Hot Dr Pepper is Dr Pepper heated to about 180°F and poured into a mug over a thin slice of lemon. That is the whole recipe. It comes out hot, sweet, a little tart from the lemon, and flat, because heat drives off the carbonation.
It was Dr Pepper's own idea. According to the Dr Pepper Museum, it began in September 1958, when company president Wesby R. Parker was visiting a bottling plant during a blizzard and a route salesman joked that they needed a hot drink to sell in winter weather. Parker worked out the method in his own kitchen: heat it to 180 degrees and pour it over a thin slice of lemon, for the flavor of the rind, and do not overheat it, which he found scorched the flavor. The company went on to promote it as a winter and holiday drink through the 1960s, as Mental Floss recounts, and the museum's soda fountain has served it from November to February.
This is the company's classic method, written up rather than one of the recipes I have taken through my own kitchen yet.
What does hot Dr Pepper taste like?
Without the fizz and the cold, the spice side of Dr Pepper comes forward: more cherry, vanilla and warm spice, closer to a mulled drink than a soda. The lemon keeps it from tasting like hot syrup. If that sounds odd, it is worth one mug before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make hot Dr Pepper?
Heat a can of Dr Pepper in a saucepan to about 180°F, steaming but not boiling, then pour it into a mug over a thin slice of lemon.
Can you microwave Dr Pepper to make it hot?
You can warm it in a microwave-safe mug in short bursts, but a saucepan heats it more evenly and lets the fizz settle without foaming over. Never microwave the can.
When was hot Dr Pepper popular?
It started in 1958, when Dr Pepper's president developed it as a winter drink, and the company promoted it through the 1960s. The Dr Pepper Museum in Waco has served it at its soda fountain from November to February.
Is there an alcoholic hot Dr Pepper?
Yes. The Dr Pepper hot toddy adds bourbon, lemon, honey and spice to the warm soda. It is for adults of legal drinking age, so please drink responsibly.
