This always brings back great childhood memories. The Shirley Temple was my favorite drink as a kid, and my own kids loved it when they were small too. It's a bright pink, fizzy, non-alcoholic drink that's ready in 5 minutes, and it's perfect served with some delicious no bake banana split cake. Want a grown-up version? Just add a shot of vodka for a Dirty Shirley Temple.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Ready in 5 minutes: No cooking, no blending, and no special equipment.
- Simple pantry staples: Just soda, grenadine, and maraschino cherries.
- Easy to adjust: Make it sweeter or lighter, or add a shot of vodka for the grown-ups.
- Kid-approved: That bright pink color makes any day feel like a celebration.
- Great for a crowd: Set out a mocktail bar and let everyone build their own.
Recipe Ingredients
- Lemon-lime soda and ginger ale: The fizzy base. Using both gives a little extra bite that soda alone doesn't have. Diet lemon-lime soda works too if you're watching sugar.
- Grenadine: Gives the drink its signature pink-red color and most of its sweetness. It's traditionally made from pomegranate and is usually found in the liquor or mixer aisle near the club soda. Some brands use real pomegranate juice and others are mostly corn syrup with red dye. Either works, but the real-fruit versions taste rounder and less artificial. Sugar-free grenadine works well, too.
- Maraschino cherries: The classic garnish. A splash of the cherry juice in the glass deepens the color even more.
- Ginger beer (optional swap): Adds more spice than ginger ale, so it's better suited to the adult Dirty Shirley Temple version.
How to Make a Shirley Temple
Making a Shirley Temple couldn't be simpler, it's really just building the drink right in the glass. Pour in your lemon-lime soda and ginger ale first, then add the grenadine and cherry juice and give it a gentle stir so the color spreads evenly instead of just sinking to the bottom.
Add ice last so the drink doesn't get watered down while you're stirring, then top with a few maraschino cherries. From start to finish, you're looking at about 5 minutes.
How Much Grenadine Do You Put in a Shirley Temple?
The classic ratio is about 1 tablespoon of grenadine for every 8 ounces of soda, roughly equal parts lemon-lime soda and ginger ale, with just enough grenadine to turn the drink a deep pink without making it overly sweet. Start with less than you think you need; you can always add another splash, but you can't take it back out. If your grenadine is on the stronger, syrupier side, cut it back to 2 teaspoons per glass instead.
Tips for Cherries for Shirley Temples
Maraschino cherries are the classic choice, look for ones with stems still on if you want that picture-perfect garnish look. For the best flavor, don't just drop the cherries in at the end: add a teaspoon or so of the cherry juice to each glass along with the grenadine. It deepens the pink color and adds a little extra sweetness that ties the whole drink together.
Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Make it a Dirty Shirley Temple: Add a shot of vodka for an adult version of this classic - everything else stays the same.
- Swap the soda: No ginger ale on hand? Club soda or plain lemon-lime soda both work in a pinch, though you'll lose a little of that gingery bite.
- Adjust the sweetness: If it's too sweet for your taste, cut back the grenadine slightly or add a squeeze of fresh lime.
- Cherry juice substitute: Out of maraschino cherry juice? An extra splash of grenadine gets you close to the same color and sweetness.
- Make it a mocktail float: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a fun twist the kids will love.
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Mom Tip
I always let my kids drop the cherries in themselves, it's a small thing, but it makes the drink feel like theirs. If you're making a batch for a group of kids, set the cherries and cherry juice out separately and let everyone garnish their own glass exactly how they like it.
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Complete Recipe
Virgin Shirley Temple Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Grenadine Syrup
- 8 ounces Lemon Lime Soda
- 8 ounces Ginger Ale
- 6 Maraschino Cherries
- 2 teaspoons Maraschino Cherry Syrup
Instructions
- Add four ounces of lemon lime soda and ginger ale to each glass.
- Add one tablespoon of grenadine syrup, and one teaspoon of the maraschino cherry juice to each glass and stir.
- Add some ice and top off the drink with maraschino cherries.
Notes
- Sweetness: Start with a little less grenadine, then add more to taste. A little goes a long way.
- Cherry juice: A splash of the maraschino cherry juice deepens the pink color and adds a little sweetness.
- Swaps: Diet lemon-lime soda and sugar-free grenadine both work. Club soda can replace the ginger ale, but you'll lose a little of the gingery bite.
- Make it a Dirty Shirley Temple: Add a shot of vodka to each glass.
- Serving a crowd: Mix everything in a pitcher without the ice, and let everyone pour their own over ice. Adjust the total servings on this recipe card for updated ingredient amounts.
- Storage: Best made fresh since the soda goes flat. Leftover grenadine and cherry juice keep in the fridge.
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