And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (2024)

Honestly, the drink really surprised me...and it came with a cherry on top!

by Pernell QuilonBuzzFeed Staff

It seems like everyone is talking about the Dirty Shirley co*cktail — from the New York Times boldly asking if it’s the drink of the summer to more than 8 million people watching #dirtyshirley videos on TikTok. So, of course, I had to try it.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (3)

Pernell Quilon / Via tiktok.com

A regular Shirley Temple is a classic, non-alcoholic drink made of light soda or ginger ale, grenadine, and a maraschino cherry — no real fruit here! The drink wasn't a part of my childhood, but it was for many Americans.

The nostalgia and suburban charm of an adult, vodka-infused Shirley Temple is why the Dirty Shirley is having a moment, according to the New York Times.

One Dirty Shirley demo on TikTok has 6.4 million views. In other videos, the drink has been memed, mocked, riffed on and, in one case, dubbed “the new espresso martini,” which was the summer drink of 2021. https://t.co/0Pa9uzcDES

It's a very simple, easy drink to make. All you need is ice, vodka, grenadine, Sprite (or any lemon-lime soda), and a maraschino cherry on top — the best part!

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (5)

Pernell Quilon

And if you don't drink, you can make a regular non-alcoholic Shirley Temple with ginger ale, or tonic water, in place of vodka.

Next, fill it to the top with ice. Cubed ice is preferred, but crushed ice works fine too.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (7)

Pernell Quilon

Fill it with 2 ounces of vodka, whatever kind you've got. I just threw in a full shot glass. You can sub with tonic water if you don't drink.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (8)

Pernell Quilon

As you can see, a shot glass amount was plenty enough.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (9)

Pernell Quilon

It was 5 o'clock somewhere, and 10:37 a.m. in Los Angeles.

Then, you'll add 1 ounce of grenadine. I added in just over half of a shot glass. This stuff is sweet!

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (10)

Pernell Quilon

Now, you should have a drink with a beautiful red color.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (11)

Pernell Quilon

Next, add Sprite. You can add 8 ounces if you want to measure it out, but I just filled mine to the top.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (12)

Pernell Quilon

Adding the Sprite gives it a nice touch.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (13)

Pernell Quilon

And finally, my favorite part: drop in a single, ready-to-mingle maraschino cherry.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (14)

Pernell Quilon

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (15)

Pernell Quilon

So it's fun to make...but how does it taste?

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (16)

Pernell Quilon

The subtle carbonated citrus from the lemon-lime soda and the sweet, tart, and fruity taste of the red grenadine syrup arrived at the same time on my tongue. My eyes lit up. I instantly reached my verdict: The Dirty Shirley is delightful and dangerous. It's sweet, but not overpowering — I couldn't even detect the vodka! These are the kinds of co*cktails that will leave you with a headache the morning after. But in the moment, it tasted refreshing, fun, and sweet. Y'all...I found my summer co*cktail.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (17)

Pernell Quilon

I've been told my opinions are like tequila and are better taken with several grains of salt, SO I made the drink for 10 of my coworkers. I asked each of them, "Do you agree this is the drink of the summer?" Pink meant yes, yellow meant no.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (18)

Pernell Quilon

One coworker dubbed the Dirty Shirley a "soccer mom spritz" (a good thing) and another said it "could be workshopped." Tough crowd!

Some other comments were that the drink "embraces frivolity," that it brought them "back to drinking a Shirley Temple from Friendly's," and that the drink "should be served poolside," but the hangovers might be brutal.

There was an even split. Half were singing the Dirty Shirley's praises. The other half? Done with her. Was it generational? All the folks who voted against the drink were at least 30 years old...but of the five people who agreed the Dirty Shirley is the drink of the summer, two were Gen Z and three were millennials. So, this drink isn't just for younger folks — it's for folks who know how to have fun, wherever they may be.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (19)

Pernell Quilon

This is a very biased survey. I know this because of my single year of AP statistics my senior year of high school. But I got more opinions than mine, so sip on that.

Since I'm the author, I'm going to lean on the scale. Y'all, whether you like it or not, the Dirty Shirley is arguably the drink of summer, or at least a drink of summer. She's fun, affordable, quick, unpretentious, and a gorgeous shade of red. You even get a cherry! Stop hating and start sipping.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (20)

Pernell Quilon

It's a fun co*cktail you can serve at any party or function. The presentation is cute, and if kids want to participate, there's the original non-alcoholic version — the Shirley Temple! The folklore behind the drink is that the famous child actress would order this drink so she could hang out with adult executives at the bar (yeah, weird on their part).

And if you're looking to remix the drink a bit, try it out with vanilla-infused vodka if you like ice cream floats! Or if you're sweet-conscious, use less grenadine, only a splash of Sprite, and top it off with soda water.

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (21)

Pernell Quilon

I used Smirnoff's Vanilla Twist vodka to test out the adjustment and it added a sweet richness to the drink. It reminded me of marshmallows!

The Sprite and the grenadine add the most sugar, so adjust those as you'd like if you're not into sweet drinks. Into vodka cranberries? Try out using cherry-flavored sparkling water and cutting out Sprite, then only using a splash of grenadine.

Here's the recipe to make a Dirty Shirley again!

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (22)

Pernell Quilon

Fill a highball glass with ice, add vodka (or tonic water if you prefer no alcohol), and grenadine. Then, you'll top it off with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a cherry.

The more you make it, the faster you'll getat it. I made the one I'm drinking while writing this post in 73 seconds.

