That fizzy red drink isn’t named after some random bartender’s daughter. It’s named after one of the biggest child stars in Hollywood history, and the story behind it is way weirder than you’d expect from a kids’ mocktail.
I’ll get into that. But first, let’s talk about why this drink still shows up on every restaurant menu in America, decades after Shirley Temple herself stopped being a household name.
Why This Drink Refuses to Die
Most mocktails come and go. This one’s been on menus since the 1930s and it’s not going anywhere.
There’s a reason for that.
It’s 3 ingredients, takes under 2 minutes, and somehow makes a 7-year-old feel like they just ordered something at a fancy bar.
That’s the whole appeal. No skill required, maximum payoff.
And honestly? Adults love it too. I’ve watched grown men order this “for their kid” and then drink it themselves.
What You’ll Need
- 1 cup ginger ale, chilled
- 2 tablespoons grenadine
- 2 maraschino cherries
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1 orange slice (optional, for garnish)
That’s it. Five things, and one of them is optional.
Tools You’ll Need
- A tall glass (highball or Collins glass works great)
- A long spoon or stirrer
- A jigger or measuring spoon (for the grenadine)
No blender, no shaker, no fancy bar equipment. If you own a glass and a spoon, you’re set.
How to Make a Shirley Temple
- Fill your glass with ice. Pack it in there, this drink is better cold.
- Pour the grenadine over the ice. It’ll sink to the bottom first.
- Slowly pour the ginger ale over the top. Go slow here or it’ll fizz over the glass and make a mess.
- Give it one gentle stir. Just enough to swirl the red through the gold. Don’t overdo it or you’ll kill the bubbles.
- Drop in your cherries. Add the orange slice on the rim if you’re feeling fancy.
- Serve immediately. This drink doesn’t wait around.
That’s genuinely the whole recipe. 🥤
Pro Tips From Making These a Hundred Times
Pour the ginger ale last, and pour it slow. This is the one step people rush. Slow pouring keeps the layers separate for a few seconds, which honestly just looks cool, and it stops your counter from turning into a sticky mess.
Use real grenadine, not the neon stuff. The grenadine in most grocery stores is just corn syrup and red dye. Brands like Liber & Co or Stirrings actually use pomegranate juice, and the flavor difference is bigger than you’d think.
Don’t stir too much. One or two gentle stirs. Stirring hard flattens the ginger ale and you lose the fizz that makes this drink fun in the first place.
Chill your ginger ale ahead of time. Warm ginger ale poured over ice gets watered down fast. Cold ginger ale keeps its fizz and doesn’t dilute as quickly.
Buy good cherries. This sounds small, but cheap maraschino cherries taste like sugar water. Look for ones labeled “with stems” since they tend to be higher quality.
Substitutions and Variations
You can mess with this recipe a lot more than you’d think.
| Swap This | For This | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ginger ale | Lemon-lime soda | Less spicy, more classic soda flavor |
| Ginger ale | Club soda | Lower sugar, more grown up |
| Grenadine | Cherry juice + sugar | More natural, less artificial color |
| Maraschino cherries | Fresh cherries | Less sweet, more flavor |
Want a grown-up version? Add an ounce of vodka or bourbon and it becomes what bartenders call a “Dirty Shirley.” Same drink, very different night.
Want it less sweet? Cut the grenadine to 1 tablespoon and add a squeeze of fresh lime.
Make Ahead Tips
This one’s not really a make-ahead drink, and that’s actually fine.
It takes under 2 minutes to make fresh, so there’s no real reason to batch it early.
What you can prep ahead:
- Pre-measure grenadine into small containers for parties
- Chill your ginger ale and glasses in advance
- Pit and prep fresh cherries the day before if you’re using them
Nutritional Breakdown (Per Serving)
A standard Shirley Temple comes in around:
- Calories: 120-150
- Sugar: 28-32g
- Caffeine: 0mg (ginger ale is caffeine-free)
- Fat: 0g
For comparison, that’s less sugar than most regular sodas of the same size, since you’re diluting the grenadine with a big pour of ginger ale.
Want a lighter version? Swap to diet ginger ale and sugar-free grenadine, and you’ll cut the calories down to almost nothing.
Leftovers and Storage
There’s not much to store here since this drink is meant to be consumed immediately, but here’s what to know.
If you have leftover grenadine: It keeps in the fridge for up to a month, sealed.
If you have leftover ginger ale: Reseal it tight. It’ll stay fizzy for about 2 days, then start going flat.
Already mixed your drink and can’t finish it? Unfortunately, this one doesn’t keep. Once it’s mixed, the bubbles start dying within the hour. Just make a fresh one next time.
FAQ
Why is it called a Shirley Temple? It’s named after Shirley Temple, the most famous child actress of the 1930s. The exact origin story is debated, but most versions say a bartender (or her parents, depending who you ask) created it so she’d have something fun to sip while the adults drank cocktails.
Is grenadine alcoholic? No. Grenadine is a sweet, non-alcoholic syrup made from pomegranate (or pomegranate flavoring). It’s completely safe for kids.
What’s the difference between a Shirley Temple and a Roy Rogers? A Roy Rogers uses cola instead of ginger ale. Same grenadine, same cherry, totally different flavor.
Can I make this without grenadine? Yes. Mix equal parts cherry juice and simple syrup as a substitute, or use cranberry juice for a similar color with a tangier taste.
Does this drink actually taste like cherry? A little, but it’s mostly the sweetness from the grenadine you’re tasting, not a strong cherry flavor. The cherry on top adds more of that flavor than the syrup does.
Wrapping Up
There’s a reason this drink has survived almost a century of trendier mocktails coming and going.
It’s simple, it’s nostalgic, and it makes anyone holding it feel a little bit special.
Make one this weekend. Pour it slow, don’t skip the good grenadine, and watch how fast it disappears once the kids (or the adults) spot the cherry on top.
Tried it? Drop a comment below and let me know how yours turned out, or if you went the Dirty Shirley route. 🍒