The classic non-alcoholic drink of your childhood, the Shirley Temple, just grew up. With the addition of a jigger of vodka, you’ll have a Dirty Shirley Temple, and be right on trend with this grownup cocktail for your summer happy hours!
Now that you’re all grown up, it’s time to turn your favorite childhood drink into an adult cocktail!
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Dirty Shirley Temple
Just add vodka to a Shirley Temple recipe and you’ll have a Dirty Shirley Temple, the trendy drink of the summer.
This version of the classic mocktail is an easy cocktail made with simple ingredients. Lemon-lime soda, a shot of vodka, grenadine syrup and ice are all it takes to make a boozy Shirley Temple.
Oh, and don't forget the maraschino cherry!
Now, if you're anything like me, you can get fancy and use Luxardo cherries. These Italian sour cherries are candied and steeped in a cherry-flavored syrup. Yum!
A touch of fresh lime juice or a splash of orange juice make a delicious addition to this sweet cocktail.
Sometimes I even add a few spoonfuls of the maraschino cherry juice from the jar.
My grandkids always love when I serve this beloved mocktail and now I'll make more for the grownups and add a little vodka!
However you make it, there's no denying Dirty Shirley's popularity this summer.
A new personal favorite of mine, I'll be serving the ultimate Dirty Shirley every chance I get, because, you know, I love being trendy!
Elevate your summer happy hour to a new level of deliciousness with more of our recipes for easy Summer Drinks.
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FAQs
What is a Dirty Shirley?
The Dirty Shirley drink is the adult version of the classic Shirley Temple mocktail of your childhood. The addition of vodka turns this childhood favorite into a grown-up cocktail.
When was the Shirley Temple invented?
The story goes that the traditional Shirley Temple was invented in 1932 for the child star Shirley Temple. She insisted on having a drink that was similar to the adult cocktails the grown-ups were having at her birthday party.
The bartender combined ginger ale and grenadine and topped it off with a maraschino cherry and the rest is history!
How to serve a Dirty Shirley cocktail
A Dirty Shirley Temple is typically served in a tall highball glass with room for lots of ice.
However, you can serve it in any glass that is large enough. I choose to use a short wide glass that is large enough to fit the cocktail and lots of ice.
How to make a Dirty Shirley drink
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions for how to make a shirley temple with alcohol and the ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Fill your glass with ice.
- Add vodka and grenadine.
- Top it off with the lemon lime soda
- Garnish with maraschino cherries and lime slices, if desired.
- Stir and enjoy!
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- For kid-friendly drinks, leave out the vodka and you’ll have a Shirley Temple!
- You can make a big batch of this cocktail and serve it in a punch bowl with maraschino cherries, lime slices and lemon slices too! So pretty!
- 3 Tablespoons is one jigger. Add more if you prefer more vodka than one jigger.
- Add more grenadine syrup for a deeper color and added flavor
Substitutions
- You can substitute ginger ale for the lemon lime soda
- You can substitute ginger ale for half of the lemon lime soda and make this cocktail with two sodas
- Gin, in place of the vodka, will also work in this recipe
- If you prefer tequila, you can substitute it for the vodka
- White rum will also be delicious in place of the vodka
- You can make this colorful cocktail with cherry vodka in place of the vodka
How to make a Dirty Shirley punch
- Place ice in a punch bowl
- Add maraschino cherries, lime slices and lemon slices
- Pour in vodka and grenadine
- Top off with lemon lime soda
Colorful Cocktails
- Caribbean Sunset Rum Cocktail
- Watermelon Frose
- Peach Sangria
- Prosecco Punch
- Classic Aperol Spritz Cocktail from Everyday Eileen
Dirty Shirley ingredients
- ice
- vodka
- grenadine syrup
- lemon-lime soda
- maraschino cherries
- lime slices, optional
Dirty Shirley Temple Recipe
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Ingredients
- ice
- 3 Tablespoons vodka (1 ½ ounces)
- 1 Tablespoon grenadine syrup
- 3/4 cup lemon lime soda (6 ounces)
- maraschino cherries
- lime slices optional
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Instructions
- Fill your glass with ice.
- Add vodka and grenadine.
- Top it off with the lemon lime soda
- Garnish with maraschino cherries and lime slices, if desired.
- Stir and enjoy!
Notes
- For kid-friendly drinks, leave out the vodka and you’ll have a Shirley Temple!
- You can make a big batch of this cocktail and serve it in a punch bowl with maraschino cherries, lime slices and lemon slices too! So pretty!
- 3 Tablespoons is one jigger. Add more if you prefer more vodka than one jigger.
- Add more grenadine syrup for a deeper color and added flavor
- You can substitute ginger ale for the lemon-lime soda
- You can substitute ginger ale for half of the lemon-lime soda and make this cocktail with two sodas
- Gin, in place of the vodka, will also work in this recipe
- If you prefer tequila, you can substitute it for the vodka
- White rum will also be delicious in place of the vodka
- You can make this colorful cocktail with cherry vodka in place of the vodka
Nutrition
This is the first time that I've heard of this drink. Sounds so delicious with the cherry and vodka combo - thanks!
This dirty Shirley Temple is a perfect summer cocktail. Very refreshing and delicious!
Now this is my version of a Shirley Temple, so delicious with a nostalgic twist. Yum!
I LOVE Shirley temples, so this cocktail is right up my alley! I can’t wait to make some this weekend!
Always my favorite drink as a kid when we went out for dinner! This dirty version is my new favorite cocktail!
Cheers!
This is how I like to drink my Shirley Temple's now too!
It's the trendy drink of the summer! Enjoy!
This drink sounds so interesting, I never tried this before, seems like a great refreshing drink. Can't wait to try it out.
First time to hear about this drink, it has a pretty color and looks delicious!
It really is so delicious and a popular drink this summer!
It is very refreshing and so pretty too! Enjoy!