How to Make a Vanilla Milkshake

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 4, 2022 References Approved

A milkshake is one of the most refreshing and delightful drinks. It can be made with a variety of different ingredients, but a vanilla milkshake is classic, and it comes down to just two essential things: milk and vanilla ice cream. If you are vegan, don't worry; you can make one too!

Ingredients

Basic Vanilla Milkshake^{[1]
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1 cup (144 grams) vanilla ice cream (about 4 scoops)
¾ cup (180 milliliters) milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Makes 1 to 2 servings

Vegan Vanilla Milkshake

1 cup (150 grams) cashew pieces
½ cup (120 milliliters) coconut milk (or almond milk)
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (140 grams) ice (about 5 to 7 cubes)

Makes 1 to 2 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making a Basic Vanilla Milkshake

1
Pour the milk into a blender. You can use any type of milk you want, including low-fat, whole, almond, or soy. Whole milk or 2% milk will give you the most flavorful milkshake, however.
- If you only have skim milk, but would like something richer, add a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream.
- For a thicker milkshake, use only ½ cup (120 milliliters) milk. For a thinner milkshake, use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of milk.
2
Add the vanilla ice cream. If the ice cream is too hard to scoop, it will be too hard for your blender. Let it thaw on the counter for a few minutes until it is soft enough to scoop out.

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3
Add your touch of vanilla extract and/or sugar if desired. If you like your ice cream extra sweet, you can sweeten it further with some vanilla extract or sugar.^{[2]
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Research source} You can use agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, or stevia instead.
4
Blend everything on medium until well mixed, about 5 to 10 seconds. From time to time, pause the blender, and scrape the mixture down the sides using a spatula. This will help everything mix more evenly. If you want a thinner, frothier smoothie, blend it for a few more seconds.
5
Pour into 1 or 2 tall glasses and serve immediately. You can serve the milkshake as is, or garnish it with a swirl of honey or chocolate sauce.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Vegan Vanilla Milkshake

1
Add the cashew pieces and milk. If you are using coconut milk, make sure that you use the kind that comes in a carton and not the canned kind. The canned kind is too thick and rich for milkshakes.
2
Blend the ingredients to create a smooth base. Blend on a low speed for 10 seconds first, then on medium to medium-low speed for another 10 seconds. Finish off blending for 40 seconds on a medium to medium-high speed. This creates a smooth base for your milkshake.
3
Add the agave nectar, vanilla extract, and ice. For a richer, more flavorful milkshake, omit the ice and use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of frozen coconut milk or almond milk instead. Freeze the milk in an ice cube tray the night before.^{[3]
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- If you can't find agave nectar, you can use maple syrup or stevia instead.
- If you can find it, try 1 cup (144 grams) of vegan vanilla ice cream instead of ice.
- You can also add 1 peeled and sliced banana alongside the ice to help thicken your milkshake.^{[4]
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- For an extra thick shake, use frozen coconut cream instead of coconut milk.^{[5]
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  Research source} It will be the most similar to ice cream.
4
Blend for 20 seconds, or until the milkshake is smooth and creamy. Make sure that there are no chunks of ice. From time to time, you may have to pause the blender, and scrape down the sides using a spatula. This will help everything blend more smoothly.
5
Pour the milkshake into 1 or 2 tall glasses and serve immediately. You can serve it as is, or garnish it with a sprinkle of crushed cashew nuts. Enjoy it while it is still cold!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Enhancing the Milkshake

1
Make your milkshake fancier with extra garnishes or toppings. Instead of serving the milkshake plain, why not dress it up with some tasty toppings? Here are some ideas:^{[6]
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- Sprinkle some shaved chocolate or coconut on top.
- Swirl on some chocolate sauce or honey.
- For something simple, add a sliced strawberry onto the rim.
- For a sundae, swirl some whipped cream on top, and drizzle on some chocolate sauce. Top it off with a maraschino cherry and a dash of colorful sprinkles.
- For a wintery treat, pop in a peppermint stick. Garnish with a swirl of strawberry sauce to match the stick. You can also use chocolate sauce and a mint leaf instead.
2
Try a vanilla ice cream with other flavors mixed into it. Vanilla ice cream doesn't just come plain; sometimes, it has other goodies mixed into it, such as cookies-n-cream or chocolate-swirl. You can also mix and match different ice cream flavors. For example, you could use 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream and 1 scoop of peppermint ice cream for a subtle mint flavor.
3
Pour in flavorful liquids, like chocolate or caramel sauce. Other ideas include peanut butter, mint or almond extract, and even a tablespoon of jelly or jam for a fruity kick. Try Nutella, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate milk. If it tastes good in a dessert, chances are good it will taste good in a milkshake.
- Avoid citrus, like orange juice. It can cause the milk to curdle if it gets too warm.
4
Add some crumbled cookies or crushed candies for extra crunch. Add the cookies halfway through mixing to prevent the cookies from turning to dust.^{[7]
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Research source} Smash hard candies in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, and add them towards the beginning of the mixing to help them blend better.
- For the popular cookies-n-cream milkshake, use Oreo cookies—or a similar chocolate sandwich cookie.
- For a wintery milkshake, use crushed peppermint candies. You can often find them pre-crushed in small jars during the holidays in arts and crafts shops and grocery stores.
5
Add a ½ cup (60 grams) of vanilla cake mix and top with sprinkles for a birthday cake milkshake. Simply add it in with the rest of the ingredients and blend it until smooth for a deliciously sweet variation on a classic vanilla milkshake. Garnish with sprinkles.^{[8]
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6
Toss in fresh fruit for a fruity kick. Strawberries and/or bananas are the most popular choices, but you can experiment with other types of fruit as well, including: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and pomegranate seeds.
- For a smoother milkshake, add the fruit towards the beginning, and keep blending until it is completely mixed in.
- For a chunkier smoothie, add the fruit towards the end. This works best with berries, and breaks the fruit up enough to release flavor but not enough to lose texture.
7
Infuse the milk with fresh vanilla bean before adding it for an all-natural vanilla flavor. Cut open a vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the empty pod to ½ cup (120 milliliters) of milk, and cook it for 4 to 5 minutes over low heat. Strain out the vanilla seeds/pod and let the milk cool before using it.^{[9]
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Community Q&A

Question

How many milkshakes does this make?

Community Answer

This depends on what size glass you use. Smaller glasses mean more shakes.
Question

What can I substitute for vanilla extract?

Community Answer

You can substitute the same amount of maple syrup or half the amount of almond extract.
Question

Is it easy to make a vanilla milkshake?

Community Answer

Yes.