A Dirty Shirley is a spiked version of the classic children’s drink, the Shirley Temple. This easy-to-make, nostalgic drink is made with carbonated lemon-lime soda, grenadine, maraschino cherries, and vodka to make it an adult beverage. The bright red color of the pomegranate juice makes this drink stand out, and it’s easy to make in bulk for a party.
We’ve got the perfect proportions to make Dirty Shirley in no time, recipe tips and tricks for a skinny version with less sugar, and a homemade grenadine recipe.
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What is Dirty Shirley Drink?
Dirty Shirley is an alcoholic take on the classic sweet cocktail mocktail (called a Shirley Temple) made with lemon-lime soda (or ginger ale), grenadine, and a maraschino cherry for garnish. Adding vodka to the drink makes it a Dirty Shirley, usually with lemon-lime soda instead of ginger ale.
Why is it called the Dirty Shirley Drink?
The original drink was named after famous child star Shirley Temple. Legend has it that a bartender at Chasen’s in Beverly Hills invented it in the 1930s to help young actresses feel glamorous at parties, and it’s been popular ever since. Kids love the colorful feel too! The “dirty” part of the title comes from the addition of alcohol to classic children’s drinks.
It’s unknown who originally decided to drink the classic drink, but it has been enjoyed this way for many years. Sometimes she is also called Shirley Temple Black because that is her maiden name.
What type of vodka is best for Dirty Shirley?
For this type of drink, you don’t need to buy a premium product, so a mid-price vodka like Svedka, Tito’s or Smirnoff will work perfectly.
ingredient:
Lemon Lime Soda: You can use Sprite or 7Up for this drink. Because both have a classic lemon-lime flavor that pairs perfectly with the flavor of grenadine. You can also squeeze a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime for an added citrus flavor.
grenadine: In addition to the sweet cherry flavor, it is added to the drink. grenadine It also adds that beautiful bright red hue to cocktails associated with the classic Shirley Temple. You can find this grenadine in the mixer section of most liquor stores (and grocery stores that carry alcohol) or order it online. You can also make your own pomegranate syrup. at home!
vodka: Vodka is the best choice for this drink with its more neutral flavor profile, and you can make the drink stronger or weaker by adding more or less of it.
ice: whatever you like fancy pellet ice, cube iceOr pile the ice high in your refrigerator ice maker and then pour over the ingredients to keep your drinks cold.
Cherries (for decoration): This drink won’t be the same without a few maraschino cherry With edible decorations! You can add it directly to your drink or on a skewer with a slice of lemon or lime.
How to Make a Dirty Shirley:
- Fill a tall glass with ice. (Usually a highball glass is used, but you can use any glass you like.)
- Pour in 1 ounce of grenadine syrup.
- Add 2 ounces of vodka to the glass.
- Add 8 ounces lemon-lime soda (or ginger ale) and stir gently.
- Add maraschino cherries for garnish.
- take pleasure in!
tips and Variations on Classic Dirty Shirley:
- For the skinny version, Choose Lime Sparkling Water (Or fresh lime juice or lemon juice squeezed into plain seltzer water) Sweetened with grenadine instead of soda.
- Instead of lemon lime soda Replace half of your soda with ginger ale or use All Ginger Ales Instead of lemon lime
- If you don’t have pomegranate juice, you can get a cherry version by using maraschino cherry juice.
- Rather than store-bought versions, try making your own garnet and adjust the sweetness ratio to your liking.
- If you don’t have pomegranate juice, you can use juice from a bottle of maraschino cherries. This will give your drink a stronger cherry flavor along with a pink color.
To make Dirty Shirley in batches:
If you’re hosting a party and want to create a drink that’s easy to serve to more people, add the following:
- 2 glasses of vodka
- 1 cup grenadine
- 8 cups lemon lime soda
- Maraschino cherries for decoration
Add vodka and grenades to a large pitcher. Stir to combine. Pour in the lemon-lime soda and stir gently. Place into glasses filled with ice and add a cherry to each glass before serving. Serves 8.
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Add an alcoholic twist to a classic Shirley Temple drink with just a few ingredients!
guideline
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fill a glass with ice
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Add 1 ounce of grenadine syrup.
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Add 2 ounces of vodka.
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Top it off with 8 ounces of lemon-lime soda (or ginger ale).
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Add maraschino cherries for garnish.
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take pleasure in!
memo
Variations on Classic Dirty Shirley:
- For the skinny version, Choose Lime Sparkling Water (Or fresh lime squeezed into regular seltzer water) Sweetened with grenadine instead of soda.
- Instead of lemon lime soda Replace half of your soda with ginger ale or use All Ginger Ales Instead of lemon lime
- If you don’t have pomegranate juice, you can get a cherry version by using maraschino cherry juice.
- Rather than store-bought versions, try making your own garnet and adjust the sweetness ratio to your liking.
- If you don’t have pomegranate juice, you can use juice from a bottle of maraschino cherries. This will give your drink a stronger cherry flavor along with a pink color.
To make Dirty Shirley in batches:
If you’re hosting a party and want to create a drink that’s easy to serve to more people, add the following:
- 2 glasses of vodka
- 1 cup grenadine
- 8 cups lemon lime soda
- Maraschino cherries for decoration
Add vodka and grenades to pitcher. Stir to combine. Pour in the lemon-lime soda and stir gently. Place into glasses filled with ice and add a cherry to each glass before serving. Serves 8.
nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Dirty Shirley Recipe
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Note: For your convenience, nutrition is automatically calculated using Spoonacular. We recommend using your own nutritional calculations where applicable.