Dr Pepper's formula is still a mystery; Rumor has it that the company even stores the recipe for this drink in a limited-access vault in Plano, Texas, United States. However, over the years, fans of this drink have continued to try to imitate the taste of this famous soda at home. You can simply mix some flavoring extracts in your regular cola, or mix it from scratch using some natural ingredients. Try different recipes to find the one that suits your taste best!
Ingredients
Dr Pepper Shortcuts
To make 600 ml of soda
- 600 ml cola drink (preferably Pepsi)
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) almond extract
- 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
Diet Dr Pepper Plagiarism
To make 1 cup (240 ml) of soda
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold sparkling water
- 40 drops of cola flavored stevia
- 1, 5 tbsp. (7.5 ml) natural cherry flavor
Old Dr Pepper
To make 210 ml of soda
- 200 ml cold sparkling water
- 3 ml raspberry vinegar
- 0.05 ml vanilla extract
- 65 mg of food grade citric acid (safe for consumption)
- 0.03 ml almond extract
- 24 mg of food grade phosphoric acid
- 650 mg sugar or caramel
- 30 ml simple syrup
Natural Dr Pepper
To make 1 liter of soda
- 230 grams of cinnamon sticks
- 2 tbsp. (28 grams) jali-jali
- 0, 125 tsp. (0.5 ml) lemon flavor
- 4 large lumps of rock sugar
- 3 ripe red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
- 1 liter cold sparkling water
Step
Method 1 of 4: Dr Pepper Shortcut
Step 1. Put the almond and vanilla extract in a large glass or small kettle
Measure tsp. (2.5 ml) for each extract. Choose a glass or kettle that can hold a minimum of 700 ml of liquid.
You can try putting the extract directly into a 600 ml bottle of cola, but it's easier if you mix it in two separate containers
Step 2. Pour 600 ml of cola into a glass or kettle
The best type of cola to use in order to produce the correct recipe is still under debate. Most people think that Pepsi is more suitable than Coca-Cola or other cola brands. However, you can experiment with different types and decide for yourself.
Use cold cola, if possible. So you don't have to refrigerate your drink before drinking it
Step 3. Stir the mixture and test the taste
Stir the drink quickly with a long spoon or straw before sipping. If you want a sweeter or stronger taste, add tsp. (1 ml) one or both extracts added to the drink.
If the flavor of the extract is too strong, you can also add cup 1/2 cup (120 ml) of extra cola or sparkling water to the drink. However, the drink will need to be transferred to a larger container
Step 4. Refrigerate your homemade Dr Pepper before enjoying
When the soda is cold, you can drink it right away. If not, add a few ice cubes or refrigerate until cool enough to enjoy.
Cover the beverage container while it cools so the soda doesn't disappear
Method 2 of 4: Diet Dr Pepper Plagiarized
Step 1. Combine stevia cola and cherry flavoring in a 350 ml glass
Use the dropper that came with the stevia cola bottle and pour in 40 drops. Measure 1 tsp. 7.5 ml natural cherry flavoring. Then, mix thoroughly with a spoon or a mixing stick.
- Stevia is a plant that can be processed into a natural sweetener. Stevia cola is a liquid stevia extract flavored with regular cola.
- You can buy cola stevia and natural cherry flavorings at grocery stores, online retailers, and grocery stores.
Step 2. Pour 250 ml of cold sparkling water
The carbonated soda will start mixing up the flavoring ingredients. However, to make sure the flavors spread evenly, use a spoon, stick, or straw to gently and slowly stir the ingredients a few times.
- Stir gently so that it doesn't form too much foam. You can make the drink froth and/or remove the soda.
- Use cold sparkling water so it doesn't need to be refrigerated before you can drink it.
Step 3. Enjoy your Dr Pepper as soon as possible
Ideally, drinks should be cold before drinking. However, if you want it to be even cooler, add some ice cubes or cover the glass with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes before drinking.
Drinks will lose their carbonation quickly so don't just let them sit until you enjoy them
Method 3 of 4: Old Dr Pepper
Step 1. Make a simple syrup using the stove
Start by boiling cup 60 ml of water in a small saucepan over high heat. When the water is boiling, add 115 grams of sugar and mix well. Keep stirring the constantly simmering mixture until there are no visible sugar grains and the liquid is clear.
