Strawberry? Peppermint fudge? Bananarama? Any flavor you like! Learn how to make milkshakes from scratch with our step-by-step guide (plus pretty pictures).
Milkshakes are one of the most iconic American desserts. They’re refreshingly cool, slurp-ably sweet and come in pretty much any flavor you can imagine. But you don’t need to belly up to a vinyl booth to enjoy one. Making a milkshake from scratch is simple. If you’ve got a tub of ice cream on hand, you’re halfway there. Follow along as our test kitchen shows how to make the most flavorful milkshake.
In the mood for more classic sweets? These vintage dessert recipes are making a comeback.
How to Make the Best Milkshake Ever
Ingredients
1/3 cup milk.
You can use 2%, whole milk, or a blend of milk and half-and-half.
1-1/2 cups ice cream
Vanilla makes a good base for most shakes, or you can use a flavor like chocolate.
Delicious mix-ins!
Think a swirl of chocolate syrup, peanut butter, a chopped banana or other fruit, a handful of chocolate or butterscotch chips (we could go on and on…)
A blender, of course.
You can use a classic stand blender-or an immersion blender if you want to make it right in your glass.
Instructions
Step 1: Add the Milk, Ice Cream and Mix-Ins
Learn how to make a milkshake
TASTE OF HOME
Send your ingredients straight to the blender. For best results, put in your milk first. That will get the blender mixing quickly. Be sure to let your ice cream soften before scooping. If it’s too hard, you might end up having to add more milk, which thins the shake.
Test Kitchen tip: For an ultra-rich shake, use whole milk or milk with a little half-and-half cream. But never use heavy cream. If you send that through the blender, it’ll create little bits of butter.
We’re going to make a strawberry shake, so we’ll add 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries and 1 tablespoon strawberry preserves.
Editor’s tip: Remember that any ingredients you add will soon be pulverized in the blender. If you want to keep the size and shape of mix-ins like sprinkles, cherries or chocolate chips, it’s best to reserve as a garnish.
Step 2: Blend ’til smooth
Ice cream, milk and strawberries in a blender
It’s time to blend away. You’ll want to keep an eye on the consistency. This recipe creates a Goldilocks-style shake: not too firm and not too soft (runny). Of course, you can always customize it either way. Use less milk for a thicker, spoonable shake; more for a thinner, sippable one.
Be sure to check our our Test Kitchen’s recommendation for the best blender for your milkshake.
Step 3: Pour and Enjoy!
Strawberry milkshake in a glass with a green striped straw sticking out
Pour your milkshake into a chilled glass to serve. It tastes great straight-up or topped with a tower of whipped cream. Feeling fancy? Layer on toppings like chocolate syrup, sugary cereal or rainbow sprinkles. Once you’ve mastered the classic garnishes, try these crazy takes!
