Roy Rogers Drink (2024)

by Lauren Pacek · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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A Roy Rogers Drink is a classic mocktail made up of cola and grenadine. Since it's non-alcoholic, it's totally kid-friendly. But I have a feeling that the adults will love this drink, too!

This is a sweet and satisfying sip. The kiddos will like it because it's sweet. Plus the addition of grenadine and a maraschino cherry make plain cola feel downright fancy. And the adults will like it, too, because it tastes good, of course. Plus, if the big kids feel the need to make this into an adult beverage, all one would need to do is add a shot of vodka or other liquor into the mix.

Roy Rogers Drink (1)
Jump to:
  • What is a Roy Rogers Drink?
  • Who was Roy Rogers?
  • What's in a Roy Rogers Drink?
  • How do you make it?
  • Recommended tools
  • Other family- and kid-friendly drinks
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Share your creations and follow me on social media!
  • Roy Rogers Drink
  • Pin this recipe for later!

What is a Roy Rogers Drink?

A Roy Rogers Drink is a non-alcoholic mixed drink (sometimes called a "mocktail") named after the actor and singer Roy Rogers.

It's a sweet concoction that's somewhat similar to another famous mocktail, the Shirley Temple.

Who was Roy Rogers?

The man, the myth, the legend... But no, really. Who is Roy Rogers? I didn't know who he was (let alone if he was a real, actual person) when I first discovered this drink. I had to do a bit of googling. Here's what I learned:

Roy Rogers was an American singer and actor, often starring in Westerns, who was known as the"King of the Cowboys." He even had his own radio, and later television, show that was aptly titled The Roy Rogers Show. In his later years, he also lent his moniker to the chain of Roy Rogers restaurants.

What's in a Roy Rogers Drink?

Just two ingredients! Well, three if you include the garnish.

  • Grenadine: Grenadine is a sweet pomegranate-flavored bar syrup. Many people mistakenly think that grenadine is cherry-flavored. Nope, it's pomegranate! Try to find a good quality grenadine or make your own.
  • Cola: co*ke would be a natural choice here. I prefer Mexico*ke (Mexican Coca Cola) because it's made with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup (like the co*ke that's made in the U.S.). You can't miss it, as it's sold in glass bottles. We tend to find ours at Costco.
  • Maraschino cherry: Just because we're making a mocktail doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to make the drink look as pretty as possible, right?

How do you make it?

This one is an easy one to make.

Start out by pouring the grenadine into a tall glass with ice.

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Top it off with some cola. Watch out for the fizz.

Give everything a gentle stir so that the grenadine gets incorporated throughout the drink. If you don't do this, you run the risk of having some VERY sweet sips and an unbalanced drink. You can totally use a regular spoon, but I like to use a bar spoon when stirring my drinks, regardless of whether they're co*cktails or mocktails.

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Garnish with a maraschino cherry and stick a paper or reusable straw in there and have at it! I was a little hasty and didn't end up using straw, but it'd be a useful and cute addition, if you feel like it.

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Even though this is a very kid-friendly drink as written, you could certainly add 1.5 ounces of vodka to the mix if you wanted to make it an adult beverage.

Other family- and kid-friendly drinks

On the lookout for other delicious and fun non-alcoholic drinks? Check these out:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use diet cola in this recipe?

Sure, if you like. If the sugar content is a concern (e.g., if you have diabetes), you can also seek out a sugar-free grenadine.

What makes this different than a Shirley Temple?

A Shirley Temple uses lemon lime soda, whereas a Roy Rogers uses cola. Other than that, they're pretty much the same!

Can this be turned into a co*cktail?

Sure can! I mentioned that you could toss a shot of vodka into this drink, if you so desired, but feel free to use whatever liquor you fancy.

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Roy Rogers Drink (6)

Roy Rogers Drink

Lauren Pacek

A Roy Rogers Drink is a classic mocktail made up of cola and grenadine. Since it's non-alcoholic, it's totally kid-friendly. But I have a feeling that the adults will love this drink, too!

