Grenadine Syrup: Top 5 Cocktails to Make with This Ingredient

What is Grenadine Syrup?

Grenadine syrup is a non-alcoholic pomegranate-flavoured mixer, made from pomegranate juice and sugar, used to give mixed drinks a distinctive flavour that is both tart and sweet, to add a dash of vibrant, rich red colour. It gets its name from the French word for pomegranate, ‘grenade’ (and yes, hand grenades are named after pomegranates too) and first became a fashionable ingredient in American cocktails and drinks recipes in the 1910s.

What Is the Best Grenadine Syrup to Use?

These days, if you want to try a grenadine cocktail, you’re spoilt for choice. But if you want your cocktail to taste its best, it’s important to use a good quality simple syrup for a homemade grenadine. Unfortunately, grenadine ingredients are not well-regulated, and many store bought brands are flavoured with high fructose corn syrup and other artificial flavours, some containing no pomegranate at all. Make it at home in batches, it will keep due to a long shelf life. For grenadine with more natural ingredients, you can try whole food stores, or look for pomegranate syrup at your local Middle Eastern supermarket.

Mocktails with Grenadine Syrup

Grenadine is often used in cocktails to add a splash of color, perhaps most famously in the classic tequila sunrise, where orange juice and grenadine are mixed to form a sunrise effect in a glass. But it isn't just alcoholic drinks that benefit from a dash of grenadine. Classic mocktails like the Shirley Temple and the Roy Rogers contain grenadine, and both are perfect for when you’re not in the mood for alcohol, or if the kids want to join the party.

Shirley Temple

This non-alcoholic mixed drink takes its name from the Depression-era child actress, who actually did not like the drink. Allegedly, it was invented by a bartender in Hollywood to serve the young Shirley Temple, but the actress herself has refuted this story.

To make a Shirley Temple:

• Put some crushed ice in a tall glass
• Pour 7.5 ml of grenadine and 7.5 ml of fresh lime juice over the ice
• Top up with ginger beer and stir gently to combine
• To finish the look, skewer two cherries with a cocktail stick and lay over the top of the glass.

Roy Rogers

This drink takes its name from actor, singer, and Western heartthrob Roy Rogers, nicknamed “America’s Favorite Cowboy.”

To make a Roy Rogers:

• Put some crushed ice in a tall glass
• Add 7.5 ml of grenadine
• Top with cola and garnish with a single cherry
• If you don’t have time to make cocktails, you can enjoy grenadine as a cordial. Simply mix with crushed ice and water to make a refreshing drink, perfect for a sunny day.

Cocktails with Grenadine Syrup

If you’re planning your next cocktail party, there are plenty of mouthwatering drinks to choose from. But what are the best grenadine cocktails? We’ve chosen five of our favourites to delight your taste buds and get the party started.  

Tequila Sunrise

No list of grenadine cocktails would be complete without the Tequila Sunrise. First mixed in Phoenix by Gene Sulit in the 1930s, this cocktail reached the height of its popularity in the 1970s. The drink became a favorite of the Rolling Stones when they toured America in the 70s, its retro appeal and iconic sunrise effect have made this drink a modern classic. 

And it’s simple to make, too:

• Take a highball glass, half-fill with ice, and pour in 50ml of tequila
• Top up with fresh orange juice and stir to mix
• Add a dash of grenadine and watch as it sinks to the bottom, creating that famous sunrise effect
• Decorate with a cocktail umbrella for an added touch of retro kitsch

The popularity of the Tequila Sunrise has led to many popular variations, so if you want to try something a bit different, you can swap the tequila for vodka to make a Vodka Sunrise, or use half orange and half pineapple juice for a Florida Sunrise.

Pomegranate and Lime Margarita

If you can’t get enough of that pomegranate flavor, then the Pomegranate and Lime Margarita is the drink for you. Flavoured with grenadine and pomegranate juice with a dash of zesty lime, it adds a sophisticated twist to the classic margarita. The margarita itself is a mixture of cultures: similar Mexican mixed drinks using tequila became popular during prohibition when U.S. citizens went south of the border in search of alcohol.

To make, follow these easy steps:

• Pour 250 ml of pomegranate juice into a cocktail shaker
• Add 55 ml lime juice or lemon juice
• Add 150 ml of white tequila
• 75 ml grenadine syrup
• Shake until the ingredients are well mixed
• Fill two cocktail glasses with crushed ice and pour your margarita into the glasses. Enjoy ice cold.

The Lover

For romantic nights in, set the mood with The Lover. This vodka grenadine cocktail is seductive and sophisticated with a passionate red coloring, making it perfect for Valentine’s Day or that special dinner.

To make, follow these easy steps:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice
• Add 30ml Limoncello
• Add 30ml vodka
• Add 30ml Cointreau
• Shake until mixed
• Divide the mixture between two tall fluted glasses
• Top up with chilled Prosecco
• Add a dash of grenadine and stir gently. Garnish with a cherry.

Marilyn Monroe Cocktail

Add a touch of Hollywood glamour with the Marilyn Monroe Cocktail. This indulgent champagne cocktail is dedicated to the blonde bombshell herself and was one of her favourite drinks.

To make:

• Pour 113 ml champagne
• 28 ml apple brandy and 5 ml grenadine into a champagne saucer
• Garnish with two cherries on a stick.

Gin Daisy

This one is for the gin lovers. The Gin Daisy is a real vintage classic, with the first known recipe published in New York in 1876. It is arguably the forerunner of many other cocktails, including the cosmopolitan, the sidecar, and the margarita (which means daisy in Spanish). A refreshing hit of zesty lemon makes this the toast of the speakeasy.

To make:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with crushed ice
• Add 50 ml of your favourite gin
• Add 10 ml lemon juice and a dash of grenadine
• Shake to mix
• Fill a glass with more ice
• Pour the mixture over the top
• Top up with club soda and garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint

If you're looking for more creative ideas to impress your cocktail party guests, consider using fresh herbs and florals to make drinks to remember.