How to Make Dr. Pepper

Co-authored by Mimi Perryman and Christopher M. Osborne, PhD

Last Updated: July 8, 2023 References

The formula for Dr Pepper is a true mystery—rumor has it that the company even stores the recipe in a limited access vault in Plano, Texas.^{[1]
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Research source} For years, however, curious fans have attempted to duplicate the taste of this popular soda at home. You can try simply adding a couple of flavor extracts to regular cola, or brew up a multi-ingredient concoction from scratch. Try a few different recipes and see what your taste buds think!

Ingredients

Shortcut Dr Pepper

Makes 20 fl oz (590 mL) soda

20 fl oz (590 mL) bottle of cola (Pepsi preferred)
0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) almond extract
0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla extract

Copycat Diet Dr Pepper

Makes 1 c (240 mL) soda

1 c (240 mL) cold soda water
40 drops cola-flavored stevia
1.5 tsp (7.4 mL) natural cherry flavoring

Old Fashioned Dr Pepper

Makes 7 fl oz (210 mL) of soda

NOTE: 1 minim = approx. 1/480 oz^{[2]
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7 fl oz (210 mL) cold carbonated water
0.1 fl oz (3.0 mL) raspberry vinegar
1 minim (0.06 mL) vanilla extract
1-1/2 grains (65 mg) citric acid, food grade
1/2 minim (0.03 mL) almond extract
3/8 grain (24.375 mg) phosphoric acid, food grade
10 minims (650 mg) burnt or caramelized sugar
1 fl oz (30 mL) simple syrup

Natural Dr Pepper

Makes 1 US qt (0.95 L) soda

8 oz (230 g) cinnamon sticks
2 Tbsp (28.3 g) barley
0.125 tsp (0.62 mL) lemon flavoring
4 large pieces of rock sugar
3 ripe red bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 US qt (0.95 L) cold carbonated water

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Shortcut Dr Pepper

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1
Add almond and vanilla extracts to a large glass or small pitcher. Use 0.5 tsp (2.5 mL) of each extract. Choose a glass or pitcher that can hold at least 24 fl oz (710 mL) of liquid.^{[3]
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- You can try adding the extracts directly to a 20 fl oz (590 mL) bottle of cola, but it’s easier to combine the ingredients thoroughly in a separate container.
2
Pour 20 fl oz (590 mL) of cola into the glass or pitcher. There is some debate concerning the exact type of cola you need to use for this recipe to turn out right. The majority opinion is that Pepsi works better than Coca-Cola or any other off-brand cola variety. You can experiment with different types, however, and make that determination for yourself.^{[4]
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- Use cold cola, if possible. That way, you won’t need to chill the finished drink before enjoying it.
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3
Stir the mixture and give it a taste test. Swirl the drink around quickly with a long spoon or a straw, then give it a sip. If you want a sweeter taste or a stronger flavor, stir in an additional 0.25 tsp (1.2 mL) of one or both extracts to the drink.^{[5]
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- Alternatively, if the extract flavors are already too strong, you can stir in another 0.5 c (120 mL) of cola or soda water to the drink. You may need to transfer the drink to a larger container, however.
4
Enjoy your homemade Dr Pepper chilled. If your soda is already cold, you can enjoy it as-is. If not, add a few ice cubes and give it another stir. Or, cover the glass or pitcher with plastic wrap and refrigerate the drink until it feels cold enough to enjoy as usual.^{[6]
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- Covering the drink while chilling it will keep it from going flat.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Copycat Diet Dr Pepper

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1
Combine the cola stevia and cherry flavoring in a 12 fl oz (350 mL) glass. Use the dropper that comes with the cola stevia bottle to add 40 drops. Grab a teaspoon to add the 1.5 tsp (7.4 mL) of natural cherry flavoring. Mix them well with a spoon or stirring rod to blend the flavors.^{[7]
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- Stevia is a natural sweetener that grows as a plant. Cola stevia is a liquid stevia extract flavored with a generic cola taste.
- You can find cola stevia and natural cherry flavoring at health food stores, online retailers, and some grocery stores.
2
Pour in 8 oz (250 ml) of cold, carbonated soda water. The carbonation will begin to combine the flavoring ingredients. However, to ensure more even flavor distribution, use a stirring rod, spoon, or straw to gently and slowly mix the drink a few times.^{[8]
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- Work carefully so that you do not cause too many bubbles to form. You might cause the drink to bubble over and/or make it go flat.
- Use cold soda water so you don’t have to chill the drink before enjoying it.
3
Enjoy your concoction as soon as possible. Ideally, the drink should already be cold enough to enjoy. If you want it to be colder, however, either stir in a few ice cubes or cover the glass with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or so before drinking.^{[9]
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- The drink will lose its carbonation fairly quickly, so don’t leave it sitting around before enjoying it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Old Fashioned Dr Pepper

