A Grown-Up Shirley Temple Cocktail

A Grown-Up Shirley Temple Cocktail. Oct. 31, 2024. Who remembers Shirley Temples growing up? This kid’s drink was a favorite of mine. It wasn’t often I had one, but it was always a special moment when I did. That pinkish-red tinted 7-Up with a bright red cherry or two bobbing around felt so grown up and fancy! The 7-Up suddenly became “champagne” to us kids instead of something we just popped open a can of. I am not so sure they always added grenadine. Sometimes I think just cherry juice was added to the soda, but it was still magical to us kids. And the cherry was the best part of course- usually eaten first thing. However, I never realized until recently that there was a whole world of cocktail cherries out there.

It was the cute blue and white jar in Costco that did it. It matched our kitchen with its elegant blue and white design. To make things worse, it had a keepsake feel to it, and so naturally, I felt obliged to buy it. And then there was something intriguing about the cherries it held as well. My inquisitive mind wondered, “what were amarena cherries and how were they better than other cherries?” First thing after unloading the groceries at home, I popped open that blue and white jar. Instantly, I was reformed by the depth and taste of that sweet tart cherry and would never go back to “regular” maraschino cherries again. My eyes had been opened to the world of gourmet cocktail cherries, and they make all the difference in a cocktail recipe.

A Grown-Up Shirley Temple Cocktail Recipe

Right away my mind went to making a grown-up Shirley Temple Cocktail and voila! Easy, fun, yummy and nostalgic! And with holidays around the corner save this recipe for an easy cocktail for gatherings (plus as a good excuse to try gourmet cocktail cherries!)

Have a beautiful day!

*No monies from affiliates. All opinions are my own.