Try out the Dirty Shirley for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments. Also, shoutout any other co*cktails you want me to "investigate." Cheers, y'all!

And voila! You're done! That's the whole recipe. It was such an easy and fun drink to make. Plus, if you already have vodka, the other ingredients don't cost a lot at all. (2024)

FAQs

What soda mixes well with vodka? ›

Root beer is good. Cola is good. For sweeter tastes, any fruit-flavored soda works (orange, grape, cherry, etc), or cream soda. For lighter flavors, carbonated water (flavored or unflavored, sweetened or unsweetened) work great.

What juice is best to mix with vodka? ›

Fresh citrus juices, such as lemon, lime, and orange, are classic mixers that pair harmoniously with vodka. The zesty and tangy flavors of citrus juices complement the clean profile of vodka, resulting in refreshing and invigorating co*cktails.

What alcohol goes well with soda water? ›

Here are 10 of our favorites.
  • Sweet Vermouth + Club Soda.
  • Campari + Club Soda.
  • Sweet Vermouth + Campari + Club Soda.
  • Vodka + Cranberry Juice + Club Soda.
  • Gin + Lime Juice + Club Soda.
  • Lillet + Club Soda.
  • St. Germain + Apple Juice + Club Soda.
  • Bitters + Club Soda.

What alcohols mix well with vodka? ›

What liquors go well with vodka? Other alcohols that mix well with vodka include rum, sake, bitters, and liqueurs like Chambord and schnapps.

What happens if you mix vodka and Sprite? ›

Vodka tastes good with just about any soda or juice you can find. In my opinion it tastes best when mixed with fruit flavored soda or juice. I recommend Cranberry, or orange juice and for soda any Fanta flavor or sprite.

What is the healthiest thing to mix with vodka? ›

Soda water

Since it's nothing but carbonated water, it's hands down the healthiest mixer for vodka. Whether the absence of tonic's quinine-induced bitterness is a plus or a minus is up for debate, but squeeze in a little lemon or lime juice and a vodka soda will always hit the spot on a summer afternoon.

What not to mix with vodka? ›

Research says that drinking clear booze like gin, white wine, and vodka mixed with darker ones like brandy, whiskey, or rum can cause your stomach to become very irritated.

What can I mix with vodka for no taste? ›

It's believed that grapefruit juice masks the taste of vodka pretty well, but cherry, grape or orange juice also work just fine. Also, if you drink plain vodka, don't sip it like wine. Just down the whole shot at once, this way you are not going to feel its taste so much.

What is the best juice and alcohol mix? ›

Orange juice works with gin, vodka and rum — freshly-squeezed adds another layer of texture and flavor. Grapefruit juice is better with gin than vodka, as the florals of gin and the sharpness of the juice complement each other nicely and is always a great match with rum and tequila.

What is the healthiest alcoholic beverage to drink? ›

10 healthiest alcoholic drinks
  • Tequila on the rocks.
  • Bloody Mary.
  • White wine spritzer.
  • Champagne.
  • Mulled wine.
  • Mojito.
  • Light beer.
  • FAQ.

What is a whiskey and soda called? ›

A highball is typically served over ice in a large straight-sided highball glass or Collins glass. Highballs are popular in Japan, where the term haibōru (ハイボール) is synonymous with a whisky and soda (rather than an umbrella term for assorted mixers).

What do you call soda with alcohol? ›

Lime and Grapefruit Bacardi Breezer are made with Bacardi rum. The term alcopop (a portmanteau of the words alcohol and pop) is used commonly in the United Kingdom and Ireland to describe these drinks. In English-speaking Canada, "cooler" is more common but "alcopop" may also be used.

Is Sprite and vodka good? ›

Vodka pairs perfectly with the sweet citrus flavor of Sprite. Try out this Vodka and Sprite co*cktail recipe tonight.

What brand of vodka is good? ›

What Are the Best Vodka Brands?
  • Reyka. ReserveBar. We love Reyka because it can do it all. ...
  • Harridan Vodka. ReserveBar. One of the best top-shelf vodkas worth its higher price tag is Harridan. ...
  • Chopin Family Reserve. Total Wine. The ultra-high-end is more elusive with vodka than, say, whiskey, because there's just less of it.
Feb 2, 2024

Is ginger ale and vodka good? ›

A: Yes, we're like a 100% sure! Why? Well, it's simple, the blend of vodka's sharpness with the sweet and spicy ginger ale gives this co*cktail a unique and lovable taste. It has a vivacious kick to it, thanks to the vodka, while the ginger ale sweetly mellows it down a notch.

Is Dr Pepper good with vodka? ›

The most popular pairing options include: Vodka: Vodka and Dr Pepper is a quick and easy co*cktail with a simple flavor profile that combines the refreshing taste of vodka with Dr Pepper's fruity notes. Rum: Both white and spiced rums blend well with Dr Pepper's sweetness, enhancing the drink's complexity.

What soda or tonic with vodka? ›

Soda water is simply carbonated water, so it has the same taste as plain water. Tonic water, on the other hand, is carbonated water that contains quinine and most often a sweetener. This gives it a slightly bitter taste that adds complex depth to co*cktails. That's why it's often mixed with vodka or gin.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Domingo Moore

Last Updated:

Views: 5959

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Domingo Moore

Birthday: 1997-05-20

Address: 6485 Kohler Route, Antonioton, VT 77375-0299

Phone: +3213869077934

Job: Sales Analyst

Hobby: Kayaking, Roller skating, Cabaret, Rugby, Homebrewing, Creative writing, amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.