Dirty Shirley Cocktail Recipe

An updated take on a Shirley Temple, the Dirty Shirley cocktail is a fun and easy one to keep in your back pocket for festive and nostalgic gatherings!

As a kid, we would go camping in Kennedy Meadows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains here in California.

Before we’d make the trek on our pack horses into the campgrounds, we’d always stop at this little saloon for lunch and a drink. And every time, Dad would let me order a Shirley Temple.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a Shirley Temple in any other place, but I can still taste it like it was yesterday!

I love the idea of updating those nostalgic memories and creating a fun cocktail to commemorate them, especially in the form of the Dirty Shirley!

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History of the Dirty Shirley

Some say that the original non-alcoholic Shirley Temple drink was created in the 1930s at Chasens, a Beverly Hills restaurant, by a bartender there who was serving the special drink to child actress Shirley Temple.

It’s worth noting, though, that the actress has said that she had nothing to do with the drink’s creation, and even grew tired of being offered Shirley Temples when she dined out.

Other claims have been made, but no matter who created it, the drink was originally made using lemon-lime soda, with grenadine and ginger, topped with a maraschino cherry.

More modern versions of the Shirley Temple substitute gingerale for the lemon-lime soda.

Overall, the nonalcoholic version of the drink is quite sweet. So bartenders began adding vodka to the drink to cut the sweetness and create an adult version of the child-friendly beverage.

Cherries to Try for Shirley Temples

Classic maraschino cherries are the go-to garnish for Dirty Shirley cocktails.

However, for an updated and more sophisticated version, you can experiment with a higher quality maraschino cherry, like Luxardo or even the Amarena cherries from Trader Joes’.

These cherries bring a more rich, polished feel to the Dirty Shirley.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Vodka. What do I always say about spirits? Use what you’ve got! No need to go buy a fancy bottle of voda for this cocktail. Just use what you have in your cabinet.

Grenadine. This one is classic and reliable, great to keep on hand.

Lemon-Lime Soda. Sprite, 7-Up or something similar will work perfectly for a Dirty Shirley.

Cherries. Choose your favorite brand.

Ice. I love crushed ice with a Dirty Shirley but use what you’ve got!

How to Make a Dirty Shirley Cocktail

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add 2 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce of grenadine to the glass.
3. Top this mixture with lemon-lime soda and gently mix with a cocktail spoon.
4. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Dirty Shirley Variations and Substitutions

Experiment with levels of sweetness by varying the amount of grenadine in your Dirty Shirley! More grenadine will result in a sweeter taste.

You can also substitute a bit of the juice from your cherry jar for the grenadine for a different flavor.

Try substituting ginger ale for the lemon-lime soda and see which you like better!

More Cocktails to Try

While you’re getting to know the Dirty Shirley, be sure to check out these other fun and nostalgic cocktails and add them to your list!

Bookmark your pin your favorites so that you can find them again easily when you’re looking for a great cocktail.

• Spaghett Cocktail Recipe (The New Aperol Spritz!)
• Tinto de Verano Drink Recipe
• Aperol Spritz Recipe
• Hugo Spritz Recipe
• Basil Gimlet Cocktail Recipe

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