OCEAN WATER DRINK

This is such an easy recipe for copycat Sonic Ocean Water.

If you’ve been a fan of Sonic’s deliciously refreshing Ocean Water drink like I am, I bet you’ll love making them at home, too. They’re perfect to bring out on a hot summer day.

They’re one of my favorite Sonic drinks, especially in the summertime.

If you’ve been wondering how to make Sonic’s famous blue-colored Ocean Water drinks, you’re in luck. It’s surprisingly easy to make them at home with a few items you probably have on hand, like lemon-lime soda and coconut flavoring, plus food coloring to recreate that iconic blue color that doesn’t contribute to the flavor of the drink.

It’s no secret that the drink is built on a lemon-lime soda foundation and has some sort of coconut flavoring in it – I’m betting it’s coconut syrup. It’s not hard to find coconut syrup online, but if you’re anything like me, you’re looking for an easy recipe that won’t cost an arm and a leg or take forever to make.

I’ve made these drinks in different ways: the recipe below includes making your own simple syrup using coconut extract. It’s so easy to make and distributes the coconut flavoring more evenly than adding coconut extract to the drink.

However, if you’re anything like me, you’re going to be tempted to make it with Torani syrup. Both methods result in a fantastic, delicious, summery drink.

There’s a link below to a sugar-free option as well.

Ingredients for Sonic’s famous blue-colored, deliciously refreshing Ocean Water drink can surprisingly easily be found around your house. You’ll be amazed how easy this recipe is.

HELPFUL TIPS

• ICE MATTERS MORE THAN YOU’D THINK – Sonic uses nugget ice. It’s awesome. You can eat it or sip on it – it picks up the flavor of the drink. If you don’t have a nugget ice maker, though they’re affordable now for countertops, consider using crushed ice. Otherwise, using regular ice will water it down a bit and the ice doesn’t pick up any of that delicious flavor.
• USE CLEAR GLASSES – the vibrant blue color looks fantastic. I’ve made these in pint glasses, mason jars and in plastic cups. Plastic cups with straws and lids are great for kids.
• ADJUST THE COLOR TO THE OCCASION – You could make them deeper blue, lighter, etc.

I use three drops and it matches the shade of blue of the Sonic drink really well. Use only 1-2 drops if you like a lighter, more tropical hue.

Add another drop if you like a deeper ocean shade. The food coloring won’t impact the flavor of the drink at all so have fun with it.

THE TORANI SHORTCUT IS WORTH IT

If you don’t want to make simple syrup, use 2-3 Tbs Torani Coconut Syrup instead of simple syrup. The coconut syrup results in a more rounded taste (not nearly as coconutty as using coconut extract).

You can usually find it in the aisle where they keep the syrups for coffee, sometimes by the front registers, or order it on Amazon.

MAKE THE SYRUP AHEAD

Simple syrup will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator in a tightly covered jar. Save yourself some work on party day, make the Ocean Water syrup the night before and make as much or as little as you want to save up ahead of time.

Then, all you have to do is pour in some syrup and some soda.

VARIATIONS AND FLAVOR OPTIONS

SUGAR-FREE OCEAN WATER

For a sugar-free Ocean Water recipe, make this recipe with Torani Sugar-Free Coconut Syrup instead of simple syrup and a diet lemon lime soda such as Dew Zero, Sprite Zero, 7UP Zero etc.

OCEAN WATER WITH LEMONADE

Try a mixture of lemonade and Sprite/7UP. This version of Ocean Water isn’t nearly as sweet and has a nice zing that pairs really well with food.

This is my preferred way to serve this drink at a backyard party. It’s just the right level of sweet with food.

SPARKLING WATER VERSION

To make Ocean Water less sweet, skip the Sprite or 7UP and make Ocean Water with plain sparkling water. You’ll want to add a tad more simple syrup to ensure enough coconut flavor.

The end result is a lighter Ocean Water kind of like a tropical version of spa water.

