The Cherry Swap That Will Class Up Your Shirley Temple (Alcohol Optional)

Many of us have memories of sipping a Shirley Temple as a kid, feeling very grown-up — while just grenadine, Sprite or ginger ale, and cherries, it always seemed fancier than soda or juice. That nostalgia plus a universally appealing flavor profile made the Shirley Temple an easy choice to turn into an actual cocktail. The dirty Shirley is the alcoholic Shirley Temple, an instant hit declared the drink of the summer in 2023. It incorporates vodka, but is there a way to make this drink not just adult, but sophisticated? Zeroing in on the simple ingredients, cherries offer wiggle room. We've broken down 32 cherry varieties, and there are types specifically used for garnishing drinks, like the Shirley Temple's quintessential maraschino or the tarter Amarena. We turned to an expert to learn what kind of cherry would update this favorite.

"For the best dirty Shirley, Luxardo maraschino cherries are the ideal choice, offering a rich, signature flavor that enhances the cocktail," says Jayden Mohun, beverage director at Peck Slip Social. "To elevate the drink further, using the syrup from the Luxardo jar instead of grenadine adds a deeper, more pronounced cherry essence. The standard bright red bar cherries, while complementary, lack the depth and richness that Luxardo provides." Standard, neon-red maraschinos don't even have a full, real cherry flavor. What makes Luxardo's maraschino cherries special is they are soaked in their own syrup and made from marasca cherries, compared to American maraschino cherries, which are typically made from Rainier, Royal Ann, or Gold cherries and soaked in salt, sugar, flavoring, and dye. In a dirty Shirley, they bring true cherry sweetness and tartness rather than an almondy, candy quality.

Of course, there are still ways to elevate the original, zero-proof Shirley Temple, too. You might want to enjoy the sweet, red, fizzy experience sans booze — but you're still after something a little more advanced and interesting. Mohun says using Luxardo cherries has the same result in the mocktail approach.

"For a non-alcoholic version, such as a classic Shirley Temple, incorporating Luxardo cherries and their syrup enhances the drink, making it a more refined and flavorful option," he explains. You're still getting that real cherry profile over the potentially cloying character of standard maraschinos. And if you follow Mohun's lead and swap Luxardo syrup in for grenadine, you only further enrich that tart, sweet balance. Grenadine is a syrup made from pomegranate, lemon juice, and sugar — you can also try keeping it in for both cherry and pomegranate notes, and make your own to control the sweetness. The possibilities are endless when it comes to this element: You can swap in strawberry syrup to refresh a Shirley Temple, or any other homemade simple syrup, from raspberry to rose. 

When making a grown-up Shirley Temple mocktail, consider all the ingredients and how you can use the best option for each. Use ginger beer for a kick of spice, add orange juice for a bright burst of citrus, or garnish with mint or basil for earthy herbaceousness. You can even make a frozen Shirley Temple, a true treat come summertime.