As I’ve settled into working from home, I’ve found myself consuming more coffee. I am a huge iced coffee fan, but sometimes even I get tired of it toward the end of a long week. That’s where this espresso soda comes in!

When I was in China last summer, I drank a sour lemon iced coffee almost every afternoon. I loved the combination of flavors, along with the carbonation.

It was so refreshing and made me think about coffee in a completely different way.

While lemon is an amazing flavor for summer, I’ve mixed things up a bit to create this less seasonal and equally delicious espresso soda recipe!

It has just a touch of sweetness, and its effervescence is exactly what I need to pick me up in the afternoon.

A Touch of Sweetness

I usually am not fan of sweet drinks despite my love of dessert (and my obsession with American buttercream).

I like my espresso sodas best with just a teaspoon of simple syrup. In my opinion, a little bit of sweetness helps balance out the intensity of the espresso.

We usually have simple syrup in the fridge for cocktails, but I know that it isn’t a kitchen staple for most people.

If you don’t have simple syrup on hand, don’t worry! It’s super easy to make and only takes a few minutes to come together.

Make a batch by adding 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar into a pot and bring the mixture to a boil on a medium high heat.

Remove from heat to cool, and store in an airtight container for up to a month.

If you don’t like sugar in your coffee or you are using an extremely high-quality espresso, you can skip the simple syrup.

Customizing This Espresso Soda

Just like our morning cup of coffee, we all have our preferences. Whether you’re into lots of sugar, flavored creamers, or a heavy pour of milk, you can customize this espresso soda to fit your taste.

Feel free to get creative and make this recipe your own. You can adjust the amount of simple syrup, the amount and flavor of extract, and type of milk!

Substitutions and Swaps

While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand!

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe:

• Espresso shot – If you don’t have an espresso machine (I use my Nespresso), you can use 1/2 cup a cold brew or a strong drip coffee.
• Simple Syrup – You can use flavored coffee syrups in place of the simple syrup and extract if you prefer.
• Vanilla Extract – I love using vanilla extract because it adds a wonderful flavor without a bunch of extra sugar. Almond extract and hazelnut extract also taste wonderful in this recipe!
• Club Soda – Any unflavored sparkling water should work in this recipe! I carbonate my water with my SodaStream, but a can or bottle of plain seltzer works great too.

Tips for Making the Best Espresso Soda:

• Chill your glass in the freezer, to make your espresso soda even more refreshing.
• If possible, make your shot of espresso ahead of time and chill it in the fridge to prevent it from melting the ice!
• If you don’t have simple syrup on hand, make a batch by adding 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar to a small pot and bringing the mixture to a boil on a medium high heat. Remove from heat to cool, and store in an airtight container for up to a month.
• Top with a splash of your favorite milk to round out the flavors. I like mine with whole milk, but alternative milks like almond or oat work great too!

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this espresso soda recipe, I’d love to hear what think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media!