Make soda at home: DIY Dr Pepper syrup

Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by Michelle

DIY Dr pepper syrup: make soda at home

When I first started making homemade sodas, my DIY coke recipe went semi-viral.

But when I developed and shared my homemade Dr pepper recipe? Holy cow, it went bonkers.

Who knew how badly the world needs homemade soda recipes! Although most of you love the Dr pepper recipe, I’ve also received haters for it. You’d be shocked how passionate some folks are about making sodas at home!

Some people complain that it doesn’t taste exactly like store bought Dr pepper.

Well, no duh. It’s not store bought.

Some people complain that the ingredients for making the soda are too expensive.

Well, they’re all organic, and the links are for bulk ingredients, so it’s going to be expensive off the bat. But per serving, it works out to roughly $0.60/per serving.

Not a bad price for a medicinal, organic glass of homemade soda.

But I stand firm in the fact that Dr pepper syrup makes the best homemade soda I’ve tried yet.

Why make DIY Dr pepper syrup?

If you look at the ingredients in store bought soda, you might be surprised. Even beyond what’s actually on the label, conventional sodas are packed with “natural flavors.” This is essentially an unregulated term that can include and number of troubling chemicals.

Think of conventional soda as a cocktail of;

“natural” and artificial flavors,

artificial coloring,

TONS of refined sugar,

unnecessary added caffeine,

and added preservatives just to keep things fresh

Homemade Dr pepper syrup and soda?

Medicinal herbs, spices, and fruit.

Plus, coconut sugar (an unrefined sugar packed full of antioxidants) & plain seltzer water.

Sound better?

Instead of a chemical cocktail, we turn soda into a truly medicinal powerhouse. It’s a soda you can truly feel good about.

You control the ingredients and flavor.

What’s in DIY Dr pepper syrup?

Homemade Dr pepper syrup is made from botanicals, real fruit, and spices that may provide medicinal benefits.

Is it hard to make soda at home?

Making soda at home is very simple.

First, you make the soda syrup (in this case, Dr pepper syrup, of course) by combining the Dr pepper syrup ingredients, adding water, and simmering. Then you strain the chunks out and store the syrup to use later. Add the right amount of seltzer water and homemade Dr pepper syrup, and there you have a glass of homemade Dr pepper.

Isn’t that crazy simple?

What ingredients are in homemade soda?

The ingredients in homemade soda will very. But the general idea is herbs and spices, fruits or aromatics of some kind, sweetener, and flavors/extracts.

Then you’ll also need seltzer of some kind to make the homemade soda bubbly and fizzy. I like to use my awesome homemade soda machine, but you can also purchase plain seltzer or soda water and that will work just fine.

Homemade soda syrup + seltzer water = homemade soda.

How to make a soda with DIY Dr pepper syrup

My preferences on seltzer-to-syrup ratio change based on my mood. Sometimes I want a less sweet, more “crispy” Dr pepper, in which case I’ll add less syrup and more seltzer. Some days I crave a sweeter, more syrup-y Dr pepper. 

And that’s the beauty of making soda at home: you can make it exactly how you want it.

My general recommendation is to mix 1/4 cup of DIY Dr pepper soda syrup with about 8 oz (roughly 1 cup) of seltzer. This will create a classic, sweet soda.

What sweetener should I use in DIY Dr pepper soda?

My personal choice for sweetener in homemade Dr pepper is coconut sugar. This is only only because it’s actually nutritious and full of antioxidants, but also for it’s deep, rich, caramel-y flavor.

Brown sugar is an easy substitute if you don’t have coconut sugar on hand, or simple use cane sugar. 

You could also easily use liquid sugars like maple syrup or honey. I’d use a heaping 1/2 cup of either of them in place of the 3/4 cup coconut sugar.

Can I buy pre-made Dr pepper syrup to make soda?

While you can buy pre-made syrups like these ones, which will provide more flexibility as they’re shelf stable. But there’s nothing quite like making your own Dr pepper syrup for homemade sodas, where you know each ingredient.

I’d rather stick with making my own syrup with spices and real fruit. It’s easy, and made with things you most likely already have on hand.

Just store any leftover syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze in ice cube trays for longer term storage.

*SEE FULL SYRUP RECIPE HERE.

What you need to make DIY Dr pepper syrup:

More like made soda at home: DIY Dr Pepper syrup:

• Dr pepper recipe: homemade soda
• DIY coke: yes, you can make delicious soda at home
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