This refreshing Shirley Temple Mocktail is a famous non-alcoholic drink that’s enjoyed by kids and adults alike! It’s perfect for any occasion and is prepared quickly and easily using simple ingredients.
Whether you’re an expecting mom, choosing to be alcohol-free, or looking for a special “grown-up” drink for your kids, this mocktail is the perfect choice and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Why You’ll Love This Mocktail
- Simple ingredients: This drink requires just two basic ingredients (plus garnishes).
- Quick and easy to make: This mocktail is prepared in about three minutes!
- Caffeine-free: Since ginger ale is typically caffeine-free, this drink is perfect for those trying to avoid caffeine.
- Crisp, sweet, and refreshing: The Shirley Temple is known for its crisp and sweet flavors.
- Versatility: While the classic Shirley Temple is well-loved, there’s lots of room for creativity to put your own personal spin on this drink.
Origin of the Shirley Temple Drink
This iconic non-alcoholic drink is named after the famous 1930s childhood actress Shirley Temple. She often attended elegant dinners and parties with adults who drank beautifully garnished cocktails and wanted a “fancy drink” like the adults.
A bartender made her this drink using common non-alcoholic bar ingredients (ginger ale and grenadine) and garnished it with a maraschino cherry, and that’s how the classic Shirley Temple drink came to be.
Ingredients Needed
- Ginger ale – A sweet and slightly spicy carbonated beverage that is the base of this mocktail. The carbonation in ginger ale gives this drink the pretty and refreshing fizzy “bubbles”.
- Grenadine: A sweet red-colored syrup that gives this drink it’s beautiful red hue. Grenadine is made from pomegranate juice and sugar that has been reduced to a syrup.
- Ice
- Garnishes – While garnishes aren’t technically required, this mocktail isn’t complete without the beautiful presentation of a maraschino cherry and a lime wheel!
How to Prepare
- Fill a glass (with at least a 16 ounce capacity) with ice.
- Pour in grenadine and ginger ale.
- Gently stir to combine.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and lime wheel.
Flavor Variations
- Swap the ginger ale for lemon-lime soda (such as 7 Up or Sprite), club soda, or sparkling water.
- Give it a fruity twist by adding a splash of orange juice, lemonade, pineapple juice, or lime juice.
- Elevate the sweetness by adding more grenadine.
- Make it a Shirley Temple ice cream float by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Common Questions
Grenadine is typically found in the drink mixers aisle of most grocery stores.
Use diet ginger ale and sugar free grenadine for a lower calorie Shirley Temple.
Absolutely! On the print page of the recipe, toggle the number of servings to your desired number of servings to adjust the ingredient amounts. Pour the grenadine and ginger ale into a punch bowl, gently stir to combine, and garnish with lime wheels and maraschino cherries.
Helpful Tips
- Gently stir: When combining the ginger ale and grenadine, stir very gently so that you don’t lose the fizziness and bubbles of the ginger ale.
- Chill your ingredients: Use chilled ginger ale and grenadine to help your drink stay colder for longer.
Enjoy!
Shirley Temple Mocktail
Ingredients
- 10 ounces ginger ale 1 ¼ cups
- 1 ounce grenadine 2 tablespoons
- 1 maraschino cherry
- 1 lime wheel
Instructions
- Fill a glass (with at least a 16-ounce capacity) with ice.
- Pour in grenadine and ginger ale. Gently stir to combine.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and lime wheel.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is provided as a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline. Please read my Nutritional Disclaimer for more info.
Chas says
Too much carbs and sugar.
Amy says
Hi Chas, in the recipe post I included how to make this lower carbs and sugar (I don’t know if you happened to skip over that part!). Hope you enjoy it if you make it!