Xanthan Gum Free Cherry Vanilla Kombucha
Tart cherries, floral vanilla, and a satisfying fizz make this homemade brew feel like something you'd pay way too much for at a specialty café. The process is surprisingly hands-on in the best way — you're cooking down fresh or frozen cherries with raw honey into a glossy syrup, straining it clean, and then letting the bottled kombucha do its carbonation magic over a couple of days on your counter. Every single ingredient here is straightforward and naturally free of thickeners or stabilizers, so there's no need to scrutinize labels for hidden additives the way you often have to with flavored store-bought bottles. Vanilla powder (not extract, not a syrup blend) keeps the flavor pure and the ingredient list short. The second ferment builds real carbonation inside sealed glass bottles, giving you that satisfying hiss when you crack one open. Chilled and poured over ice, it tastes bright, a little tangy, and just sweet enough — the kind of drink that makes you want to keep a batch going at all times.
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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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