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 2 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Additional Time 0 mins

Total Time 2 mins

Course Non-Alcoholic

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Calories 124 kcal

Ingredients

  • 0.5 ounces grenadine
  • 6 ounces cola
  • maraschino cherry for garnish

Instructions

  • Pour the grenadine into a tall glass filled with ice.

  • Top with cola and stir gently.

  • Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 124kcalCarbohydrates: 31gSodium: 10mgSugar: 27g

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Keyword roy rogers drink

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Roy Rogers Drink (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between a Roy Rogers and a Shirley Temple? ›

What's the difference between a Shirley Temple drink and a Roy Rogers drink? While they are similar, a “Shirley Temple” has grenadine, lemon-lime soda, and a maraschino cherry while a “Roy Rogers” is made with grenadine, cola (like co*ke), and a maraschino cherry.

Why do they call it a Roy Rogers? ›

It's similar to a Shirley Temple, but uses cola instead of ginger ale or lemon lime soda. The drink was named after Roy Rodgers, the 1940's and 50's movie star and singer famous for portraying cowboys in Westerns (he's the man behind the song “Happy Trails”).

Is a Roy Rogers the same as a Cherry co*ke? ›

A Roy Rogers tastes similar to a cherry co*ke, but it's actually made with grenadine which is usually made from pomegranate and other flavors. It gives the drink a tart and sweet flavor.

Is Shirley Temple vodka or rum? ›

The Shirley Temple Black Drink is a Rum spiked twist on the classic Shirley Temple. The classic combination of grenadine, lemon lime soda, and maraschino cherries is complimented with the spicy finish of dark rum.

What is a spiked Roy Rogers called? ›

A simple alcoholic drink called a Dirty Roy (Rogers) is created with cola, grenadine, alcohol of your choice (whiskey, vodka, bourbon) and topped with maraschino cherries.

What is Cherry co*ke called? ›

Coca-Cola Cherry (originally marketed and still commonly referred to as Cherry co*ke) is a cherry-flavored version of Coca-Cola. It is produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers in the United States and some international markets.

Is Dr Pepper really Cherry co*ke? ›

No. When Dr Pepper was created there was no such thing as a cherry cola. The drink is in the”spicy cherry” category, so that's why the taste similarity.

What is co*ke and orange juice called? ›

Mezzo Mix (official notation: mezzo mix) is a product of The Coca-Cola Company, first introduced in Germany in 1973. It is a mixture of orange soda and cola, a beverage popular in German-speaking countries, commonly known there as spezi, the generic trademark of the first brand of that type of soda.

Why is Cherry co*ke so good? ›

Cherry co*ke

This co*ke option has a crisp, sugary flavor profile that doesn't taste overly sweet. It has a fruity aftertaste that tickles your throat but doesn't overstay its welcome. Compared to a 20-fluid ounce bottle of regular co*ke, Cherry co*ke has lower caffeine, sugar, carbohydrate, and sodium content.

What came first Roy Rogers or Shirley Temple? ›

The Shirley Temple came first, there are different versions of how it came about.

What is the boy version of a Shirley Temple called? ›

So many people ask if there is a male version of the Shirley Temple. Yes there is! It's the Roy Rogers. A Roy Roger's drink is also non-alcoholic made with co*ke and grenadine syrup.

What's another name for a Shirley Temple drink? ›

Shirley Temples are often served as an alternative to alcoholic co*cktails, as are the similar Roy Rogers and Arnold Palmer. In some regions of the Midwestern United States, the co*cktail is referred to as a Kiddie co*cktail, owing to it often being served to children.

Why was it called a Shirley Temple? ›

The drink was named after iconic child actress Shirley Temple. Legend has it that when she was out to dinner at a nice restaurant with her parents and other Hollywood types who were all enjoying co*cktails, the bartender made her a special nonalcoholic drink so she could feel fancy too.

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