Our Dirty Shirley Popsicle will be your new favorite frozen summer cocktail! This easy ice pop recipe turns the classic Shirley Temple mocktail into an adult-only spiked snack on a stick.
Dirty Shirley Ice Pops
Our Dirty Shirley Popsicles recipe takes a traditional Shirley Temple mocktail, spikes it with a bit of booze, and serves it popsicle-style. These ice pops are so simple to prepare in dixie cups (no popsicle molds or ice pop bags needed) and then placed in the freezer until fully frozen. When you’re ready to indulge, just peel off the paper and enjoy!
What Is A Dirty Shirley
A Dirty Shirley is an adult version of the kiddie cocktail. It’s a tasty twist on the non-alcoholic drink (named after iconic child actress Shirley Temple), made dirty by adding a boozy beverage. I’ve taken an extra step and frozen the fruity flavors into food form!
Dirty Shirley Popsicle Ingredients
- Cherry-limeade sparkling water: I chose the ICE brand (easily found at most major grocery and big box stores) of cherry-limeade for this recipe because it is already naturally a pretty cherry color. You can substitute ginger ale or lemon-lime soda for the sparkling water in this recipe. If you choose a brand that is clear, then you can add an extra ½ ounce of grenadine syrup to the mixture for an enhanced cherry color.
- Vodka: Any brand of Vodka will work for these popsicles.
- Grenadine syrup: Adds a deep red color and sweet, fruity flavor to these ice pops. It’s a key ingredient in Shirley Temple drinks, providing the signature pink hue.
- Maraschino cherries: Offer a pop of color and sweet cherry flavor. They’re a classic garnish for Shirley Temple drinks and add a fun element to each serving.
- Lime slices: Add a pop of color and fresh flavor to the top of these frozen treats.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Dirty Shirley Popsicles
- Make The Mixture: Combine the sparkling water, vodka, and grenadine syrup, stir and let the bubbles dissipate.
- Fill And Freeze: Pour the popsicle mix into paper cups, leaving ¼ inch at the top. Freeze for 1 hour until half way frozen.
- Garnish the Sticks With Slices: Place a popsicle stick through the center of each lime slice and set aside.
- Fill With Fruit: Add diced cherries into each cup and push them down into the popsicle. Place a popsicle stick with lime slice into the center of each cup. Freeze for another 2-3 hours or until frozen solid.
- Serve: Remove the paper and enjoy!
How do I prevent the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the cups?
To help keep your diced maraschino cherry pieces from sinking to the bottom of the paper cups when adding them to the partially frozen liquid, you can place the diced cherries into a freezer-safe container and freeze them for the first hour that the popsicles are freezing. This is not necessary but can be helpful. You would add the frozen diced cherries just as you would before adding the popsicle sticks, the non-frozen ones in the recipe.
Serving Suggestions
I love to create frozen treats based on their cocktail (or mocktail) counterparts. My mojito popsicles, tequila sunrise popsicles, piña colada popsicles, are perfect to serve poolside and fitting for warm weather festivities, but because they contain alcohol, they’re for adults only.
You can easily make this a frozen dirty Shirley mocktail for the kids and friends who don’t indulge simply by omitting the alcohol and adding extra seltzer. Or ladle the liquid from a large glass bowl, like my Shirley Temple punch!
Homemade popsicle recipes are great for backyard BBQs, pool parties, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day celebrations, and summer gatherings.
Tips & Variations
- Label For The Littles: Since these popsicles have alcohol in them, make sure they are clearly labeled so that the little ones do not eat them. Due to the addition of alcohol in these popsicles, they may not freeze quite as hard as a traditional popsicle but should still freeze well.
- Slice and Slit: A small, sharp paring knife works best for slicing the limes and the little slits in the center. You want to slice the limes approximately ⅛ inch thick, and make a small ¼ inch-sized slit in the center just large enough for the popsicle stick to go through.
- Pick Your Paper Cup: Dixie brand cups are great because they are known for being leakproof. If you can not find Dixie brand cups, there are plenty of other brands sold online or at stores. You just want to make sure that they are leakproof. They typically have a very thin, food-safe wax that coats the inside to keep the paper cups from getting soft and mushy once a liquid is added.
