This Shirley Temple drink is a classic and nostalgic mocktail recipe made with homemade grenadine, ginger ale, ice, and an orange slice!
For a summer twist, turn them into Shirley Temple Floats or toast to a special occassion with Champagne Shirley Temples!
Like me, you may have fond memories of sipping on a Shirley Temple as a kid. Almost everyone knows that this simple “mocktail” is made with a simple mixture of ginger ale and grenadine. But have you ever tried one that’s made with homemade grenadine?
Every once in awhile I get a hankering for a sweet bubbly drink, but I don’t want an alcoholic cocktail. Shirley Temples used to be my go-to at restaurants or big family dinners at home, especially when I was a kid.
How To Make a Shirley Temple Drink:
Shirley Temple’s are super easy to make, that’s probably why I love them so much and make them at home several times a week! Since you only need a few ingredients to make them, this drink whips up in just a couple of minutes!
- Begin by filling a large glass about halfway with ice.
- Then, pour the grenadine over the ice.
- Next, squeeze the orange slice so the juices begin to release from the flesh and drop it into the glass.
- Pour in the ginger ale and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
- Add a straw and serve.
But I put a hold on drinking them when I realized that they’re usually full of high fructose corn syrup and dyes.
When I discovered that I could make my own simple homemade grenadine, I knew this would be a game changer in the Shirley Temple recipe. Not only is it chemical-free, it’s totally yummy!
You may think of grenadine as being cherry-flavored, but the base of this bar syrup was originally pomegranate. In fact, its name is derived from the French word grenade, which means pomegranate.
I make mine with a simple mixture of pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice, and believe me when I say that a splash or two of this stuff in ginger ale tastes amazing! Sweet-tart pomegranate and bright notes of citrus pop when they’re mixed with the sweet ginger soda.
This is a great option for ingredient-conscious moms to serve as a treat to their children, and you can even use natural ginger ale or ginger beer for the bubbly base of this beverage.
Consider serving a batch of freshly mixed Shirley Temples at your child’s next birthday party, complete with add-ons and garnishes like plastic swords, umbrellas, cherries and orange wedges!
I can assure you, your young guests will feel special while sipping their “fancy” drinks.
Every time I host a get-together that includes family members of all ages, I make my underage cousins something special so they don’t feel left out while the adults mixing their cocktails.
Shirley Temples are some of my favorite drinks to serve because they’re simple to make, fun to garnish, and of course, they’re delicious!
You may have grown up enjoying Shirley Temples topped with plastic swords and cherries, and using homemade grenadine puts a refreshing twist on an old recipe. After tasting the real fruit flavors of natural syrup, you may never go back to the store-bought stuff again!
Shirley Temple
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Shirley Temple Drink
Ingredients
- ice
- 1 ounce grenadine syrup
- 1 orange slice
- 8 ounces ginger ale*
- maraschino cherries garnish
Instructions
- Fill a large glass about halfway with ice. Pour the grenadine over the ice. Squeeze the orange slice so the juices begin to release from the slice and drop it into the glass.
- Pour in the ginger ale and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Add a straw and serve.
Notes
- A lemon-lime soda like Sierra Mist, Sprite, or 7Up can be used in place of ginger ale.
Amy Nash says
I LOVE Shirley Temples and I’m the grown-up who always orders a mocktail so these are near and dear to my heart! But I’ve never even thought about making homemade grenadine! Genius! And so interesting about the basis being in pomegranate!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
Who didn’t order a Shirley Temple or Roy Rogers when they were growing up? Homemade grenadine? Brilliant!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Right, they’re such classic drinks!
Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says
Nothing beats a good shirley temple! I have to make this for the boys with dinner (and me too!)
Rebecca Hubbell says
Yes, they will love them!
Leslie says
I still secretly enjoy a Shirley Temple. These are perfect for kids and adults alike!
Rebecca Hubbell says
Me too!
Jessica Robinson says
LOVED Shirley Temples growing up!! I grew up on a small farm in Connecticut! thanks for sharing this recipe!
Rebecca Hubbell says
You are so welcome! Time to start enjoying them again!
geezer says
Thank you for a recipe that uses the true ingredients for a Shirley Temple. Almost everywhere else you look, recipes show only using Sprite or other lemon-lime drink vs. the correct (to me and my memories) ginger ale. I had not ordered one in many years, and a few years ago did so, and was disappointed when a lemon-lime drink with a cherry in it was delivered. Ugh!
I realize you put the option of a lemon-lime soda at the end, but really ginger ale, besides being a different flavor than lemon-lime, has a different feel and “bite” to it, to offset the sweetness. I know lemon-lime soda pop was introduced in 1929, but it had lithium in it (later banned around 1948), so I doubt it was used in the 1930s, when the Shirley Temple drink was introduced. I think the use of lemon-lime has become common because some people just aren’t as familiar with ginger ale, and go with what they know.
I also recall other kids drinks: Coke with a cherry (maybe with grenadine, too?) was a Mickey Mouse. Some call it a Roy Rogers I think. Then another using root beer, not sure what was in that one. Perhaps the latter was the Roy Rogers, or “Hopalong Cassidy.”
Rebecca Hubbell says
Hi there, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I do link to my Roy Rogers recipe in the post as well!