A Sip Back in Time

It’s summertime, and there’s nothing more nostalgic than sipping a cold, creamy milkshake under the sun. A classic treat that brings back memories of simpler days—when neighborhood kids worked behind the counters of local shake shops, blending up sweet creations with a smile. Whether you’re reliving those golden days or creating new ones, a good milkshake is the perfect way to cool down and indulge in a timeless favorite.

Yes, milkshakes are essentially just ice cream and milk, but a few tiny tips (plus tasty variations!) will help you make milkshakes that taste just as good as the ones you usually order at the ice cream parlor. Once you’ve created your dream milkshake, pour it into chilled glasses and garnish to your heart’s content. Serve with straws and a long spoon if you’ve got chunky mix-ins. Relish each and every sip, which I highly recommend you do outside in the sun.

Key Ingredients for Milkshakes

Ice cream: For homemade milkshakes, it’s best to start with ice cream that doesn’t already have mix-ins. You can use any flavor you like (vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry are classic!). Instead, add mix-ins separately at the end so they get chopped up small enough to suck up the straw, but not so small that they turn the whole milkshake gritty.
Milk: You’ll need 2/3 cup milk, which is enough to get things moving but doesn’t overwhelm the ice cream flavor. Whole milk makes the creamiest milkshakes, but work with what you’ve got!

How to Make Milkshakes

Let the ice cream soften. Let the ice cream sit out at room temperature until starting to soften.
Chill your glasses and chop any mix-ins. Place the milkshake glasses your freezer if there’s room, or you can chill them in the refrigerator.
Layer the ingredients in the blender. Layer the ingredients in a blender in this order: milk, flavor boost if using, and softened ice cream.
Blend. Starting on the lowest speed and working your way up to medium speed, blend until the milkshake is smooth and pourable.
Pulse in the mix-ins. If using mix-ins, add them to the blender and stir in until submerged. Pulse a few times to just combine. Do not overmix or the mix-ins will pulverize and make the milkshake gritty.
Serve. If desired, drizzle some chocolate syrup or caramel sauce down the sides of the chilled glasses. Divide the milkshake between the glasses. Garnish with toppings as desired.

Ingredients

1 pint ice cream (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup milk, preferably whole

Flavor boost options:

1 tablespoon malted milk powder or powdered milk
1 tablespoon strawberry jam
1 tablespoon vanilla or chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or espresso powder

Mix-in and topping options:

1/2 cup coarsely chopped candy, nuts, cookies, or fruit
Chocolate syrup or sauce
Caramel sauce
Whipped cream
Maraschino cherries
Sprinkles
Finely chopped nuts

Instructions

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Let 1 pint ice cream sit out at room temperature until starting to soften, 10 to 15 minutes (softened ice cream will blend with ease and require less milk to get things moving). Give the container a squeeze — it shouldn’t be rock hard and should give slightly when it’s ready. Meanwhile, chill the glasses and prepare any mix-ins.
If you have room in your freezer, stick 2 tall drinking or milkshake glasses in there, or else chill the glasses in the refrigerator. This will ensure the milkshake stays cold as long as possible. Coarsely chop until you have 1/2 cup mix-ins of your choice, you want the pieces to be about 1/2-inch.
Layer the ingredients in a blender in this order: 2/3 cup milk, flavor boost if using, and softened ice cream. Don’t put in any mix-ins yet!
Starting on the lowest speed and working your way up to medium speed, blend until the milkshake is smooth and pourable, about 1 minute. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides or stir as needed to keep things moving. You want a final consistency that pours like lava.
If using mix-ins, add 1/2 cup to the blender and stir it in so that it’s submerged. Pulse a few times (6 to 8 pulses) to just combine, do not overmix or the mix-ins will pulverize and make the milkshake gritty.
If desired, drizzle some chocolate syrup or caramel sauce down the sides of the chilled glasses. Divide the milkshake between the glasses. Garnish with toppings as desired and serve immediately with straws.