✔ Updated · the basic shake ratio, 40 flavors and my tricks for a straw-standing thick shake
A homemade milkshake takes five minutes and tastes like summer vacation, and here are 40 of my favorites. Start with my basic ratio, then go wild with fruit, candy, coffee and copycat shakes.
For one thick milkshake, blend 3 big scoops of ice cream (about 1 1/2 cups) with 1/4 to 1/2 cup cold whole milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla for 20 to 30 seconds, just until smooth. Less milk makes it thicker; more milk makes it sippable. Add your flavor (fruit, syrup, cookies or peanut butter) with the milk, and blend briefly so it stays thick.
- Ratio: 3 scoops ice cream to 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
- Thicker: less milk, frozen fruit, or a few minutes' softening of the ice cream instead of extra milk
- Thinner: add milk 1 tablespoon at a time
- No blender? Mash softened ice cream and milk in a bowl with a whisk, or shake in a sealed jar
My Tips for the Best Homemade Milkshake
- Let the ice cream soften for 5 minutes. It blends faster, so you need less milk and less blending, which keeps the shake thick.
- Milk goes in first. Liquid at the bottom helps the blades grab the ice cream.
- Pulse, don't power through. 20 to 30 seconds is plenty. Stop when it's smooth.
- Freeze the glasses. Ten minutes in the freezer and your shake stays frosty to the last sip.
- Make it a party. At my house Lucy is in charge of whipped cream and sprinkles, and Max judges every shake by whether the straw stands up on its own.
Classic Milkshakes
1. Vanilla Milkshake
The one every other shake is built on: real vanilla ice cream, whole milk and a splash of vanilla.
How: Blend 3 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1/3 cup milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth.
2. Chocolate Milkshake
Thick, rich and fudgy, with chocolate ice cream and a ribbon of chocolate syrup in the glass.
Get the recipe →3. Strawberry Milkshake
Sweet, pink and bursting with berries. Fresh strawberries give the brightest flavor; frozen ones make it extra thick.
How: Blend 3 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp sugar.
4. Banana Milkshake
Creamy, mellow and naturally sweet. Use a frozen banana and you can cut back on the ice cream.
How: Blend 1 frozen banana, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1/2 cup milk and a pinch of cinnamon.
5. Cookies and Cream Milkshake
Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies blended into vanilla ice cream. Leave a few chunks for crunch.
How: Blend ice cream and milk first, then add 4 cookies and pulse 3 or 4 times.
6. Peanut Butter Milkshake
Rich, salty-sweet and super nutty. A drizzle of chocolate sauce turns it into a peanut butter cup in a glass.
How: Blend 3 scoops vanilla ice cream, 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter and 1/3 cup milk.
7. Salted Caramel Milkshake
Buttery caramel with a pinch of flaky salt. Swirl extra caramel around the inside of the glass first.
How: Blend vanilla ice cream, milk, 2 tbsp caramel sauce and a pinch of sea salt.
8. Chocolate Malted Milkshake
The old-fashioned soda fountain classic. Malted milk powder adds a toasty, nostalgic flavor and extra thickness.
How: Add 2 to 3 tbsp malted milk powder to a chocolate milkshake and blend briefly.
Fruit Milkshakes
9. Strawberry Banana Milkshake
Two favorites in one glass: sweet strawberries and creamy banana. A great first shake for little helpers.
How: Blend 1/2 frozen banana, 3/4 cup strawberries, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream and 1/3 cup milk.
10. Blueberry Milkshake
A gorgeous purple shake with a jammy, tangy berry flavor. Frozen wild blueberries make it extra vivid.
How: Blend 1 cup blueberries, 3 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1/4 cup milk and a squeeze of lemon.
11. Cherry Milkshake
Sweet dark cherries blended with vanilla or chocolate ice cream for a Black Forest vibe.
How: Blend 1 cup pitted frozen cherries with ice cream, milk and a drop of almond extract.
12. Peach Milkshake
Summer in a glass. Ripe or frozen peaches with vanilla ice cream and a hint of cinnamon taste like peach cobbler.
How: Blend 1 cup sliced peaches, 3 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1/4 cup milk and a pinch of cinnamon.
