How To Make a Milkshake

Learn How to Make a Milkshake at home from scratch! We will teach you how to make delicious vanilla, strawberry and chocolate milkshakes plus give you ideas for more flavors and combinations.

When was the last time you treated yourself to a milkshake? It’s one of our favorite desserts to make at home with the kids and I’m showing you how to make the best milkshakes in not just one flavor but three! Whichever is your favorite, you will love how easy this ice cream milkshake is to make at home with the perfect consistency. Add your favorite toppings and before you know it, you’ll have a shake that looks ike it came from a fancy soda shop!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Once you have a base milkshake recipe, it’s so easy to customize the flavor.
• The strawberry milkshake is made with fresh fruit for the best flavor! The chocolate has rich chocolate sauce, and the vanilla is a classic – simple and sweet!
• With the right ingredients and tools, you can make and serve your amazing milkshakes like a pro.

Ingredients for Homemade Milkshakes

• Ice cream – Use vanilla or chocolate ice cream. For the creamiest shake, use full fat! Ensure you are buying ice cream, and not “frozen dessert.”

• Milk – Use whatever milk you like, but I recommend using a higher fat milk because it will make the shake much more rich and creamy. We usually go with 2% milk to make a nice thick drive-in-style milkshake. You can also use heavy cream to make it extra creamy. If you must use a dairy free milk, it will work, it just won’t be as creamy.
• Chocolate syrup – Add your favorite storebought syrup or even a homemade sauce to chocolate ice cream to make a chocolate shake.
• Strawberries – Add fresh strawberries to the blender for a strawberry shake or use them as a garnish. Or both!
• Optional garnish – We love adding whipped topping, sprinkles and maraschino cherries to our homemade milkshakes.

What Are Some Other Flavors To Make?

• Oreo Milkshake: Make a vanilla milkshake and add crushed Oreo cookies when you blend the shake.
• Mint Cookies and Cream: Use chocolate or vanilla ice cream and add crushed mint Oreos when you blend.
• Very Berry: Make a vanilla shake with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries with milk to make a fruity, creamy shake.
• Mocha Milkshake: Blend coffee ice cream with chocolate sauce and milk to make a delicious shake that tastes like a coffee house drink. You could also just add a shot of espresso (cooled) to a chocolate shake.
• Tropical Shake: Mix fresh pineapple or mango with a vanilla shake to make a refreshing ice cream treat.
• Banana Milkshake: Blend a banana with vanilla or chocolate ice cream and milk.
• Banana Strawberry: Add fresh banana with strawberries and vanilla ice cream.
• Chocolate Caramel: Add caramel sauce to chocolate ice cream and milk and blend them together.
• Peach: Combine fresh peach slices with vanilla ice cream and milk.

Best Milkshake Toppings

The options for milkshake toppings are endless so get creative! The kids will love this part. Here are a few of our favorite topping ideas to add on top of your whipped cream.

• Chocolate syrup
• Strawberry sauce
• Caramel sauce
• Blueberry Sauce
• Hot Fudge Sauce
• Crushed cookies
• Sliced or chopped nuts
• Fresh fruit
• Candy
• Melted marshmallow
• Hard candy toppings
• Sprinkles
• Nut butter drizzle
• Cookie dough

How To Make A Milkshake At Home

Place large scoops of ice cream into the blender. Add milk. If you are making strawberry or chocolate milkshakes, add the fruit or sauce.

Process until the ingredients are well combined and creamy.

Pour the milkshake into a glass, top with whipped cream, a cherry and some sprinkles. You can also add any of your other favorite toppings!

Add a fun straw and a long-handled spoon for serving. Enjoy!

Storage

Freezer: If you start feeling like you’re too full to finish your milkshake, just cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer! When you’re ready to indulge again, take it out and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to soften. Give it a stir and you are all set!

How do you make a milkshake without a blender?

You can use a food processor or a hand blender (immersion blender). But making a milkshake in a blender is the easiest way.

You can also melt the ice cream a little and stir it to make a milkshake. Place your ice cream in a microwave safe bowl then microwave it until it can easily be squished with a spoon about 15-30 seconds.

After your ice cream is softened, add milk and any mix-ins. Another option is to put it in a jar and shake it vigorously until well-mixed.

Your family will love homemade milkshakes! This is such a fun treat to make at home and the flavor combos are endless – although you can’t go wrong with the classics. Pick up the ingredients and treat yourself to a new weekly family tradition: milkshake night!

How To Serve Homemade Milkshakes

These cool treats are great for dessert or even as an afternoon pick me up. Set up a toppings bar so everyone can pick and choose what they like to add on top of their shakes. The kids will love being creative with this one!

More Ice Cream Desserts

• Affogato is a classic Italian coffee ice cream dessert that is super simple to make anytime you’re craving a sweet caffeinated treat.
• For a grown-up treat, make a Grasshopper Ice Cream Dessert. Light, fluffy, and so minty – you will love it.
• Dessert Nachos are a fun dessert treat with cinnamon tortilla chips, fruit, ice cream and chocolate sauce. Perfect for sharing!
• Everyone loves a classic Root Beer Float. They are so easy to make and look pretty with whipped cream and a cherry on top!
• Love a good sweet and salty combo? Then you will flip over this smooth, creamy and delicious Peanut Butter Milkshake.