The Dirty Shirley cocktail is an adult version of the classic childhood Shirley Temple drink. A fizzy lemon-lime soda gets a splash of bright red grenadine, a shot of vodka, and a sweet maraschino cherry to top it off.
The Dirty Shirley is the 2022 cocktail of the summer. From The New York Times to TikTok influencers, everyone is talking about it. And it’s no wonder…with all the drab adult drinks out there, we could use something sugary and whimsical.
Sipping on a spinoff of the Shirley Temple is bound to transport you back to when you first sipped this iconic drink. Nostalgia with a spirited twist.

Why KJ Loves this Recipe
What’s better than a classic Shirley Temple? The grown-up version! I love how this simple cocktail takes such a nostalgic, memorable drink and turns up the volume. If you were like me as a kid, a Shirley Temple made you feel so fancy when you got to order one while eating out. Well, let’s keep that enthusiasm and pour ourselves a Dirty Shirley!

Dirty Shirley Ingredients
Grenadine
This sweet red syrup is the star of the show!
Fun fact: Grenadine syrup is actually made of reduced pomegranate juice—not cherries. A high-quality grenadine will take this Dirty Shirley drink recipe to the next level. If you want to channel your inner mixologist, try making your own homemade grenadine.
Vodka
Grab your favorite brand. Want to amp up the cherry flavor? Use cherry-flavored vodka!
Lemon-lime soda
Fizzy lemon-lime soda is a classic feature of the Shirley Temple drink.
Ice
Cubed or crushed
Maraschino cherry
The literal cherry on top of this delightful drink.

Serving the Dirty Shirley
The Dirty Shirley cocktail is made in a highball glass—a tall glass that is roughly 10-16 ounces.
Single Serving
Use a cocktail jigger to measure out the grenadine and vodka. Combine with ice, lemon-lime soda, and a maraschino cherry.
For a Crowd
Serve Dirty Shirleys at your next get-together for a playful drink that is sure to be a hit.
Since this cocktail is largely soda based, I don’t recommend making it in one large batch. The lemon-lime soda would lose its fizz quickly and make the cocktail flat.
Instead, you could serve this drink cocktail bar style. Set all the ingredients out and allow your guests to build their own Dirty Shirleys! Leave a little note card with the Dirty Shirley recipe to follow and then have some fun!

Looking for other Cocktail Recipes? Check these out!

Dirty Shirley
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
Description
The Dirty Shirley cocktail is an adult version of the classic childhood Shirley Temple drink. A fizzy lemon-lime soda gets a splash of bright red grenadine, a shot of vodka, and a sweet maraschino cherry to top it off.
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz grenadine
- 8 oz lemon-lime soda
- Ice – crushed or cubed
- Maraschino cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Add the ice into a standard highball glass. Pour in the vodka and grenadine.
- Top the glass off with the lemon-lime soda. Gently stir to combine.
- Garnish with maraschino cherries and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Drinks
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 316
- Sugar: 48.8g
- Fat: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0g
Keywords: Dirty Shirley

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If you make this recipe and love it as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below, rate the recipe, or share a picture tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany so that I can see your fun pictures 🙂
Thanks for following and cooking along with me!
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