The Dirty Shirley Cocktail is a refreshing cherry drink that is reminiscent of the childhood classic Shirley Temple, named for the child star.
This simple drink brings back some favorite childhood memories of dinners out with my family. My parents would always order me a classic “Shirley Temple” mocktail before dinner and it made me feel so grown-up.
Now, as an adult, I love to mix up and serve this updated adult cocktail version of a Shirley Temple at happy hour for family and friends. We also serve them for a backyard barbecue and they are our drink of the summer
This limited ingredient cocktail is easy to make, fun to serve, and will take your friends back to their favorite childhood drink memories at your next get-together!
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What is a Dirty Shirley Cocktail?
Simply put, a Dirty Shirley is the adult boozy take of a classic Shirley Temple with the addition of vodka. It is cool and refreshing but with the same sweet old fashion twist. It is also known as a Shirley Temple Black.
This boozy Shirley Temple is the grown-up version of the classic nostalgic mocktail is a perfect sweet summertime treat. It’s perfect summer cocktail or girls’ night too!
Because this cocktail is on the sweeter side we like to serve her along with some savory apps and snacks such as our Honey Roasted Cashews or an easy Baked Brie with Garlic
Where did the traditional Shirley Temple originate?
No one really knows for sure which establishment originally served the first Dirty Shirley, but clearly, it is linked to the Shirley Temple original mocktail.
It is rumored that the original drink started at the legendary (and now closed) Brown Derby Restaurant in west Hollywood and was the birthplace of the classic mocktail drink. The famous child actress, Shirley Temple, was seen there on many occasions, especially after award shows in the 1930’s, and they wanted to make her feel special and named the drink for after her “Shirley Temple drink”.. (Fun fact: the Brown Derby also invented the Cobb Salad!)
Simple Ingredients for a Dirty Shirley Cocktail:
- Amarena Wild Cherries, jarred, in syrup – they have a great flavor profile.
- Vodka – use a good vodka like Grey goose or Tito’s
- 7-Up ~ (we prefer 7-Up Zero Sugar), you can also use a lemon lime soda
- Fresh Mint leaves, for garnish
- You’ll also want to use short skewers or pretty cocktail picks for the garnish of your Dirty Shirley drink.
We tested this easy cocktail recipe a few different ways (it’s a tough job, we know!), and here’s what we (and our all too willing friends) found:
- We settled on using 7-up with Zero Sugar. Because the zero sugar version is less sugary it allows the sweetness of the cocktail to come mainly from the delicious deeply flavored cherry syrup. It also makes this drink lower in calories!
- Using the flavor-packed Italian jarred Amarena Cherries was far tastier than using Grenadine syrup. Amarena syrup has a sweet taste and has a pure cherry flavor!
How to make this Dirty Shirley Recipe
- Strain one ounce of Amarena cherry juice from the jar into a shot glass
- Set aside 3 cherries for garnish
- Fill a tall glass with ice cubes (we recommend a clear glass because this gal is gorgeous!)
- Pour 2 ounces of vodka into the tall glass
- Drizzle in the reserved 1 ounce of Amarena cherry syrup
- Slowly fill the remainder of the glass with 6 ounces of 7-up
- With a cocktail pick or 3-4″ skewer, add one mint leaf and three Amarena cherries
- Place over the top of the glass as your garnish
- Serve cold and enjoy!
What are Amarena Cherries?
Amarena Cherries come from the cities of Bologna and Modena in Italy. “Amarena” is a variety of cherry that is small, dark, and tart. They are preserved in a gorgeous syrup and often sold in equally beautiful jars.
These cherries have a fruity taste and a wonderfully delicious flavor that is unlike the Maraschino Cherry. They are definitely a gourmet treat that can be used in many different recipes, and if you store them in the refrigerator they have a long shelf life.
From drizzling in cocktails to topping ice cream or pound cake, these cherries add a taste of elegance to any dish. We love to pour a drizzle and a few cherries over brie or goat cheese on a charcuterie board for a gorgeous touch.
Simple Cocktail Recipe Variations
This is a simple list of ingredient substitutes for making a Dirty Shirley
- Amarena Cherries – substitute Maraschino Luxardo cherries
- Amarena Cherry Syrup – use the syrup from the Maraschino cherries or the traditional Grenadine syrup
- 7-up – substitutes include Sprite or lemon-lime soda. Some versions use ginger ale
Using any or all of these substitutions will change the flavor and color of the cocktail. Either way, we recommend using the best quality, since there are so few ingredients.
The ultimate variation ~ “The Dirty Shirley-tini”
During our tasting sessions, we thought about how this cocktail would also make a fantastic martini for a special occasion!
- Using the recipe above: (2 ounces vodka, 1 ounce cherry syrup, and 6 ounces 7-Up), combine in a glass
- Add 1/2 ounce of fresh-squeezed lime juice
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice
- Add all of the Dirty Shirley ingredients and shake until the shaker is super cold
- Pour into a martini glass
- To garnish: add one mint leaf and three Amarena Cherries to a cocktail pick or short skewer and lay across the top of the martini
- Serve and enjoy!
Looking for more great cocktail ideas?
We’ve got you covered on gorgeous fun drink ideas:
- Blueberry Vodka Cocktail
- Watermelon Vodka Cocktail
- Cucumber Mint Cocktail
- Pineapple Vodka Cocktail
- Aperol Spritzes
- Lemon Drop Martini
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Dirty Shirley Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Vodka (cold)
- 1 ounce cherry syrup, from Amarena jarred cherries, + 3 cherries for garnish
- 6 ounces 7-up
- 1 mint leaf
Instructions
- Strain one ounce of Amarena Cherry juice from the jar into a shot glass and set aside 3 cherries for garnish
- Fill an 8 oz glass with ice
- Add 2 ounces of vodka
- Pour in 1 ounce of Amarena syrup
- Fill the remainder of the glass slowly with 6 ounces of 7-Up
- Stir briskly to blend all of the flavors together
To Garnish:
- Add one mint leaf and three Amarena cherries to a cocktail pick, or short skewer. Place across the top of the glass for garnish
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Can’t find Amarena Cherries – just substitute Grenadine for the syrup and Maraschino cherries
- This recipe can be doubled for 2 drinks
- The Amarena syrup blends best at room temperature
Katherine
A Shirley Temple for grown ups! I love this.
Ieva
So simple that I couldn’t resist trying it, as I had some syrup leftover from cherries. I never had Dirty Shirley or Shirley Temple before, so I don’t have a point of reference but we I thought these cocktails were delicious and perfect for a lady Saturday afternoon to enjoy in the sun in the garden! Highly recommend these!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
Definitely need to try these cherries. What a great summer cocktail for lazy days.
Dannii
These look so refreshing. Perfect for the BBQ we are having this weekend.
Anjali
This cocktail was perfect for the hot summer day we had today! It was slightly sweet and refreshing!