Roy Rogers
intro
A bubbly, sweet retro non-alcoholic American soda fountain classic, made with cola and grenadine, topped with a maraschino cherry for all-ages summer refreshment.
Ingredients
Steps
Chill serving glasses
Place 4 12-oz (350ml) clear highball glasses in the freezer for 3 minutes to chill thoroughly, which prevents fast ice melt and keeps the drink cold longer after assembly.
Add ice to glasses
Remove the chilled glasses from the freezer, then add 1 cup (120g) of fresh, solid ice cubes to each glass, filling each to roughly two-thirds capacity to leave room for liquid and garnish.
Add flavored syrups
Pour 1 tablespoon (15ml) of grenadine syrup and ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) of reserved maraschino cherry jar syrup into each ice-filled glass, pouring directly over the ice so the thick syrups sink to the bottom for a subtle layered effect.
Top with cold cola
Slowly pour 1 cup (240ml) of well-chilled regular cola down the inner side of each glass held at a 45-degree angle, which preserves carbonation and prevents the soda from fizzing over the rim.
Lightly stir mixture
Insert a long-handled bar spoon into each glass and stir slowly exactly 2 to 3 times to lightly combine the syrups with the cola; do not over-stir, as this will flatten the soda’s carbonation quickly.
Garnish and serve
Skewer 1 maraschino cherry per drink on a small bamboo cocktail pick, rest the pick across the rim of each glass, add a striped paper straw if desired, and serve immediately while the drink is cold and fully carbonated.
Tips
2.Avoid stirring the drink more than 3 times, as excessive agitation will release all of the cola’s carbonation, leaving the drink flat and less refreshing.
3.Keep cola, grenadine, and maraschino cherries chilled in the refrigerator before assembly to reduce ice melt, which can dilute the drink’s balanced sweet, fruity flavor.
OMG this is so easy to throw together! I made these for our family BBQ last weekend and even the die-hard soda snobs were asking for refills. I added an extra maraschino cherry per glass because why not, total game changer for hot summer afternoons.
Was looking for a fun non-alcoholic option for our kiddo’s birthday party and this did not disappoint! Took all of 3 minutes to mix up a big pitcher, zero fancy ingredients needed. My kids loved it so much they asked for it with dinner the next two nights.
SO good! I used diet cola and homemade grenadine to cut down on added sugar, and it tasted just like the fancy mocktails they charge $12 for at restaurants. 10/10 will be making this for my weekly movie night with roommates.
Perfect easy drink for our weekly family dinner nights! My youngest is super picky about drinks and he drank two full glasses before he even finished his chicken nuggets. Only note: I’d go light on the grenadine if you don’t love super sweet drinks, it’s easy to overpour!
Was so tired of seltzer being the only non-alcoholic option at friend hangouts, so I brought a batch of these to our game night last week. Everyone was raving — even the friends who usually make fun of mocktails were asking for the recipe! Absolute game changer for anyone doing dry January or just cutting back on booze.
Made this after a long hot hike this weekend and it hit the spot! I used cherry cola instead of regular for extra cherry flavor and it was chef’s kiss. No fancy equipment, no weird ingredients, exactly what I want after being out in the sun.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and the whole pitcher was gone in 15 minutes! People kept asking if there was alcohol in it because it tasted that fancy, nope, just three easy ingredients. Will 100% be adding this to my regular potluck rotation.
My teen has been begging to make “fancy drinks” at home so we tried this recipe last night. It was so easy she was able to make the whole thing herself with zero help! She felt so proud serving them to me and her little brother, it was the sweetest thing.
Nice simple mocktail for when we’re hanging out on the patio after a round of golf. I don’t care for super sweet drinks so I used just a half ounce of grenadine per glass and it was perfect. Way better than paying for overpriced drinks at the clubhouse.
Literally the easiest thing I’ve made all semester. I keep grenadine and cola in my dorm mini fridge so I can make this while I study for finals. Way cheaper than buying drinks from the campus coffee shop, and it feels like a little treat when I’m pulling all nighters.
Was skeptical a 3-ingredient drink could be that good, but man was I wrong. Made these alongside my smoked ribs last weekend for the family and everyone was going back for seconds. My sister-in-law is pregnant and she was so happy to have a fun non-alcoholic option that wasn’t just plain water or iced tea.
Tried this after seeing it recommended as a copycat for the Disney World Roy Rogers and it’s spot on! Tastes exactly like the one I get at the parks for a fraction of the price. Now I can have that vacation vibe at home whenever I want.
I love prepping little weekend treats for myself so I don’t blow my budget on takeout drinks during the work week. I portioned out the grenadine into little reusable cups and keep a bottle of cola at my office, so I can mix one up at my desk in 30 seconds. Total game changer for boring work afternoons!