As one of the original mocktails, you absolutely can’t go wrong with a Shirley Temple Mocktail (without Sprite). This drink is so easy you can make it in two minutes! Everyone in the family will love this delightfully sweet, pink classic drink.

A glass of a pinkish-red Shirley Temple Mocktail with a stick holding two maraschino cherries and a rolled up orange peel balanced on top.

Love mocktails like I do? Give these little beauties a try: Ginger beer mocktail, 1-minute Roy Rogers drink, strawberry mojito mocktail, piña colada mocktail, and this virgin mimosa recipe. And a bonus…How to make the perfect mocktail every time.

You might be thinking a couple of things when it comes to Shirley Temples: 1) that it’s a kid’s drink and can’t be as fun as an adult, or 2) that it’s too sweet. For many people these things are very true. For me, my inner child loves this drink in a fancy, tall glass. I love that it’s pretty, it’s simple, and my kids have always loved them too. So, we simply must have one together.

Top view of a glass filled with a Shirley Temple and ice with a stick of maraschino cherries and a rolled up orange peel balanced on top. The mocktail sits next to a bowl of maraschino cherries.

Why I love This Drink:

Easy: I adore how easy this drink is to make. Even little ones can help out with it because it’s simple and becomes a gorgeous pinkish-red color.
Sweet: This mocktail is pretty sweet, but I have to say, I do love this classic drink in all its sweetness. Sometimes you just need something sweet, right? There are fun ways to bring out some fruityness too. Traditionally, this drink has a bit of lime juice which helps. Try this fresh raspberry mocktail for a yummy balance of sweet and tart. Or this grapefruit mocktail with rosemary and honey.
Brings out the kid in me: Maybe it’s the sweetness, maybe it’s the maraschino cherry garnish, but this drink makes me feel like a fancy kid. Much like this blue lagoon mocktail. Legend has it that this mocktail was originally created for Shirley Temple herself when she was a kid.

What ingredients are in a Shirley Temple?

Grenadine – This is a sweet non-alcoholic syrup made from pomegranate juice.
Ginger beer – Many recipes call for Sprite, but this drink is already sweet enough, so I like to use ginger beer instead.
Ice – I like lots of ice in this drink because it’s pretty and keeps your drink cold.
Maraschino cherries – These make the prefect garnish!

A bottle of ginger beer next to a bottle of grenadine, next to a small dish with and orange peel and maraschino cherries, and a stick to the side. Ingredients for a Shirley Temple Mocktail (Without Sprite).

How to Make Shirley Temples:

Fill a glass with ice.

Pour: Measure and pour about one ounce of grenadine into the bottom of a glass.

Add: Fill the rest of the glass with ginger beer and watch the red rise and swirl into the drink.

Step-by-step images to make a Shirley Temple. Pouring grenadine into a glass filled with ice, pouring ginger beer till the glass is full, and garnishing with a rolled orange peel and maraschino cherries on a stick.

Stir: Give the ingredients a quick stir if you wish. This step is optional.

Garnish with two or three maraschino cherries and orange peel for the perfect finish. And serve right away!

Recipe Variations:

Pomegranate – If you like something more tart then use pomegranate juice instead of the grenadine syrup to make this recipe.
Dash of lime – You can pump up the quantity of lime juice if you like to make this sweet drink a bit more tart.
Other fruit syrups – You can replace the grenadine with some other fruit syrups if you prefer a fruity drink instead of the sweet.
Lemon-lime soda – Instead of ginger beer, you can use Sprite or any other lemon-lime soda you like.

Glass with a Shirley Temple Mocktail, garnished with maraschino cherries and a rolled orange peel on a stick.

More Fabulous Mocktails:

Need an EASY and delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert?
Take a look at my Sheet Pan Meals and More!

NEED MORE GOODNESS? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for great recipes, entertaining ideas and more!