresh cranberries into cranberry syrup, making actual cranberry SODA is very easy. This syrup replaces cranberry juice for a more concentrated flavor to co*cktails and homemade soda. You COULD use cranberry juice, however, the flavor of your homemade soda won't be as strong once you dilute it with the carbonated water. To makecranberry soda, add about 4 tablespoon cranberry syrup to 6 oz of sparkling water. Adjust the concentration as desired, depending on taste.

Homemade Cranberry Soda Recipe