This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
Wet your whistle with our Shirley Temple Recipe – a classic non-alcoholic drink. Full of pomegranate, lemon & lime flavor and so refreshing!
Featured with this recipe
We have a delicious beverage here that you don’t need to ride the Good Ship Lollipop to get, you can make it right in your own kitchen! Sparkling Sprite mixes with sweet and fruity grenadine to make a beautiful red mocktail that kids and adults alike love to sip on. A classic from my childhood, I would order this sweet little drink and feel so fancy. What may have given away my childish taste was that I would also order a cup of maraschino cherries to go on the side. Classy. Enjoy the beverage any way you want! When you’re drinking a Shirley Temple, the world is yours.
Ingredients in Our Shirley Temple Recipe
- Sprite
- Grenadine
- Maraschino Cherries
- Ice
Variations and Substitutions
Mix it up with these fun twists on the sweet classic!
- Ginger ale- originally, ginger ale was used instead of Sprite or lemon lime soda. Try making it the historical way with ginger ale, or even ginger beer for a more intense ginger flavor.
- Seltzer water- for a less sweet drink, you can try seltzer or club soda. The grenadine is very sweet on its own, try it without the sweetness of soda.
- Cola- this one is different.. add your grenadine to cola. It doesn’t look pretty, but it tastes great!
- Orange juice- add a splash of orange juice. This will not only taste delicious, but will make your drink look like a sunrise.
- Fresh lime juice- this will put your Shirley Temple over the top. Something about fresh lime juice not only makes it more delicious, but also makes the drink fancy!
History of Shirley Temples
Often served as a non-alcoholic beverage option in league with Arnold Palmers and Roy Rogers, the Shirley Temple has been around since at least the 1930s. The mixture of ginger ale, grenadine (or pomegranate syrup), ice cubes, and a maraschino cherry garnish is known all over the world as a Shirley Temple. Some say it was created because Shirley, herself was at a restaurant with her parents and they were drinking true cocktails, she was “complaining” that she wanted a special beverage of her own, and thus, classic Shirley Temples were born. But did you know that the actress hated the beverage? Disliking that they were too sweet for her, she never actually drank them.
Recipe Tip
The grenadine may settle at the bottom of the glass so make sure you give it a good stir!
Frequently Asked Questions
Try using club soda or seltzer as your base. This will cut down on sweetness.
If you go classic and use ginger ale, you will taste a slight spice from the ginger, and then a strong sweetness that tastes like cherry and pomegranate from the grenadine. The best part is the crunchy and sweet maraschino cherry garnish!
If you use Sprite, it would taste nearly the same, except for more of a hint of lemon instead of the spice from the ginger.
Truly, I think a Shirley Temple is perfection. But if there was one thing to add or change, I would put in fresh lime juice to brighten up the flavors. In an iced beverage, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with fresh lime juice.
Read Next: Melonade (Watermelon Lemonade)
More Delicious Drink Recipes
How to Make a Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespooons grenadine syrup
- 8 ounces Sprite
- ice
- Maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Add ice to your cup and pour the grenadine over the top.
- Add Sprite and stir.
- Garnish with Maraschino cherries.
Notes
- Garnish with lime slices for even more flavor.
- The grenadine may settle so stir well before drinking.
- Add a splash of Maraschino cherry juice for an even sweeter sip.
h what alcohol would u add if u wanted an alcohol drink the Shirley temple looks so Christmasy it would b a great drink for the kiddos but the adults like a little alcohol 😉😊
You can make a Dirty Shirley by adding 2 ounces of vodka!