The Shirley Temple recipe
for your table
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
Pour the ginger ale and lime juice over it.
Pour the grenadine slowly down the side for the pink gradient.
Garnish with one or two cherries and a slice of orange.
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The story
The drink was invented in Hollywood in the 1930s, presumably at Chasen's, for child star Shirley Temple, who wanted something festive in her glass while dining with adults. The actress herself reportedly found the drink 'too sweet' and even once filed a lawsuit against a soft drink brand that wanted to use her name. It was to no avail: the Shirley Temple became synonymous with children's cocktails worldwide. With the modern mocktail wave, it is getting upgrades everywhere with fresh ginger and real pomegranate grenadine.
The right glass
Serve the Shirley Temple in a real cocktail glass, a clear 33 to 47 cl highball glass, and never in a plastic cup: the feeling of being taken seriously is what this drink is all about. The pink gradient and bright red cherry call for crystal-clear glass. For an extra festive touch, it can also be served in a coupe with a straw. For a festive serve with a straw instead of a tall glass, our champagne coupe glasses are also just the thing.
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Islande Highball Glass 33 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 35,90.
The right tools
For a Shirley Temple, in addition to the glass, you need a long bar spoon, a jigger for precise measuring, a citrus press, a zester for the twist, and long ice bars. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 91,70.
What do you make a Shirley Temple with?
You need the right base for a Shirley Temple. On every drink page, you'll find the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
With real pomegranate grenadine and fresh ginger lemonade, it becomes a “craft mocktail” that adults order too. A Roy Rogers follows the same idea with cola. And with a dash of vodka, it becomes a Shirley Temple Black, but of course that takes away the innocence. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Real pomegranate grenadine makes it less candy-like and much more interesting, even for adults. With a splash of vodka, it’s called the Shirley Temple Black, named after her married name.
Good to know
Ginger ale or 7-Up: which base
The classic base is 12 cl of ginger ale, and that’s no coincidence: the light ginger bitterness keeps the 1.5 cl of grenadine in check. With 7-Up or Sprite, the drink becomes sweeter and flatter, but milder, which young children often prefer. That’s why many bars opt for half and half, using 6 cl of each. If you want a version adults would order too, use a spicy ginger lemonade made with real ginger; it brings back the sharpness that a splash of lime juice alone can’t provide.
Which grenadine makes the difference
Grenadine is supposed to be pomegranate syrup, but most supermarket bottles consist mainly of sugar, water, and coloring. A syrup made with real pomegranate juice is darker, more tart, and much less candy-like, and it also fades more beautifully to pink. You can make it yourself too: cook 25 cl of pomegranate juice with 25 cl of sugar until the sugar has dissolved, let it cool, and you’ll have enough for sixteen glasses. Stick to 1.5 cl per glass, because more will make the drink cloudy red instead of layered.
The Shirley Temple Black and the Roy Rogers
There are two well-known cousins of this drink. The Shirley Temple Black has the same structure with 4 cl of vodka or dark rum added, named after the actress's married name, and clearly no longer suitable for the children's table. The Roy Rogers follows the same idea with cola instead of ginger ale, plus grenadine and a cherry, and is named after the cowboy actor. All three revolve around the same principle: a soft drink served seriously, with a garnish that genuinely matters.
For a children's party: in a pitcher
For eight children, mix one and a half liters of ginger ale with the juice of two limes in a pitcher, then pour it over glasses filled with plenty of ice. You’ll lose the color gradient if you pour in the grenadine right away, so keep it separate and let 1.5 cl trickle down the side of each glass. Set out a bowl of maraschino cherries and orange slices, and let the children garnish their own drinks. Allow for about 15 cl per glass, 12 cl of grenadine in total, and at least two rounds.
Shirley Temple cocktail or mocktail
Alcohol-free, but prepared like a mixed drink: that is why the same Shirley Temple cocktail recipe appears under cocktails on one menu and under mocktails on another. Strictly speaking, the latter is correct, because not a drop of spirits goes into it. A Shirley Temple mocktail recipe is therefore exactly the same word for word; only the category differs. If you order a Shirley Temple drink in a restaurant, you will get ginger ale with grenadine over plenty of ice in either case, finished with a cherry.
Dirty Shirley Temple or Black
The version with spirits has two names that are often used interchangeably. In American bars it is called Dirty Shirley, short for Dirty Shirley Temple, and the name Shirley Temple Black also exists. Little changes in the preparation: the spirit goes over the ice before the soda is added, otherwise the color gradient gets mixed away immediately. American recipes also more often use a citrus soda rather than ginger ale, making it sweeter; an extra splash of lime juice keeps it balanced.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Shirley Temple?
A Shirley Temple consists of 12 cl ginger ale, 1.5 cl grenadine and a splash of fresh lime juice, served over plenty of ice and garnished with a maraschino cherry and a slice of orange. Some bars use half ginger ale and half 7-Up for a lighter, sweeter result.
How do restaurants make Shirley Temples?
Restaurants fill a tall glass with ice, pour in the ginger ale and lime juice, then slowly let the grenadine sink down along the side. This creates the pink color gradient that makes the drink recognizable. Then comes the garnish: at least one bright red cherry.
Is Shirley Temple an aperitif?
It is often enjoyed this way, but it is primarily intended as a full-fledged alcohol-free cocktail for the table. Because it is sweet and fizzy, it works perfectly as a welcome drink; made with real pomegranate grenadine and fresh ginger lemonade, it becomes drier and also works as an aperitif for adults.
Which glass do you use for a Shirley Temple?
A clear highball glass of 33 to 47 cl, and never a plastic cup: being served properly is half the pleasure of this drink. The pink color gradient and bright red cherry look their best in crystal-clear glass; see our highball glasses.
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