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Dr. Pepper Poppi Soda recipe

DIY Dr. Pepper "Poppi" Soda Recipe (Homemade Prebiotic Shrub)

Prep Time 2 days
Age 7 days
Servings 36 sodas
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Cold Maceration

  • 10 oz cups dark sweet cherries halved and pitted (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup coconut sugar (or dark brown sugar)
  • Peel of ½ orange
  • Peel of ½ lemon
  • Peel of ½ lime
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger sliced

For the Spice Infusion

  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 star anise pods

To Finish the Shrub

  • 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar with "the mother"
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

To Add Natural Caffeine (optional)

  • 1 tea bag Guayusa Herbal Tea

For Serving

  • Club Soda
  • Vanilla bean paste
  • Ice

Instructions

Step 1: Cold Macerate (24–48 hours)

  • Combine in a glass bowl or jar:
  • 10 oz dark sweet cherries, halved
  • 1 cup coconut sugar (or dark brown sugar)
  • Peel of ½ orange
  • Peel of ½ lemon
  • Peel of ½ lime
  • ginger
  • Cover and refrigerate for 24–48 hours, stirring once or twice. The sugar will draw out the fruit juices, creating a rich syrup without cooking.

Step 2: Infuse the Spices

  • Dump entire contents of the jar into a saucepan
  • Add:
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • star anise pods
  • 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
  • Warm the syrup over low heat just until it reaches about 160–170°F (71–77°C). Do not boil or simmer. Remove from the heat, cover, and steep for 30–45 minutes.
  • This gentle warming extracts the spices while preserving much of the fresh fruit character. You want to avoid a cooked fruit flavor.

Step 3: Finish the Shrub

  • Strain again, let it cool to room temperature, then stir in:
  • 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • 1–2 Tbsp tart cherry concentrate (optional)
  • Bottle, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Keep it covered in the fridge — it should keep well up to 6 months, though it rarely lasts that long around here!

Step 4: Age

  • Allow the shrub to rest for at least one week before serving. After 2–3 weeks, the flavors become even more integrated, with the vinegar softening and the spice profile becoming smoother and more reminiscent of classic Dr. Pepper.

Step 5: Mix & Serve

  • Pour 2 tablespoons of shrub into a glass and 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste.
  • Top off with 8-12 oz club soda, stir, and serve immediately over ice.

Optional Caffeine Step:

  • Brew 1 Guayusa Herbal Tea bag in ½ cup hot water (160°F) for 5 minutes.
  • Fill a glass with ice, then pour the brewed tea over the ice to cool it down.
  • Stir in 2 tablespoons of shrub and 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste.
  • Top off with club soda, stir gently, and serve immediately.

Notes

No Vanilla bean paste? Use 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar and 1 tablespoon of agave syrup or honey.