The Dirty Shirley cocktail is a drink that's actually an adult Shirley Temple with alcohol, usually vodka, added. Some say it's the drink of summer. It can't hurt to find out.
If you're feeling nostalgic and want a fizzy, unfussy drink that's just plain FUN, try a Dirty Shirley cocktail! It's no kiddie cocktail, but it might make you feel like a kid again!
A Dirty Shirley drink is based on a Shirley Temple, that bright and bubbly beverage we all loved growing up, with a shot of alcohol to suit your discerning adult tastes.
As a former bartender, I can tell you that a Dirty Shirley is one drink recipe that will bring a smile to everyone's face when you serve it!
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Dirty Shirley ingredients
- Vodka: The best vodka for a Dirty Shirley is one you like to drink, but maybe one that's not so expensive. You'll be covering it with sticky sweet flavors, so no need to go big.
- Grenadine syrup: Contrary to popular belief, grenadine is not cherry syrup, it's actually (supposed to be) pomegranate flavored.
- Lemon-lime soda: Any lemon-lime soda will do, and if you want to reduce the sugar, you could even use a lemon-lime soda water instead.
- Maraschino cherries: This is one time that you want those perhaps questionable cherries in the jar on the baking aisle.
How to make a Dirty Shirley Temple Cocktail
Step 1: Prep and pour
Fill a high ball glass with ice. Pour in vodka and lemon-lime soda.
Step 2: Make it pretty and garnish!
Add grenadine and top with a cherry. It's important to do things in this order, see tips below.
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Expert tips
- Add the grenadine last: It's heavier than the other liquids so if you add it first, it will just stay on the bottom. Adding it last will ensure it distributes throughout the drink as it falls.
- Make sure all the ingredients are cold before you mix: This will minimize dilution when poured over the ice. Your fizzy soda will stay fizzy longer if it's already cold.
- Serve in chilled or even frozen glasses! This will ensure that the taste stays crisp and refreshing, and not overly sugary.
When to drink a Dirty Shirley Cocktail
Yes, we want to drink Dirty Shirley Temples all summer long at every opportunity.
- Serve them poolside!
- Kick off the summer and drink them on Memorial Day Weekend.
- Perfect for backyard barbecues and the ideal color for a 4th of July drink!
- So much fun for girls night cocktails.
Dirty Shirley cocktail variations
Try these ideas to make a Dirty Shirley cocktail that you can put your own spin on.
- Swap out the lemon-lime soda for ginger beer or ginger ale.
- Vodka isn't the only way to make an alcoholic Shirley Temple, you can also make this drink with gin, tequila, mezcal, or rum instead!
- Try flavored vodka or gin for a twist on the original drink.
- Use fancy amarena cherries in place of maraschino cherries.
- If you can't find grenadine, use the syrup in the cherry jar.
- Want to make it a skinny cocktail? Try it with sugar-free soda or club soda.
More summer cocktail recipes
- An Old Cuban Cocktail is my summer go-to when temperatures soar.
- Switch to a Campari and Soda when you want to go from sweet to bitter, but still have a pretty, fizzy drink.
- Does it get any more summer than a Frozen Mango Margarita?
Drink a Dirty Shirley Temple cocktail for some delicious, campy fun!
- Easy to make with just four ingredients and no elaborate bartending skills required.
- Low in alcohol for a cocktail—about 8% ABV, which is a little higher than an average craft beer and a little lower than an average glass of wine.
- This drink does not have any high-end, fancy ingredients and that is absolutely the point. It's a little low-brow, tongue-in-cheek, wink and a nudge, and we like it like that!
- It's nostalgic, completely un-serious, and a fabulous color!
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Recipe
Dirty Shirley Temple Drink Recipe
Want to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce grenadine
- 8 ounces lemon-lime soda
- maraschino cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a high ball glass with ice. Pour in vodka and lemon-lime soda. Add grenadine and top with a cherry. (or two or three!)
Notes
- Add the grenadine last: It's heavier than the other liquids so if you add it first, it will just stay on the bottom. Adding it last will ensure it distributes throughout the drink as it falls.
- Make sure all the ingredients are cold before you mix: This will minimize dilution when poured over the ice. Your fizzy soda will stay fizzy longer if it's already cold.
- By the same token, serve in chilled or even frozen glasses! This will ensure that the taste stays crisp and refreshing, and not overly sugary.
- Swap out the lemon-lime soda for ginger beer or ginger ale.
- Make it with gin instead of vodka!
- Try flavored vodkas or gins for a twist.
- Use fancy amarena cherries in place of maraschino cherries.
- If you can't find grenadine, use the syrup in the cherry jar.
- Want to make it a skinny cocktail? Try it with sugar-free soda or club soda.
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