- Create More For A Crowd: This recipe can easily be doubled if serving to a large crowd.
- Form Other Flavors: Feel free to try other fizzy, fruity flavored sparking water. Ice pops made with fruit punch sparkling ICE and an orange slice or strawberry lemonade sparkling ICE and a slice of lemon will also taste delicious.
- Use A Tray To Transport: Place the paper cups on a small rimmed tray or baking sheet for easy transportation purposes. It works so much better than transporting one or two at a time to the freezer.
Proper Storage
- To Store: These Dirty Shirley popsicles should be stored in the freezer in the paper cups until ready to enjoy them. They can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Fun Summer Drinks
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Dirty Shirley Popsicle
Ingredients
- 17 ounces cherry-limeade sparkling water ICE brand
- ½ cup vodka
- 1 ounce grenadine syrup
- ⅓ cup diced maraschino cherries approximately 12 whole cherries cut in half
Garnish
- 10 thin lime slices approximately ⅛ inch thick, with a small ¼ inch-sized slice in the center just large enough for the popsicle stick to go through
- 10 popsicle sticks food grade
Instructions
- Add the cherry-limeade sparkling water, vodka, and grenadine syrup in a large (4-cup-sized) spouted glass bowl. Stir to combine and let the sparkling water settle (let the bubbles dissipate) for 2-3 minutes.17 ounces cherry-limeade sparkling water, ½ cup vodka, 1 ounce grenadine syrup
- Place 10 (3-ounce sized) paper cups on a small rimmed tray. Slowly pour the Dirty Shirley popsicle mix into each paper cup, filling almost to the top, being sure to leave approximately ¼ inch at the top of the cup. Each cup should have equal amounts of the liquid.
- Place the tray of Dirty Shirley popsicles into the freezer (on a flat and sturdy surface) for 1 hour.
- While your popsicles are starting to freeze, you will garnish your popsicle sticks by running a popsicle stick through the center of a single lime slice. Repeat until all 10 popsicle sticks have a lime slice attached. Set aside.10 popsicle sticks, 10 thin lime slices
- Once your Dirty Shirley popsicles are about a half of the way frozen, evenly divide the diced maraschino cherries into each of the cups of the partially frozen popsicle mixture and push them down into the cups slightly so they are distributed in the popsicle (a toothpick works great for this) before placing a popsicle stick with a lime slice into the center of each cup. Freeze for another 2-3 hours or until frozen solid.⅓ cup diced maraschino cherries
- Once the Dirty Shirley popsicles are fully frozen and you are ready to serve them, you will need to gently tear the paper cups off the outsides of each popsicle and dispose of the paper cups.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: These Dirty Shirley popsicles should be stored in the freezer in the paper cups until ready to enjoy them. They can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Label For The Littles: Since these popsicles have alcohol in them, make sure they are clearly labeled so that the little ones do not eat them. Due to the addition of alcohol in these popsicles, they may not freeze quite as hard as a traditional popsicle but should still freeze well.
- Slice and Slit: A small, sharp paring knife works best for slicing the limes and the little slits in the center. You want to slice the limes approximately ⅛ inch thick, and make a small ¼ inch-sized slit in the center just large enough for the popsicle stick to go through.
- Pick Your Paper Cup: Dixie brand cups are great as they are known for being leakproof, but if you can not find Dixie brand cups, then there are plenty of other brands sold online or at stores. You just want to make sure that they are leakproof. They typically have a very thin, food-safe wax that coats the inside to keep the paper cups from getting soft and mushy once a liquid is added.
- Create More For A Crowd: This recipe can easily be doubled if serving to a large crowd.
- Form Other Flavors: Feel free to try other fizzy, fruity flavored sparking water. Ice pops made with fruit punch sparkling ICE and an orange slice or strawberry lemonade sparkling ICE and a slice of lemon will also taste delicious.
- Use A Tray To Transport: Place the paper cups on a small rimmed tray or baking sheet for easy transportation purposes. It works so much better than transporting one or two at a time to the freezer