13. Mango Milkshake
Thick, tropical and sunshine-yellow. Frozen mango chunks make it so creamy you'll swear it's all ice cream.
How: Blend 1 cup frozen mango, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1/2 cup milk and a squeeze of lime.
14. Virgin Pina Colada Milkshake
Pineapple and coconut, no rum needed. A family-friendly tropical shake and my go-to mocktail for parties.
How: Blend 1 cup frozen pineapple, 1/4 cup cream of coconut, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream and 1/4 cup milk.
15. Date Milkshake
Soft Medjool dates add caramel-like sweetness and a thick, velvety texture. A popular Middle Eastern-style treat.
How: Soak 4 pitted dates in the milk for 10 minutes, then blend with vanilla ice cream.
16. Avocado Milkshake
Surprisingly sweet and silky, like the Southeast Asian avocado shakes. Avocado makes it incredibly creamy.
How: Blend 1 ripe avocado, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk and a handful of ice.
17. Lemonade Milkshake
Bright and tangy, like a lemon creamsicle. Frozen lemonade concentrate does the heavy lifting.
How: Blend 3 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate and a splash of milk.
Decadent Dessert Milkshakes
18. Chocolate Banana Milkshake
Chocolate ice cream and a frozen banana: thick, rich and a bit like a frozen chocolate-dipped banana.
How: Blend 1 frozen banana, 2 scoops chocolate ice cream and 1/2 cup milk.
19. Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake
The lunchbox classic as dessert. Peanut butter shake with a jammy swirl of grape or strawberry jelly.
How: Blend a peanut butter milkshake, then swirl 2 tbsp jelly through the glass.
20. S'mores Milkshake
Toasted marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers, with salty pretzels for crunch. Campfire vibes, no campfire.
How: Blend chocolate ice cream with toasted marshmallows; rim the glass with crushed graham crackers and pretzels.
21. Chocolate Marshmallow Milkshake
Chocolate ice cream blended with marshmallow fluff for a light, cloud-like texture.
How: Blend chocolate ice cream, milk and 1/4 cup marshmallow creme until smooth.
22. Brownie Fudge Milkshake
Chunks of fudgy brownie blended into chocolate ice cream with hot fudge. Totally over the top.
How: Blend chocolate ice cream and milk, add a brownie square and pulse; drizzle warm fudge on top.
23. Pecan Praline Milkshake
Butter pecan ice cream with caramel and candied pecans. Sweet, buttery and very Southern.
How: Blend butter pecan ice cream, milk and caramel; top with chopped candied pecans.
24. Cookie Dough Milkshake
Cookie dough ice cream plus extra bites of edible cookie dough. Use dough made with heat-treated flour and no raw egg.
How: Blend cookie dough ice cream and milk, then stir in edible cookie dough bites.
25. Birthday Cake Milkshake
Vanilla ice cream blended with a slice of vanilla cake and sprinkles. A party in a glass.
How: Blend vanilla ice cream, milk and a small piece of cake; top with whipped cream and sprinkles.
26. Nutella Milkshake
Chocolate-hazelnut spread makes this shake rich and nutty. Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
How: Blend vanilla ice cream, 2 tbsp chocolate-hazelnut spread and 1/3 cup milk.
Coffee Milkshakes
27. Coffee Milkshake
Cold, creamy and gently buzzy. Coffee ice cream plus a shot of cold espresso for the coffee lovers.
How: Blend coffee ice cream with 1 chilled espresso shot and a splash of milk.
28. Mocha Milkshake
Chocolate and coffee together, like an iced mocha that went to dessert school.
How: Blend chocolate ice cream, 1 shot cold espresso or 1 tsp instant espresso and 1/4 cup milk.
29. Tiramisu Milkshake
Espresso, mascarpone and cocoa, with a crumbled ladyfinger on top. All the flavor of tiramisu, no alcohol.
How: Blend vanilla ice cream, 2 tbsp mascarpone, 1 shot cold espresso and milk; dust with cocoa.
Copycat Milkshakes and Frozen Treats
30. Copycat McDonald's Shamrock Shake
A minty, pale green vanilla shake inspired by the seasonal drive-thru favorite. Make it any time of year.
Get the recipe →
31. Copycat Wendy's Frosty
Thick, spoonable chocolate frozen dessert inspired by the fast-food classic. Perfect for dunking fries.
