Gluten Free Cherry Vanilla Kombucha
Tart cherries, floral vanilla, and the natural fizz of a second ferment come together in a homemade brew that tastes like something you'd pay way too much for at a specialty café. The process starts with a quick honey-and-cherry syrup cooked down on the stovetop, which pulls out every bit of deep, jammy flavor before it ever meets the kombucha. Vanilla powder — not extract — blends seamlessly into the syrup so you get that warm, aromatic note without any alcohol-based additives to worry about. Each bottle gets its own measured pour of syrup before the kombucha goes in, which means consistent flavor and a proper second fermentation that builds real carbonation over 24 to 48 hours. The result is a lively, naturally effervescent drink that's completely free of gluten by nature — no grains, no hidden additives, just fermented tea and clean, whole ingredients. Chilling the finished bottles slows fermentation at exactly the right moment, so you get that perfect balance of tang, sweetness, and fizz every single time.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 32 oz plain unflavored kombucha (store-bought or homemade first-ferment)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- ½ tsp vanilla powder
Instructions
- 1
Combine the tart cherries and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften and release their juice and the honey is fully dissolved, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- 2
Press the cooled cherry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl or measuring cup, pressing the solids firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids. Stir the vanilla powder into the strained cherry juice until fully dissolved.
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