Take 2 tbsp. (30 ml) of this simple syrup to make Dr Pepper. Store the rest in a sealed plastic or glass container and refrigerate
Step 2. Caramelize the sugar for the recipe
Sprinkle 60 grams of granulated white sugar into a small, heavy saucepan. Spread the sugar grains so that they form an even layer. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. When the sugar has browned around the edges, stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to spread the heat more evenly.
- Immediately remove the pan from the stove once the sugar melts and turns a dark red color. The caramelized sugar should begin to smoke slightly before removing from the stove.
- When finished, take 650 mg of caramelized sugar to use to make drinks. If you want, you can store the rest in a sealed non-reactive container and refrigerate it.
Step 3. Mix the ingredients (except sparkling water) in a 350 ml glass
Stir in the raspberry vinegar, vanilla extract, almond extract, food grade citric acid, food grade phosphoric acid, caramelized sugar, and simple syrup using a mixing stick or spoon until smooth.
- Allow the caramelized sugar and simple syrup to cool to room temperature before mixing the ingredients.
- When buying citric acid and phosphoric acid, choose only food grade quality.
- Dr Pepper's original recipe required an ingredient called hydrocyanic acid, which is not a commercial ingredient. Since this solution tastes like almonds, almond extract should replace it.
Step 4. Add 210 ml of cold sparkling water
Pour the water directly over the ingredients in the glass. Then, stir gently with a stick or spoon.
- Don't stir the drink too quickly as this will release more bubbles and make the drink lose its soda before drinking.
- Use cold soda, if possible. If you've cooled the sparkling water before mixing it with the flavorings, the finished product won't need to be refrigerated.
Step 5. Sip your cold old Dr Pepper
If the drink is cold enough, you don't need to put it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, add ice cubes or refrigerate for 15 minutes before drinking.
- Initially Dr Pepper did not contain caffeine, which is why this recipe is caffeine-free.
- Note that this formula was printed in 1912, when Dr Pepper was used as a remedy for indigestion. Therefore, this recipe will not taste like commercial Dr Pepper today. If you want to know the original taste of old Dr Pepper, this recipe is worth a try.
Method 4 of 4: Natural Dr Pepper
Step 1. Process or crush the ingredients (minus the sparkling water)
Place the cinnamon sticks, jali-jali, lemon flavor, rock sugar, and red pepper into a food processor. Mix the ingredients until smooth.
- Processed products do not need to be as smooth as pasta or porridge. You just need to crush and mix the ingredients evenly to bring out the taste.
- If you don't have a food processor, use a pestle and mortar to crush the ingredients. You can also use a blender.
- You will need to break the cinnamon into 5 cm or less pieces before putting it in the food processor.
Step 2. Add the sparkling water to the seasonings
Place the flavorings in a non-reactive, sealable container with a minimum capacity of 1.5 liters, such as a glass kettle with a lid. Pour 1 liter of sparkling water into the ingredients and mix thoroughly using a mixing stick or spoon.
Store this soda mixture in a sealed kettle, or an airtight container. In this case, the production of bubbles will be slowed down and prevent the drink from losing the soda
Step 3. Soak and refrigerate the mixture for 3 hours
Seal the container and put your drink in the refrigerator. Let the flavoring soak into the sparkling water for no more than 3 hours.
You can let the ingredients soak longer, but the drink will lose the soda and "cold." If the drink is left for a longer time, the taste can be stronger but not pleasant to drink
Step 4. Strain the drink and serve your homemade Dr Pepper
Pour the drink through a wire strainer into a clean bowl or pitcher. Remove filtered solids, and store beverages in containers. Serve immediately while the soda is still available.
You can seal the drink in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator, but the drink will lose the soda within a few hours
Tips
- The official name for this soda is "Dr. Pepper", not "Dr. Pepper".
- Dr Pepper contains 23 different flavors. This is a super closely guarded recipe and this flavor is not listed anywhere. Some of the flavors speculated to be in Dr Pepper are: amaretto, almond, blackberry, black licorice, carrot, clove, cherry, caramel, cola, ginger, cumin, lemon, molasses, nutmeg, orange, plum, plum, pepper, root beer, rum, raspberry, tomato and vanilla.