Get the recipe →
32. Copycat Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard
Super-thick vanilla soft serve with crushed cookies, inspired by the famous upside-down treat.
Get the recipe →
33. Copycat McDonald's Oreo McFlurry
Creamy vanilla soft serve swirled with cookie pieces, inspired by the drive-thru dessert.
Get the recipe →
34. Copycat McDonald's Eggnog Shake
A creamy holiday shake with eggnog and nutmeg, inspired by the seasonal menu item.
Get the recipe →
35. Frozen Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate flavor, blended icy and thick. A fun one for warm days when you still want cocoa.
Get the recipe →
Holiday and Seasonal Milkshakes
36. Pumpkin Spice Milkshake
Pumpkin pie in a glass, with real pumpkin puree, warm spices and a graham cracker rim.
How: Blend vanilla ice cream, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and milk.
37. Gingerbread Milkshake
Molasses, ginger and cinnamon blended into vanilla ice cream. Crush a gingerbread cookie on top.
Get the recipe →38. Peppermint Candy Cane Milkshake
Cool, pink and festive. Crushed candy canes blended in and sprinkled on top.
How: Blend vanilla ice cream, milk and 2 crushed candy canes; rim the glass with more.
39. Mint White Chocolate Milkshake
Mint ice cream with melted white chocolate for a sweet, creamy, cool twist on mint chocolate chip.
How: Blend mint ice cream and milk; drizzle melted white chocolate inside the glass first.
40. Root Beer Float Milkshake
The float, blended. Vanilla ice cream and root beer make a fizzy, creamy, nostalgic shake.
How: Blend 3 scoops vanilla ice cream with 1/3 cup root beer, then top up with a splash more.
Boozy Milkshakes for Grown-Ups
These are alcoholic and only for adults of legal drinking age. For an Irish cream milkshake, blend 3 scoops vanilla ice cream with 1 1/2 ounces (one shot) of Irish cream liqueur and a splash of milk. A spiked pina colada shake gets 1 ounce of white rum. Keep these well away from the kids' glasses. For an alcohol-free option, the virgin pina colada milkshake above is my favorite mocktail. More ideas: Baileys hot chocolate.
Common Milkshake Mistakes
- Too much milk. Start with 1/4 cup. You can always add more.
- Adding ice. It waters the shake down. Use frozen fruit instead.
- Over-blending. The motor heats the shake and makes it runny.
- Using cheap, airy ice cream. Dense, full-fat ice cream makes the creamiest shake.
- Raw cookie dough or raw eggs. Only use edible cookie dough made with heat-treated flour, and pasteurized eggs if a recipe calls for egg.
More Sweet Sips and Treats
Love a cold treat? Try our Dr Pepper float, a peanut butter banana smoothie or a copycat Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino. Picking an ice cream base? Browse our guide to ice cream flavors or make homemade rocky road ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a milkshake thicker?
Use less milk, start with ice cream straight from the freezer, and blend only until smooth: over-blending warms and thins it. Frozen fruit, a frozen banana or a spoonful of malted milk powder also thicken a shake. Chill your glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes so it stays thick longer.
Can you make a milkshake without ice cream?
Yes. Blend 1 cup cold milk with a frozen banana or 1 cup frozen fruit, a little sugar or honey, vanilla and a handful of ice. Greek yogurt adds creaminess. It's lighter and closer to a smoothie, but still thick, cold and delicious.
What milk is best for milkshakes?
Whole milk gives the creamiest, richest milkshake. 2% works fine, and half-and-half makes it extra indulgent. For dairy-free shakes, use oat milk or canned coconut milk with a dairy-free ice cream; oat milk is the creamiest plant milk.
Can you make a milkshake without a blender?
Yes. Let the ice cream soften for 5 minutes, then whisk it hard with the milk in a bowl, or put both in a large jar with a tight lid and shake for a minute or two. An immersion blender in a tall cup also works well.
Can you make milkshakes ahead of time?
Milkshakes are best fresh, but you can blend them, pour into freezer-safe cups and freeze for up to a day. Let them sit 10 to 15 minutes, then stir or re-blend briefly. Add toppings like whipped cream just before serving.