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1
Make simple syrup on your stovetop. Begin by boiling 0.25 c (59 mL) of water in a small saucepan over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add 0.5 c (113 g) of sugar and stir it in well. Keep stirring the boiling mixture constantly until there are no visible grains of sugar left and the liquid looks clear.
- Set aside 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of this simple syrup for your Dr Pepper recipe. Save the rest in a sealed plastic or glass container stored in the refrigerator.
2
Caramelize sugar for the recipe. Sprinkle 0.25 c (57 g) of white granulated sugar into a small, heavy saucepan. Spread the granules out so they form an even layer. Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to brown around the edges, stir it with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to distribute the heat more evenly.
- Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the sugar melts and takes on a dark amber color. The caramelized sugar should begin to smoke slightly immediately before you remove it from the heat.
- When done, set aside 10 minims (650 mg) of caramelized sugar for use in your drink. You can save the rest, if desired, by transferring it to a non-reactive sealed container and storing it in the refrigerator.
3
Combine the ingredients (except soda water) in a 12 fl oz (350 mL) glass. Stir the raspberry vinegar, vanilla extract, almond extract, food grade citric acid, food grade phosphoric acid, caramelized sugar, and simple syrup with a stirring rod or spoon to mix them thoroughly.^{[10]
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- Let the caramelized sugar and simple syrup cool to room temperature before you combine the ingredients.
- When purchasing citric acid and phosphoric acid, use food grade quality only.
- The original recipe called for hydrocyanic acid, which is not readily available for commercial purchase. Since this solution tastes like almonds, almond extract has been substituted in its place.
4
Add 7 fl oz (210 mL) of cold soda water. Slowly pour the water directly over the ingredients in the bottom of the glass. Then, carefully mix the contents of the glass with a stirring rod or spoon.^{[11]
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- Do not stir the drink too rapidly, since doing so will release more bubbles and may cause the drink to go flat before you can drink it.
- Use cold soda water if possible. If you chill the soda water before you add it to the flavoring ingredients, you should not need to chill the finished drink before drinking it.
5
Try your chilled, old fashioned Dr Pepper. If the drink is already cold enough, you do not need to refrigerate it. Otherwise, add some ice cubes or refrigerate the drink for 15 minutes or so before enjoying it.^{[12]
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- Originally, Dr Pepper did not contain caffeine, which is why this supposedly original recipe does not contain caffeine, either.
- Note that this formula was printed in 1912, back when Dr Pepper was still used as a pharmaceutical remedy for digestive problems. As such, this recipe will not taste like contemporary Dr Pepper purchased in the store. If you want to know what the original drink tasted like, however, this recipe will give you a good idea.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Natural Dr Pepper

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1
Process or crush the ingredients (minus soda water) together. Place the cinnamon sticks, barley, lemon flavoring, rock sugar, and red bell peppers in a food processor. Pulse them until they’re well-combined.^{[13]
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- The resulting mixture does not need to be a smooth paste or puree. You only need to crush and combine the ingredients well enough to release their flavors.
- If you don’t have a food processor, use a mortar and pestle to crush the ingredients. A blender may also work.
- You may need to break the cinnamon sticks into 2 in (5.1 cm) pieces or smaller before adding them to the food processor.
2
Add the blended ingredients and soda water together. Place the flavoring ingredients in a non-reactive, resealable container that holds at least 1.5 US qt (1.4 L)—for instance, a glass pitcher with a lid. Pour 1 US qt (0.95 L) of soda water over the ingredients and mix them lightly with a spoon or stirring rod to combine them.^{[14]
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- Keep this mixture in the sealed pitcher or other airtight container. Doing so will slow the production of bubbles, thereby preventing the drink from going flat.
3
Steep and chill the mixture for 3 hours. Seal the container and place the concoction in your refrigerator. Let the flavorings steep into the soda water for no less than 3 hours.^{[15]
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- You can let the ingredients steep for a longer period of time, but the drink will lose carbonation and go increasingly flat. A longer steeping time might produce a stronger flavor but ultimately result in a less palatable drink.
4
Strain the mixture and serve your mock Dr Pepper. Pour the drink through a wire strainer that’s placed over a bowl or a clean pitcher. Discard the strained solids and save the remaining liquid. Serve it right away to preserve the carbonation.^{[16]
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- You can seal the beverage in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge, but it will still likely go flat within several hours.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can I just use regular sugar?

Community Answer

Yes you can. Regular sugar will make the drink sweeter but it should be close.

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Can prune juice be used?

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Yes, you may add prune juice for flavor.

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Tips

Dr Pepper contains 23 different flavors. This is a closely guarded secret formula and these flavors are not definitively listed anywhere. However, commonly speculated flavors include: amaretto, almond, blackberry, black licorice, carrot, clove, cherry, caramel, cola, ginger, juniper, lemon, molasses, nutmeg, orange, prune, plum, pepper, root beer, rum, raspberry, tomato, and vanilla.

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The official name of the soda is "Dr Pepper," not "Dr. Pepper."

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Warnings

Since no one outside of the company knows the actual recipe for Dr Pepper, no true copycat recipe can be found in print or online. Any recipes you do find will only be derived from speculation and experimentation.

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