Shirley Temple

Table of Contents

1. Shirley Temple Ingredients
2. Substitutions and Additions
3. How to Make Shirley Temple
4. How to Serve Shirley Temple
5. Storage
6. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
7. MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
8. JUMP TO RECIPE

A Shirley Temple is a fizzy, non-alcoholic mocktail, that is perfect for special occasions. Named after the iconic child actress, the Shirley Temple is made with grenadine, ginger ale, and maraschino cherries. This classic drink with a vibrant red color, is so easy to make and great for kids and grownups alike. Make this colorful and cheerful drink at home with just a few simple ingredients, and turn any day into a celebration. 

A few more amazing non-alcoholic drinks include the Blue Lagoon Mocktail, Pina Colada Mocktail, and Butterbeer. 

Shirley Temple Ingredients

You will need:

• 1 fluid ounce grenadine
• 8 fluid ounce ginger ale
• 1 lime juice
• ice
• maraschino cherries optional garnish
• lime wedges optional garnish

PRO TIP: Rose’s Grenadine Syrup will be your best bet if these cocktails are for kids, as it has a very sugary sweet taste. If you are making this for adults with a more seasoned palate, there are other types of grenadine out there that you will find behind most bars – the ingredients are more complex using Pomegranate juice.

Substitutions and Additions

Alcohol: You can modify this drink into an adult version called a “Dirty Shirley” by adding vodka or light rum. 

Soda: Modern versions of this drink often use lemon-lime soda in place of the ginger ale, either is fine and will give you the fizzy base you need. You could also use club soda if that is what you have on hand. 

Orange Juice: You will find versions of this favorite drink that will add a splash of orange juice and make it even more colorful and fruity with a refreshing citrus flavor.

Grenadine: While grenadine is an important part of this drink, you could use the maraschino cherry juice from your jar of cherries in a pinch if you can’t find grenadine at the grocery store. It’s not quite as sweet but will still give your drink the pink color. 

Is Shirley Temple better with ginger ale or Sprite? You may find that a Shirley Temple drink is made with either Sprite or ginger ale, but the official version is always made with ginger ale.

How to Make Shirley Temple

PRO TIP: The typical ratio for this classic cocktail is 1:8. If you are using a bigger glass, for example, a mason jar, double the recipe and retain the 1:8 ratio. 

STEP ONE: Fill your chosen glass with ice – a favorite is a Collins glass or a tumbler.

STEP TWO: Add 1 fluid ounce of grenadine to the glass over the ice.

STEP THREE: Squeeze the juice from the lime into the glass.

STEP FOUR: Add 8 fluid ounces of ginger ale.

STEP FIVE: Decorate with maraschino cherries and slices of lime.

PRO TIP: Add a pretty straw to your delicious drinks to add to the charm.

How to Serve Shirley Temple

Family-friendly and fun, this non-alcoholic drink is the perfect way to celebrate special occasions with kids and adults of all ages. This fun drink help even the youngest guests feel grown-up. Of course, you can also turn this mocktail into a cocktail instead. Adding 2 ounces of vodka will turn a Shirley Temple into an alcoholic drink often referred to as a Dirty Shirley. Another option is the Shirley Temple Black, which is made by adding 2 ounces of black rum.

Storage

A Shirley Temple cocktail will need to be consumed immediately due to the melting ice.

Make-Ahead: You could make the cocktail ahead in a punch bowl and add the ice as the drink is being poured. It’s the ice melting into the cocktail that will water down the flavor/fizz over time.

A Shirley Temple is a pretty sparkling drink with a lovely crimson color that can turn every day into something to celebrate. Made with a bubbly combination of ginger ale, sweet grenadine syrup and finished off with a cherry; this is a fun drink for everyone from little kids to grown-ups alike. Garnished with a maraschino cherry, a Shirley Temple is the perfect drink for any special occasion. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I substitute grenadine with another syrup? 

Torani Syrup has a pomegranate syrup that would be a great option in place of the grenadine.

Could I make this drink ahead of time for a party? 

You can make this simple recipe ahead, just wait to add the ice until you are ready to serve it so that it doesn’t get watered down.

What type of glass should I serve the Shirley Temple drink recipe in? 

We recommend either a Collins glass or a tumbler, but any type of cocktail glass would work.

Why is it called a Shirley Temple cocktail? 

The Shirley Temple drink is named after the iconic child actress and rumor has it that a bartender made it, especially for her so that she could have a fancy drink along with the adults she was with.

Is a Shirley Temple a soda? 

A Shirley Temple is not a soda but rather a combination of ginger ale and grenadine.

Is a cherry sprite the same as Shirley Temple? 

Cherry sprite is different from a Shirley Temple as traditional Shirley Temples are made with ginger ale.

What is the difference between Shirley Temple and Kitty cocktail? 

Shirley Temple is ginger ale with a splash of grenadine & a cherry, while a kitty cocktail is 7-Up with cherry juice, orange slice, and cherry.

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