Dirty Shirley Fizz Recipe

Kids everywhere enjoy the sweet, fizzy goodness of a Shirley Temple when they're so lucky to find restaurants that serve them. Adults certainly enjoy a good Shirley Temple too, though they might be more inclined to opt for a Dirty Shirley, which contains the classic Sprite, grenadine, and maraschino cherry, with the welcome boozy addition of vodka. 

In this recipe, brought to us by developer A.J. Forget, we have all of those Dirty Shirley elements combined with a gin fizz — a Dirty Shirley Fizz, if you will. "From the vibrant pink color to the cherry and lime garnish, this cocktail is just a lot of fun," Forget says. "Back when I was a kid, there was nothing better than ordering a Shirley Temple at a restaurant, and this recipe provides an opportunity to relive those childhood moments with a drink that appeals more to a grown-up palate."

So, what exactly makes this drink a cross between a Dirty Shirley and a gin fizz? As Forget describes, the base ingredients — vodka, lemon-lime soda, and grenadine — are true to the former libation, "but the addition of lime juice and an egg white crosses it into gin fizz territory." Anyone who has enjoyed a Dirty Shirley knows that it is quite sweet, but the lime juice in this rendition helps balance things out, while, as Forget puts it, "the addition of an egg white provides a silkiness and nice, delicate foam."

Even though we're essentially combining two cocktails into one, it doesn't take too many ingredients to build it. All you'll need are vodka, lime juice, grenadine, an egg white, Sprite (or any lemon-lime soda), maraschino cherries, and a lime slice for garnish. 

Start by grabbing your cocktail shaker and adding in the vodka, lime juice, grenadine, and egg white. Pop the lid on and dry shake these ingredients (as in, shake them without ice) for a good 15 seconds or so.

Now, add in the ice and give the cocktail another shake. With the previous dry shake, you gave the egg white a chance to get nice and foamy. With this shake, you're chilling the ingredients.

Once your cocktail is adequately chilled, go ahead and strain it out into a coupe glass. Top off the glass with the lemon-lime soda, garnish with the cherries and lime slice, then get to sipping on this all-grown-up beverage. 

"This cocktail, with its cherry limeade flavors, is well balanced and excellent for all sorts of summer occasions. Its nostalgic flavor profile makes it perfect for a summer movie night under the stars," Forget describes. Why settle for a lukewarm beer or glass of cheap wine when you could enjoy a fresh, fizzy cocktail with just a little more effort? As Forget puts it, "A Dirty Shirley Fizz in your hand and an old favorite movie on the big screen sounds like an ideal way to spend a summer evening," and we are very much inclined to agree.