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Shirley Temple Drink

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close up shot of a glass of Shirley Temple garnished with cherries and lime slices
The Shirley Temple is a classic fizzy drink with a vibrant red color that evokes childhood memories for many.
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Table of Contents
  1. What Is A Shirley Temple?
  2. Ingredients You'll Need For A Shirley Temple Drink
  3. Substitutions And Additions
  4. How To Make A Shirley Temple
  5. How To Serve A Shirley Temple Drink For Kids
  6. How To Spike A Shirley Temple Drink
  7. How To Store A Shirley Temple Drink
  8. Why We Love This Shirley Temple Drink Recipe
  9. Frequently Asked Questions
  10. More Recipes You'll Love
  11. JUMP TO RECIPE

A Shirley Temple is a pretty sparkling drink with a lovely crimson color that can turn any meal into something special. It is 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.

close up shot of a glass of Shirley Temple garnished with cherries and lime slices

What Is A Shirley Temple?

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A Shirley Temple is named after the iconic child actress and is a non-alcoholic drink made with grenadine, ginger ale, and maraschino cherries.

Ingredients You’ll Need For A Shirley Temple Drink

Shirley Temple raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

  • Ice cubes
  • 1 fluid ounce of grenadine
  • Fresh lime juice from one lime
  • 8 fluid ounces of ginger ale
  • maraschino cherries
  • orange slice and lime wedges (for garnish), optional

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 A 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, highball glass, or a tumbler.

Shirley Temple process shot of drink being poured into a glass of ice

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

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

Shirley Temple process shot of lime juice being squeezed into drink

STEP FOUR: Add eight fluid ounces of ginger ale.

Shirley Temple process shot of ginger ale being poured into drink

STEP FIVE: Decorate with maraschino cherries and slices of lime on the rim of the glass.

PRO TIP:

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

How To Serve A Shirley Temple Drink For Kids

This non-alcoholic drink is the perfect way to celebrate special occasions where there will be little people in attendance.

They always love to feel grown-up, and this original mocktail will do the trick.

Add snacks to your fun with our fruit salsa and cinnamon chips and chips with chip dip.

Try a few of our other alcohol-free cocktails for all ages. Check out our easy recipe for pineapple lemonade and homemade raspberry lemonade.

How To Spike A Shirley Temple Drink

Adding two ounces of vodka will turn a Shirley Temple into an alcoholic drink often referred to as a Dirty Shirley.

MORE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE RECIPES

How To Store A Shirley Temple Drink

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.

close up shot of a glass of Shirley Temple garnished with cherries and lime slices

Why We Love This Shirley Temple Drink Recipe

A Shirley Temple drink brings back so many memories of grand big-city adventures with my grandmother as a child. I’m sure many others have similar stories associated with these classic fruity sparkling drinks.

Just a few ingredients will help take an everyday meal at home and turn it into a celebration with this perfect drink.

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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close up shot of a glass of Shirley Temple garnished with cherries and lime slices

Shirley Temple Drink

5 from 1 vote
The Shirley Temple is a classic fizzy drink with a vibrant red color that evokes childhood memories for many.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients
  

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

Instructions
 

  • Fill your chosen glass with ice – a favorite is a Collins glass or a tumbler.
  • Add 1 fluid ounce of grenadine to the glass over the ice.
  • Squeeze the juice from the lime into the glass.
  • Add 8 fluid ounces of ginger ale.
  • Decorate with maraschino cherries and slices of lime.

Notes

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Add a pretty straw to your delicious drinks to add to the charm.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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