This Viral Recipe Delivers a Healthier Alternative to Dr. Pepper and Fans are Calling It ‘Amazing’

06.10.2025 23:45

Dr. Pepper is one of those iconic sodas that has a distinct, delicious flavor. With its hints of cola, cherry, citrus, warm spices and vanilla, it makes for the best icy cold beverage on a hot day, or as a mixer for many cocktails, mocktails or dirty sodas.

When I first heard about the viral video by @boydbrown3 on Instagram showcasing how to make your own Dr. Pepper at home, I was a bit skeptical. But once I noted all of the ingredients and flavors that go into it, I’ve been converted from skeptic to dogmatic.

Viral Instagram Video Shows How to Make Dr. Pepper From Scratch

Here’s how you can make homemade Dr. Pepper in the comfort of your own kitchen:

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup water
3 cinnamon sticks
1-inch piece each lemon, lime and orange peel
1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground cardamom, ground ginger and star anise
1 tablespoon each fresh ginger and peppercorns
1 cup cherries
1 teaspoon each bitters, vanilla extract and almond extract
Seltzer water

Directions:

Start by adding the coconut sugar to a saucepan over medium-low heat. The moment it starts to caramelize at the bottom of the pot, immediately but slowly pour in the water while stirring. Keep stirring and let the mixture come to a gentle simmer.
Add the citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, ground spices, fresh ginger, peppercorns, cherries, and bitters. Let everything simmer on low heat for about 10-13 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly and the flavors come together. Near the end of simmering, use a potato masher to gently mash the cherries and release all their juices into the syrup.
Remove from heat, strain out the solids, and stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Transfer the finished syrup to a jar and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
To serve: Mix about 3 tablespoons (or your desired amount) of syrup with seltzer water, or simply top it off to taste. Stir gently, then serve.

The star of this video and creator behind the recipe, Chef Boyd Brown III, is an ex-NFL player who creates bold recipes and shares them on his social media profiles; he's now amassed over 1 million followers on Instagram. And this video of him making Dr. Pepper is the perfect example of why his followers love him. They're raving about it, along with his countless mouthwatering comfort food dishes.

In response to the now-viral homemade Dr. Pepper video, people are exclaiming “Awesome recipe!!!”, “I’m not a big Dr. Pepper fan but this is fire!”, “Wow!!! I need to try this bro, looks amazing” and “Dr. Pepper said delete this”.

“Obsessed. Dr. Pepper was always our favorite but we've never thought to make it at home. Thanks for sharing this!”, said another person.

As someone who isn’t a huge soda drinker, but has always enjoyed a crisp Dr. Pepper, I can say with full confidence that I’m pretty excited to try making this at home.