Dirty Shirley Recipe

A cocktail version of the Shirley Temple

By
Laurel Randolph
Photo of Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
A fervid lover of the culinary arts and all things Instant Pot, Laurel has been writing about food for 10 years. One of her cookbooks was the #2 cookbook of 2017.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/25/22
Tested by
Julia Hartbeck
Tested by Julia Hartbeck
Julia is a professional food photographer and stylist based in England. She loves nothing more than reading cookbooks cover-to-cover and traveling the world to sample international cuisines.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Dirty Shirley

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 drink
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
361 Calories
0g Fat
59g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 361
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 37mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 21%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 49g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 52mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There’s always one drink that defines summer; a cocktail that boldly catches on as the temperatures warm, popping up in bars and backyard barbecues everywhere. While the espresso martini dominated last summer, things have taken a sweet turn this year. This is the year of the Dirty Shirley.

While the New York Times made it official, the drink was already circulating widely on Tiktok, with the hashtag #dirtyshirley getting millions of views. The vibrant drink is a boozy take on the Shirley Temple, a childhood favorite featuring lemon-lime soda or ginger ale, grenadine, and maraschino cherries. Add vodka, and you have a Dirty Shirley.

The drink is fun, bubbly, and undeniably sweet. Consider sipping it by the pool, on the beach, at a bonfire—you get the picture. We add optional lime juice which balances out the flavors a bit and also provide some simple variations for putting your own spin on the drink. Feel free to adjust the ratios and play with the ingredients to make the cocktail perfectly suit your tastes. Just don’t forget the cherries!

"If you want a taste of your childhood but with an adult twist, then this is the cocktail for you! The neutral nature of the vodka allows the original grenadine and soda flavors to shine without being overwhelmed and the lime juice perfectly cuts through any excess sweetness for a more grown-up experience." —Julia Hartbeck

Dirty Shirley/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces vodka

  • 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

  • 6 to 8 ounces lemon-lime soda, to taste

  • 1 to 1 1/2 ounces grenadine, to taste

  • 1/2 ounce maraschino cherry syrup from the jar, optional

  • 1 to 2 maraschino cherries, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make a Dirty Shirley

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Add the vodka and lime juice to a tall glass. Top with plenty of ice.

    A glass with lime, vodka, and ice

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add the lemon-lime soda, then top with grenadine and maraschino cherry syrup, if using. Stir to combine.

    A glass of lime, vodka, soda, and grenadine being stirred

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Taste, adding more soda or grenadine if desired. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or two and serve immediately.

    A Dirty Shirley garnished with two maraschino cherries

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Give the drink a gentle stir to combine the ingredients before drinking.
  • Use a good vodka for the best experience, but there's no need to break out the top-shelf stuff for this sweet cocktail. A mid-priced bottle is best. Stoli and Tito’s are good options.
  • Any lemon-lime soda will do, such as Sprite, 7-Up, Sierra Mist, or Bubble Up. Try a craft soda like Jones or Virgil's for a leveled-up experience.
  • Adjust the amount of grenadine to taste. The grenadine will add more sweetness and fruitiness and, depending on what brand you use, a little tartness.

Recipe Variations

  • Swap the lemon-lime soda for ginger ale or tonic for a slightly different flavor.
  • A lemon or citrus-flavored vodka works well in this recipe.
  • For a slightly sweeter cocktail, add a dash or two of the maraschino cherry liquid along with the grenadine.
  • For a less sweet cocktail, swap up to half of the lemon-lime soda for soda water.

How Strong Is a Dirty Shirley?

Thanks to plenty of lemon-lime soda, grenadine, and lime juice, a Dirty Shirley tends to be on the lighter side. If you mix one up using 6 ounces of soda and 1 ounce of grenadine plus 1/2 ounce of maraschino syrup, the cocktail strength is 8% ABV, similar to a strong beer or light wine.