Dirty Shirley Cocktail

The Dirty Shirley is the cocktail of the summer. Learn how to make this quaffable twist on the classic Shirley Temple drink recipe that is full of nostalgia (and a splash of vodka).

About this Dirty Shirley drink recipe

Each summer, there is a drink of the summer that everyone can’t stop talking about. First there was the Aperol Spritz. Then, we were making whipped coffees. The next summer it was the espresso martini.

And this year, it’s a boozy Shirley Temple, lovingly known as the Dirty Shirley. The New York Times has called this cocktail the unofficial drink of the summer, and I don’t disagree.

Stirring vodka into the mix of grenadine and lemon-lime soda (or ginger ale) — with a maraschino cherry on top — makes an excellent adult version of the classic sweet drink. It’s perfect for backyard barbecues, pool parties or anytime you want a little taste of nostalgia.

Shirley Temple vs. Dirty Shirley

The Shirley Temple is a drink named for the actress Shirley Temple Black. The Shirley Temple drink contains grenadine and either ginger ale or 7-UP, and it’s always topped with a maraschino cherry.

As a child, Temple was the curly-haired star of movies like Annie and Heidi. This drink was purportedly first served to the young Hollywood actress on a visit to the Royal Hawaiian hotel in Honolulu in 1935. She was too young to drink alcohol, but they wanted to treat the star like other celebrities, so they dreamed up this fruity drink just for her.

However, Shirley Temple Black herself wasn’t actually a fan of the drink. She told Scott Simon in an NPR interview that people around the world served the drinks to her because it shared her name. She called them “those saccharine, icky drinks.”

Despite its namesake’s opinion, the Shirley Temple is a classic mocktail recipe that’s adored by kids and adults alike. It went out of fashion for a while, but this cherry drink is coming back, and this time it has vodka.

Ingredients

There are four simple ingredients in a Shirley Temple cocktail. They are as follows:

• vodka
• grenadine
• ginger ale or lemon-lime soda
• maraschino cherries

Ice is a fifth unofficial ingredient, but a very important one!

Best vodka for a Dirty Shirley

With the addition of alcohol to these colorful cocktails, it’s important to get this element right so it doesn’t burn or taste too boozy. It’s all about balance. The addition of vodka should help to cut the sweetness of the splash of grenadine, sweet soda and cherries.

As I always say, use the best you can afford — my go-to advice for anything with drink mixing. A cheaper vodka is more likely to burn, so choose something in the mid-range, around $10-$20.

If you already have a favorite vodka, use that! My go-to brands right now are Tito’s, Deep Eddy, Absolut and Skyy Vodka. Plain vodka is all you need, but you can use cherry vodka for extra fruity flavor.

Best grenadine syrup

Grenadine is a pomegranate syrup with a pretty, bright red color. Rose’s Grenadine is the grenadine most people will associate with a Shirley Temple. It’s a popular brand available at most grocery stores — look near the other cocktail mixers and ingredients like bitters and sour mix.

However, there’s also “real grenadine,” which is made with real pomegranate juice and no artificial coloring. I love this one from Liber & Co, but you can also make your own grenadine with pomegranate juice and sugar.

Grenadine keeps in the fridge for about 2-3 months, so you can make all the Dirty Shirleys this summer! You can also use it to make the tequila sunrise, the pink lady and the gin daisy.

grenadine syrups

classic grenadine

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real grenadine

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small-batch grenadine

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7-Up vs. Sprite vs. ginger ale

Some people make this fizzy drink with ginger ale; others prefer lemon-lime soda like 7-Up or Sprite. Ginger ale offers a soft bite of spice, whereas the lemon-lime sodas give a little tartness to the Shirley Temple.

You can also use a little of both if you like! Play with your perfect ratio to find the right combination. For something stronger, you can try it with ginger beer, which is a fermented ginger soda.

Maraschino cherries

As much as I love my homemade cocktail cherries, the bright red maraschino cherry garnish with the sweet taste is iconic to the classic Shirley Temple mocktail. Personally, I’ll always go for the cocktail cherries!

You don’t want to skimp on these! One is enough, but if you add three or four, I won’t tell anyone.

You can find the classic jarred maraschino cherries at the grocery store. Look near the ice cream toppings. You can also order them online. If you want to try cocktail cherries, here are my favorites:

favorite cocktail cherries

luxardo cherries

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amarena cherries

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bourbon cherries

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How to make a Dirty Shirley

The alcoholic Shirley Temple is a super-easy cocktail.

1. First, add some ice to a Collins glass ^* or other tall glass. Then, add your grenadine and vodka.
2. Top with either ginger ale or lemon-lime soda, or a little of both. Stir gently. Then garnish with a maraschino cherry or two and a straw. Enjoy!

Variations & substitutions

The Dirty Shirley cocktail is already a variation in itself, as it’s a boozy take on the traditional Shirley Temple recipe. It typically contains a shot of vodka, though you could use rum if you prefer.

Though the late Shirley probably wouldn’t have appreciated being called “dirty,” perhaps she’d like the adult version a bit better, as the alcohol helps to cut the sweetness. Or maybe she’d have liked one of these versions:

1. Use diet soda. Feel free to use diet ginger ale or diet lemon-lime soda. You could even use club soda for a lighter cocktail.
2. Make it non-alcoholic. The Shirley Temple is a classic mocktail. Jump over to our virgin Shirley Temple recipe for the kids and non-drinkers instead.
3. Mix up a Dirty Shirley Black. You can also make the cocktail named for the actress’ married name. This version of the cocktail contains dark rum, so it has a darker color. You could also use spiced rum. Add an ounce of dark rum into the mix for a darker variation of this cocktail.
4. Make a Roy Rogers. Use cola instead of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda.
5. Make it a float. Make the Shirley Temple in a pint glass, and fill it ¾-full. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

More vodka cocktail recipes for summer

• Classic Moscow Mule
• Bloody Mary
• S’mores White Russian
• Limoncello Lemonade
• Elderflower French 75
• Lemon Drop Punch