Sometime’s taking a classic like the Shirley Temple and making it dirty is just too much fun. Try this Spicy Sriracha Dirty Shirley Cocktail recipe if you are feeling like things need to turn up a notch.

The other night, sitting at the local bar, I tried a cocktail I haven’t sipped since I was a lass, and before I was legal to drink. I remember the sweet taste of the cherry syrup mixed with the bubbly lime soda making me feel so mature.

When offered a Dirty Shirley at the bar, I almost laughed. I like my cocktails savory and not to sweet. And now, as an adult, the idea of grenadine and soda didn’t seem so appealing. But, I trusted the bartender and went with it. To my surprise, the adult version of this innocent classic isn’t at all what you’d expect.

What is a Dirty Shirley?

A Dirty Shirley takes the general idea of the Shirley Temple cocktail and adds smooth vodka or gin to make it an adult beverage. The use of gin takes the sugary sweetness out of the grenadine and balances the cocktail beautifully creating a smooth sippable libation.

What is in a Dirty Shirley?

A quick list of ingredients you probably have on hand is the base for the Dirty Shirley Cocktail

• Gin or Vodka
• Grenadine
• Lemon/Lime Soda
• Lime wedges

To make things even a little dirtier, follow my recipe below for the Spicy Sriracha Dirty Shirley.

Sriracha Cocktail.

Um. Yes. Much like I enjoy a smoked cocktail or a little heat infused with my liquor, the bite sriracha adds to a sweet cocktail brings it to a whole new level. This isn’t for those looking for a sugar drink to down quickly, but for someone who enjoys sipping a mature drink, the addition of sriracha is golden.

Don’t be afraid to add some bite to your cocktails and try these other suggestions for some of my favorite ideas. 

• Smoked Cherry  Old Fashioned 
• Evergreen Cocktail 
• Smoked Winter Gin and Tonic 
• Muddled Fig Moscow Mule

If you’ve tried this Spicy Sriracha Dirty Shirley Cocktail Recipe or any other recipe on passthesushi.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow along for more good eats and travel tips on Instagram @passthesushi & @girlcarnivore, Twitter & Facebook.

Spicy Sriracha Dirty Shirley Cocktail

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Turn up the heat when you make this classic for adults. The Spicy Sriracha Dirty Shirley will have everyone agreeing adults can have fun too.

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Ingredients

• Ice
• 1 oz Amarena cherry syrup
• 1 tsp Yellowbird blue agave sriracha
• 2 oz smoked gin
• 4 oz lemon lime soda
• 1  Amarena cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. Place ice in a tall cocktail glass.
2. Add the Amarena cherry syrup and blue agave sriracha agave over the ice.
3. Pour in the gin and soda.
4. Stir gently.
5. Add the Amarena cherry to garnish.
6. Serve

Notes

Don't have Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha on hand? Totally cool, use regular sriracha instead.

 

Use Amarena Cherries for a more refined, less sugary flavor than classic maraschino cherries.