I wish it could be cherry season year round… if for nothing else than these floats. Because, I mean, a Cherry Coke float is good, but a Fresh Cherry and Cola Float is freakin' incredible, and life changing, and kind of the best thing, ever. Is that dramatic? Yes. Is it true? Also, yes.
So, this is a stupid easy recipe. Those are the best kind, right? The syrup takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and that's about all the effort you have to put into this whole dessert thing, unless you want to spend another 2 minutes making your own whipped cream, which is awesome and extra tasty, but I totally won't judge you if you use the stuff in an aerosol can. You could also get all fancy, and use some homemade vanilla ice cream, but store-bought will work just as well.
I really love the customization factor these provide. They're fantastic with vanilla or chocolate ice cream (heck, you could even use both at once). You can add chopped cherry chunks, or leave things smooth with just the syrup.
Dollop on some whipped cream, or don't. You don't even have to use cola here, if you don't want! Try some cream soda, or root beer! I've made this recipe with both Coke, and an all-natural cola variety. Both are excellent, but it's kinda fun to go with the Coca-Cola in the old-school glass bottles.
Oh, and this cherry syrup? It's not just wonderful in these floats. Go ahead and stir it into your oatmeal, drizzle it over cakes or cupcakes, shove it into your mouth by the spoonful… do what feels right, ya know? It'd also be pretty stinkin' cute as a gift with a ribbon tied around the jar and instructions for making some of these ridiculously tasty floats! I mean… if you feel like sharing. ;)
This syrup recipe will fill a half-pint jar, so you'll have some leftovers after you make a few delicious floats, to experiment with!
Can't get enough cherries? Might I suggest some Cherry Scones, or an indulgent Chocolate Cherry Cake next?
Fresh Cherry Cola Floats Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cherry Syrup:- 9 ounces bing cherries, pitted, plus more for topping (optional)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- ice cream, vanilla or chocolate
- bing cherries, chopped (optional)
- cola
- whipped cream, optional
Directions
For the Cherry Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds. I also like to throw in the empty vanilla bean pod for extra flavor.
- Simmer the mixture over medium heat, pressing the cherries down with a spoon, until the sugar is melted (about 5-10 minutes).
- Transfer the mixture to a blender (remove the pods first), and blend until smooth.
- Store in an airtight jar in the fridge (I throw the vanilla bean pods back in the blended syrup to store).
For the Floats:
- Scoop ice cream into a glass. Top with a couple chopped cherries (if you want), and a few tablespoons of the syrup.
- Carefully pour in the cola. Dollop some whipped cream on top (again, if you want), and drizzle with more syrup.
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