Sweet and simple, this Shirley Temple recipe is a fun drink for the kids at any celebration. Just a couple ingredients and some crafty garnishes make this fun beverage a must have at every party.

two shirley temple drinks on a white tray.


Shirley Temple Drink

Whether you’re hosting a holiday party this year for 2 or 20, you’re sure to need a few cocktails and mocktails to keep the festivities flowing. A Shirley Temple drink wasmy favorite drink to order when I went out to dinner with my family when I was little.

For the little guys, it feels so grown up and special when the waitress places one in front of them. The best part, aside from the neon red color, is the maraschino cherry…with a stem, of course. Always skewered on a cocktail pick with a wedge of lime, we like to rim the glass with sugar to make it even more festive.

What is a Shirley Temple?

A Shirley Temple is a non-alcoholic drink made with two ingredients, grenadine and ginger ale. Garnished with a maraschino cherry, this chilled beverage is a common mocktail recipe popular with kids.

For adults, you can make a spiked version called a Dirty Shirley Temple or “Dirty Shirley” by mixing in vodka or gin. 

Modern Shirley Temple drink recipes may have lemon-lime soda, orange juice or other juices mixed in for a fun twist.

shirley temple mocktail in a Rudolph glass with a lime and maraschino cherry.

Ingredients You Will Need

In the 1930’s, the original Shirley Temple cocktail was always made with Ginger Ale but you can make it with any type of carbonated beverage you like. Common substitutions are lemon-lime soda and flavored sparkling water.

  • Ginger Ale – As I mentioned before, you can substitute the ginger ale with another favorite carbonated drink.
  • Grenadine – A tart-sweet bar syrup that’s commonly made from pomegranate, you can find it at the grocery store with the other mixers. 
  • Maraschino Cherries – With the stem, preferably. 
  • Lime Wedges – A natural way to add some festive holiday color if you’re serving this during the season.
  • Ice – Lots of ice….lots and lots of ice. 
maraschino cherry in a shirley temple drink.

How To Make A Shirley Temple

It’s super easy to make a Shirley Temple drink and it only takes about a minute.

  1. Fill a glass halfway with ice.
  2. Pour the grenadine over the ice.
  3. Fill the glass with ginger ale.
  4. Garnish with maraschino cherries.
  5. Serve!

To make a Dirty Shirley, simply stir in a shot of vodka, gin or your favorite rum!

I rimmed the glass with red sanding sugar just to make them a bit more festive and skewered my cherry with a christmas tree cocktail pick. Add some festive straws and you’re good to go.

Shirley Temple drink in a Rudolph glass with red sugar rim and cherry on top.

More Easy Drink Recipes

My son said they taste just like the Shark Attack we made last summer. They make a great addition to any party and look just like my grown up Pomegranate Bellini.…which, in all honesty, I prefer. Cheers!

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two shirley temple drinks on a white tray.

Get the Recipe: Shirley Temple Mocktail Recipe

Serve up this fun Shirley Temple Mocktail during the holidays so the kids can toast the season, too! 
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Ingredients

  • 12 ounces ginger ale
  • 2 ounces grenadine syrup
  • Lime wedges
  • sanding sugar
  • maraschino cherries

Equipment

  • 2 cups

Instructions 

  • Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses.
  • Dip the rims in sanding sugar.
  • Fill each glass with crushed ice.
  • Pour 1 ounce grenadine syrup over the ice in each glass.
  • Top with ginger ale. Garnish with lime and cherries. Serve immediately

Video

YouTube video
Serving: 1g, Calories: 133kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 19mg, Sugar: 27g, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 0.3mg