Go Back
Glass of homemade cola with ice, lime circle garnish and bottle of cola beside it.

Homemade cola

Author: Sarah Brooks
This homemade cola is a refreshing way to make your own cola at home. With kola nut powder to give it a natural kick and aromats including cinnamon, citrus and vanilla, there's not surprises or secrets in this recipe.
4.84 from 6 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 8 serves, approx. ½ cup each, or approx. 1 liter in total.
Calories 176 kcal

Equipment

  • Cheesecloth

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (220gms) white sugar
  • ½ cup (110gms) tighly packed brown sugar
  • 3 cups (750mls) water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons corriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 flat teaspoons (5gms) kola nut powder *adjust according to the strength of your powder
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 medium orange zested and juiced (3 tablespoons of juice)
  • 1 medium orange zest only
  • 1 medium lemon zest and juice from half (1 and ½ tablespoons)
  • 1 lime zest and juice from half (1 tablespoon)
  • ½ teaspoon citric acid

Instructions
 

  • Add white and brown sugar to a medium saucepan.
  • Add water to saucepan.
  • Add cinnamon, corriander seeds, nutmeg, kola nut powder and ginger to saucepan.
  • Put on a medium to high heat and stir well to dissolve sugar.
  • When mix starts to bubble, turn down to very low heat and simmer with the lid on for twenty minutes, stiring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Zest and juice one orange. Zest only the second orange.
  • Zest lemon and juice half lemon.
  • Zest lime and juice half lime.
  • Add vanilla, citrus juice and zest and citric acid to pot. Stir well.
  • Chill in fridge for about two hours or longer to allow flavours to develop.
  • Line a sieve with a cheesecloth and put it over a large bowl.
  • Strain cola through cheesecloth.
  • Transfer cola to a clean airtight jar or container.
  • To drink add some ice to a glass. Half fill with cola then top with either still water or selzier. Add a slice of lime on the side and drink! Delicious!

Notes

Kola nut powder contains caffine so this homemade cola is not suitable for children.
Kola nut powder is available from some healthfood and speciality stores.  
Kola nut powder can vary in the amount of caffine it has in it, so always read the label and adjust the amount of kola nut powder as needed.  
To make this childfriendly you can leave out the kola nut powder.  

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 9mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 0.2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.

Keywords: coke, homemade cola, Kola nut, pop
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!