While my freezer is filled with prickly puree that I’ve made from the cactus in my front yard, I also know that it’s becoming more widely available to people everywhere which makes it better for me to share ideas on what to do with it.

These soda coolers are meant to be sort of a mash up- my phrase for using ingredients you have and changing them around as seasons, moods, tastes change. The key with prickly pear is that it isn’t sweet at all, it’s more of a mild earthy flavor, so you want to pair it with something you really enjoy but not too powerful (chocolate will kill prickly pear flavor– not a good combination ever!). I make prickly pear lemonade most of the time because that does work well. Grapefruit is another option. However, when I took this photo, this one was made with orange juice because we happened to have some available.

I also haven’t had a lot of luck making prickly pear syrup so I used agave, which is basically a syrup, to add sweetness.

Prickly Pear Soda Cooler

Prickly pear puree

Agave or other sweetener

Fruit puree/juice– orange juice, lemon, grapefruit, a combination…

Seltzer or soda water (we have a Sodastream)

The amount you choose will depend on how many you want to make (how many servings do you want to have? as well as your specific tastes. The drink I made with the orange juice wasn’t very sweet as we don’t tend toward very sweet drinks. We also preferred things thinned out.

Start by pouring the puree into a glass or pitcher. Then add the sweetener and the puree/juice. Be sure to leave enough space in the glass or pitcher for the seltzer. And remember that icing something down will thin it out as well. Stir the prickly pear, sweetener, and juice before adding the seltzer and take a small taste. It will be thick but do you like the flavor? If not, add what you think you need. When you feel good about the flavor, pour the seltzer and let it sit for a moment before stirring.

Serve on ice, especially if you want to thin it out. It’s always good to make extra for the following day. Remember, flavor is best after it has time to meld!