Make Your Own Cola

My seven year old is in Brownies and part of her earning her snack badge has to do with making our own snacks. They have a recipe for making your own cola. How come I have never heard of this? We got busy with it even when we didn't have all the ingredients as listed. I recommend being sure that you use club soda as opposed the grossness that we used. All we had in the fridge was tonic water with lime. 

Make Your Own Cola
makes 6 cups
Ingredients:
3 cloves
1/2 cup molassas
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups seltzer water/soda water
cherries - optional

Directions:

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat the cloves and molassas on low for about 15 minutes.

2.  In another saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, and cinnamon stick.  Bring the second pan to a boil and then turn on low and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

3.  Take out the cinnamon stick.  Allow both pans to cool for about 10 minutes.

4.  Place the molassas and the cinnamon syrups in a large pitcher and mix well.

5.  Add the seltzer and mix again.

It foamed up A LOT!

6.  Pour into a glass filled with ice.  Add cherries, if you like!

Enjoy!  How did we like it?  It smelled like cola.  It was strong tasting and I suspect it was because we used tonic water with lime, it has high fructose corn syrup in the ingredients as well.  Next time, we're using plain ol' soda water!  All in all, it was tasty, especially after the ice started to melt.  ;)