LAYERED BLUE GRADIENT

For a beautiful, blue, two-toned effect, make two batches, one with only 1 drop of blue food coloring and one with 4-5 drops. Fill a glass halfway with the lighter-colored Ocean Water then slowly and gently pour the darker-colored Ocean Water into the glass, allowing it to run down the sides of the glass.

A spoon may help with the process.

PARTY PUNCH VERSION

To make Ocean Water in a punch bowl, use about 3/4 cup Torani syrup. Then use about 2 liters of lemon-lime soda and 8-10 drops of blue food coloring.

Add a ring of frozen lemonade or a large ice cube to keep from watering down the punch. Garnish with blue raspberry sherbet or blueberries frozen whole.

GARNISH IDEAS

Here are my favorite Ocean Water garnishes to dress up this already cute drink. Choose any/all of these ideas.

They all come together beautifully.

• A lime wedge on the rim makes a lovely contrast with the blue drink.
• Add a maraschino cherry, just like Sonic does.
• A mint sprig will elevate the drink and doesn’t affect the flavor much, if at all.
• Striped straws are fun and cute. They photograph beautifully.
• Frozen pineapple will make it look tropical and impart a little flavor as it thaws.

RECOMMENDED: NUGGET ICE MAKER

Freely available nugget ice makers are finally here and they are a game-changer. The GE Profile Opal Nugget Ice Maker takes up space on your countertop, but if you’re serious about pebble ice, it’s a must-have.

Check out other budget-friendly (non-pebble ice making) ice makers here. These are perfect for large get-togethers and produce ice way faster than your freezer.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS OCEAN WATER AT SONIC?

Sonic Ocean Water is a coconut-flavored lemon-lime soda over their famous pebble ice. They make their own coconut syrup and I’ve found Torani coconut syrup to be the closest to theirs.

CAN I MAKE OCEAN WATER WITHOUT COCONUT EXTRACT?

You can. Coconut syrup alone will be closer to the original.

Adding coconut extract will enhance the coconut flavor if you’re a fan.

WHY DOES MY OCEAN WATER TASTE FLAT?

This could be for several reasons. Warm ingredients kill carbonation.

Stirring too much kills carbonation. Not starting with a nice cold can of soda kills carbonation.

To remedy all of these problems make sure your simple syrup is completely cooled before adding. Add your lemon-lime soda last, pour it in gently, ideally over the edge of the pitcher instead of directly on top of the syrup, and stir gently.

Of course, once your Ocean Water starts to melt after maybe an hour or two, it will start to get a bit flat as ice melts, but that’s inevitable.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE SIMPLE SYRUP AND COCONUT EXTRACT WITH SOMETHING ELSE

Replace the simple syrup with Torani Coconut Syrup, which would be a great idea because it would replace the simple syrup AND the coconut extract. You could also use a splash of coconut-flavored creamer, such as cream of coconut, or coconut-flavored drink mix, like the stuff you use to make frozen slushy coconut drinks, but the former will add an unexpected thickness to your Ocean Water and the latter is going to be much, MUCH sweeter than this recipe.

Both options sound delicious, but starting from scratch with coconut extract and simple syrup is the fail-safe option.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE CAN I MAKE THIS?

Your simple syrup keeps well for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. However, I would assemble the drink just before serving, otherwise, the lemon-lime soda will go flat.

For parties, you can lay out all the ingredients for Ocean Water in pitchers, with food coloring in a tiny pitcher, and allow your guests to make their own. I would chill the simple syrup ahead of time, chill the pitchers and make sure you have extra cold cans of Sprite/lemon-lime soda.

It takes very little effort, but the final product is impressive.

CAN KIDS MAKE THIS THEMSELVES?

Older kids (10+) could “make” their own if you’ve already made the simple syrup and allowed it to cool. They may need assistance in the kitchen with the hot syrup on the stove though.

DOES THE BLUE FOOD COLORING AFFECT THE TASTE?

Not at all. It’s there for appearances, as Ocean Water wouldn’t be Ocean Water without a nice shade of blue.

Gel food coloring is much stronger than traditional (liquid) food coloring so you’ll only need a few drops.