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Sweet and Fizzy Shirley Temple Drink Recipe

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Sweet, citrussy, and balanced beautifully by the sour crispness of the ginger ale, my Shirley Temple recipe is great for all ages and all occasions. As non-alcoholic cocktails go, this one is right up there in terms of delivering wondrously refreshing flavor.

Shirley Temple Drink Recipe

Especially if you’re hosting kids or people who don’t drink, but still want that party feel, Shirley Temple is a great go-to. Plus, garnished with maraschino cherries and lime, it looks fun, stylish, and gloriously red in color!

What is a Shirley Temple?

Many cocktails are named after people, and the common belief is that the drink was served to Shirley Temple, when she was a child actress in the 1930s, by a bartender at Chasen’s. Chasen’s was one of the go-to restaurants in West Hollywood for the rich and famous during that era.

However, Shirley famously debunked this belief on a radio show in the 1980s, saying she had nothing to do with the drink, even though she had been served them by waiters, waitresses, and bartenders for many decades.

While its origin remains unclear, what we do know is that the classic Shirley Temple is a non-alcoholic cocktail, which mixes ginger ale with a little grenadine, garnished with maraschino cherries.

Variations

Lemon-Lime Soda – A later addition to the traditional recipe, we used lemon-lime soda in our recipe.

Lemonade/Orange Juice – Some variations of Shirley Temple substitute the lemon-lime soda with lemonade, orange juice, or add both or all three in varying parts.

Alcoholic Versions – A little vodka or dark rum makes what is known as a Dirty Shirley, while if dark rum is used, the drink is referred to as a Shirley Temple Black.

Recipe Ingredients

To make my classic Shirley Temple, you’ll need the following (per glass/serving):

  • Ginger Ale – 3 ounces ginger ale (85 ml/6 tbsp)
  • Lemon-Lime Soda – 3 ounces lemon-lime soda (85 ml/6 tbsp)
  • Grenadine – 1/2 ounce grenadine syrup (15 ml/1 tbsp)
  • Ice – 4-5 large ice cubes
  • Maraschino Cherries – 3 maraschino cherries (cocktail cherries) for garnishing
  • Lime – 1 thin slice of lime for garnishing and a squeeze of lime juice (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Fill the glass with ice.

Step 2 – Add 3 ounces of lemon-lime soda.

Step 3 – Add 3 ounces of ginger ale.

Step 4 – Add half an ounce of grenadine syrup.

Step 5 – Repeat the steps for each mocktail (if you’re making more than one).

Step 6 – (Optional) I like to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to each glass.

Step 7 – Give everything a light stir with a cocktail spoon or a long spoon.

Step 8 – (Optional) – Garnish each drink with maraschino cherries and a lime slice.

There you have it. The Shirley Temple is that simple to make, and it delivers a truly refreshing combination of citrus, zest, sweetness, and that iconic spiced sweet-yet-sour taste of ginger ale.

Your guests will love this beloved cocktail, and it’s also a great way to keep things alcohol-free or kid-friendly while keeping the class and sophistication of a cocktail party.

Shirley Temple Drink Recipe Card

Shirley Temple Drink

5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Author: Nomad Paradise
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 mocktail

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces ginger ale 85 ml/6 tbsp
  • 3 ounces lemon-lime soda 85 ml/6 tbsp
  • 1/2 ounce grenadine syrup 15 ml/1 tbsp
  • 4-5 large ice cubes
  • 3 maraschino cherries cocktail cherries for garnishing
  • 1 thin slice of lime for garnishing and a squeeze of lime juice optional

Instructions

  • Fill the glass with ice.
  • Add 3 ounces of lemon-lime soda.
  • Add 3 ounces of ginger ale.
  • Add half an ounce of grenadine syrup.
  • Repeat the steps for each mocktail.
  • (Optional) I like to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to each glass.
  • Give everything a light stir with a cocktail spoon or a long spoon.
  • (Optional) – Garnish each drink with maraschino cherries and a lime slice.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nomadparadisefood or tag #nomadparadisefood!

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Authors

  • Doina Johnson is a recipe developer and writer. Doina has been cooking for most of her life, and her style draws from many different influences. She cooked with her mother and grandma growing up in Eastern Europe, before adding modern, western influences to her style when living in the United States for about a decade. Then, she traveled full-time for several years, trying food in Europe, Asia, and South America, and bringing those influences into her own cooking. She strives to introduce passionate homecooks to world cuisine, generally by trying the food herself abroad and then recreating it at home and, at times, enlisting the help of local foodies and chefs.

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  • Hey there! We are Dale and Doina, the founders of Nomad Paradise. We traveled full-time for over three years, and while we now have a home base in the U.K., continue to take trips abroad to visit new places and try new cuisines and foods. Our food guides are curated with the guidance of local foodies, and their contribution is indicated under each article. We also cook the foods we try abroad, and you can discover how to make them in our 'recipes from around the world' category.

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