This Homemade Root Beer recipe uses just 4 ingredients and can be made in about 15 minutes. Unlike traditional root beer, our easy version uses root beer extract for flavoring and dry ice to create carbonation.
Serve in a large punch bowl with extra dry ice for a spooky Halloween presentation. Or, make a big batch before a party and serve out of a big pitcher for dinner or to make root beer floats.
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Homemade Root Beer
With just a few ingredients, we’ll show you how to make homemade root beer the easy way. It's got the same distinct flavor as commercial root beer, with a slight carbonation from the dry ice.
If you love root beer as much as I do, you will appreciate that making your own allows you to control the amount of sugar and flavoring. Also, if you want even more bubbles you can substitute regular water for unflavored sparkling water.
During spooky season, the smokey dry ice makes this a perfect Halloween party punch. Serve out of a food-grade cauldron to really complete the effect.
Root Beer Ingredients
- Water - use good quality water. If you are skipping the dry ice, you could also substitute unflavored sparkling water.
- Sugar - you will need between 2-3 cups of granulated sugar, depending on how sweet you like your Root Beer.
- Root Beer Extract - there are lots of different root beer extract brands to choose from. They will all give you the same general root beer flavor, so just find one that you like.
- Dry Ice - this is what will give your root beer a little carbonation. It also makes for an excellent presentation! Make sure to use food grade dry ice. You can break the ice into 3-4” chunks if you want for it to melt faster. Or, keep in bigger pieces if you want it to bubble for longer. You should be able to find dry ice at your local grocery store.
How to Make Root Beer At Home
- Mix the ingredients. In a large punch bowl, add the water, sugar, and root beer extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the dry ice. Add the dry ice and let it bubble for about 10 minutes.
- Serve. Serve from the punch bowl with decorative cups. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
A traditional root beer recipe involved making a syrup with water and molasses, then mixing it with sassafras root and adding yeast. As the yeast fermented, tiny bubbles were made.
Sassafras was found to contain a toxic oil when confused in large doses, so it was banned by the FDA long ago. Other traditional root beer flavoring ingredients include vanilla, wintergreen, licorice root, and star anise.
Now, most root beer is made using root beer extracts.
The little carbonation that is made in this root beer doesn’t last long, so you really can’t make this ahead of time. Luckily it only takes a few minutes to put together.
If you want a little carbonation but don’t want to use dry ice, you can substitute unflavored sparkling water instead of regular water.
The best way to store dry ice is in a styrofoam cooler that is specially made for dry ice. You should never store it in an enclosed area, in your fridge/freezer, or closets because the carbon dioxide can become trapped and explode.
Homemade Root Beer Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 quarts Water
- 2-3 cups Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Root Beer Extract
- 1-2 pounds Dry Ice Be sure to use food grade dry ice. Break the pieces into 3-4" chunks. If you want it to bubble longer, keep the dry ice in bigger pieces.
Instructions
- In a large punch bowl, add the water, sugar, and root beer extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the dry ice and let it bubble. Serve after 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Homemade Drink Recipes
- Purple Witch Punch
- Green Witch Punch
- Holiday Punch
- Wassail
- Mulled Cider
- Caramel Apple Punch
- Tropical Punch
- Breakfast Punch
- More Drink Recipes
- More Halloween Recipes
This 15 minute root beer recipe is an easy drink to serve at parties. It is just as delicious as commercial root beer with a bonus spooky presentation thanks to the dry ice.
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