Shirley Temple non-alcoholic cocktail recipe

The Shirley Temple holds the title of the first ever mocktail and it’s probably still the most famous. This non-alcoholic drink has many fans all over the world, especially those who lean to the sweeter side of things. It combines ginger ale with two types of citrus and gets its sweetness from grenadine. The final flourish is, of course, a cherry – either fresh or maraschino, depending on your preference.

The drink is named after Shirley Temple, the huge child star of the 1930s and ’40s, who was known the world over for her tight pin curls and sweet singing voice. She was the apple of Hollywood’s eye before going on to become a US diplomat and ambassador. History has it that the drink was whipped up for a young Shirley by the staff at Chasen’s restaurant in Los Angeles after she complained she wanted to drink something similar to the surrounding adults. This mocktail was born, and it soon became a huge hit, just like Shirley herself.

Order the Shirley Temple in some bars, and you’re likely to simply get lemonade with grenadine – a pink lemonade – but this recipe is widely believed to be the OG Shirley Temple.  

The Shirley Temple gets its sweetness from grenadine, a syrup that many mistakenly believe is cherry-flavoured. It is actually made from pomegranates and used as a key ingredient in many famous cocktails, including the Tequila Sunrise and Manhattan, so is well worth having in your bar cart. It’s best to choose a high-quality grenadine made with real pomegranates to avoid an overly saccharine taste that some people may not enjoy.

When it comes to mixing the Shirley Temple, you can easily adjust the amount of grenadine to suit how sweet you would like your drink to be. You can also swap out ginger ale for soda water or lemonade, depending on what you have in the fridge.

An alcoholic version of the Shirley Temple has come to be known as a Dirty Shirley. To make this cocktail, simply retain all the usual ingredients and add a nip of vodka, or any other spirit of your choice.