Mushroom Free Cherry Vanilla Kombucha
Tart cherries, floral vanilla, and the natural fizz of a second ferment come together here in a drink 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 concentrates all that bright, jammy fruit flavor before it ever meets the kombucha. Vanilla powder — not extract — blends seamlessly into the strained syrup, giving the finished drink a warm, almost dessert-like depth without muddying the color or the carbonation. Bottling the syrup with plain kombucha and letting it sit at room temperature for a day or two is what builds that satisfying, pressurized fizz you'd expect from a commercial brew. The whole lineup is completely free of fungi and fermented mushroom ingredients, which can sneak into flavored kombuchas through certain additives or blended wellness shots — here, every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify. Chilling the bottles before serving slows the fermentation just enough to keep things balanced and refreshing rather than overly sour. Pour it over ice on a warm afternoon and it genuinely feels like a treat.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!