This is the best strawberry milkshake recipe! It's rich and creamy and can be made with fresh or frozen strawberries. It's nothing like the fast-food milkshakes, this one is pure strawberry and it's perfect.
What could be better than an old-fashioned strawberry milkshake on a hot day? I'll take one anytime. When you can make a milkshake at home, there's absolutely no need to go out to get one. What makes this strawberry milkshake so special is that it's made with pure ingredients and you can use fresh or frozen strawberries. It blends up in a matter of minutes and this milkshake recipe will yield one large milkshake - perfect if you're cooking for one.
Although I'm a huge fan of strawberry milkshakes, the ones you find at fast-food restaurants have never been very appealing to me. Those really shouldn't even be called milkshakes, with their fake flavor and pink dye - they're absolutely not what a milkshake should be.
This homemade milkshake is special. It tastes a bit gourmet, but is made with easily accessible ingredients.
Ingredients
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- strawberries
- milk (any percentage)
- heavy cream
- vanilla ice cream
- vanilla extract
- I use heavy cream in this recipe because the cream works as a great thickener. You can certainly leave out the cream if you don't have any on hand or if you want to shave off a few calories. But really, a milkshake is an indulgence. It shouldn't be healthy, it's not a smoothie. In the end, if you want to use only milk, you absolutely can. Just use 1 cup of milk total.
- In a pinch, you can make a strawberry milkshake with just strawberries, ice cream, and milk and it will still be refreshing and delicious. If you want to take it up a notch, add the touch of vanilla as called for in the recipe. The vanilla adds a wonderful richness to the shake.
How To Make A Strawberry Milkshake
- Prepare the strawberries: Hull and slice the strawberries. Place them in the blender.
- Blend the ingredients: Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a glass: Pour the milkshake into a tall glass and top with whipped cream, if desired.
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Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
Yes you can use fresh or frozen strawberries. Using frozen berries will give you a thicker, frostier strawberry shake but it may cause your blender to work a little harder to blend the strawberries. If your blender is struggling, let the strawberries thaw just a little bit so that they blend easier.
Can This Recipe Be Doubled?
This milkshake recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you want to serve 2 or more strawberry milkshakes. Either double or triple the ingredients and blend as directed in the recipe.
Variations
- Strawberry Banana Milkshake: You might like to try adding a banana to your strawberry milkshake. The banana will also work as a thickener.
- Blend in a tablespoon or two of strawberry preserves.
- Use strawberry ice cream instead of vanilla.
- Add blueberries, raspberries or blackberries for a mixed berry milkshake.
- Add a teaspoon or two of cocoa powder for a "chocolate covered strawberry" milkshake.
Tips For Making The Best Milkshakes
- Put your glass in the freezer to get it nice and cold.
- Use good quality ice cream, it really does make a difference.
- Make sure the ice cream is slightly soft, but not melted.
- Full-fat ice cream will yield the thickest, creamiest milkshake. You can use low-fat ice cream and the shake will still be incredibly delicious, it just won't be as rich and thick.
- If you love a super-thick milkshake, replace more of the milk with heavy cream and add more ice cream.
- If you like your milkshakes thinner, add more milk.
Do I Have To Use A Blender?
A blender makes the job easy but you can also use a stick blender (immersion blender). In a real bind, use a big stainless steel bowl and a whisk.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients left over from this strawberry milkshake recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Ice cream: Knickerbocker Glory, Bananas Foster, Shamrock Shake, Guinness Float
- Milk: Panna Cotta, Hot Chocolate, Paneer, Eggnog
- Heavy cream: Banana Cream Pie, 2-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse, Quiche Lorraine
- Strawberries: Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Scones, Avocado Salad with Berries
- Vanilla extract: 2 Vanilla Cupcakes, Vanilla Ice Cream, Vanilla Pudding
Products Used In This Recipe
I use a blender in this strawberry milkshake recipe. You could also use an immersion blender or an electric drink mixer. All of these items can be found on our Kitchen Essentials page.
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
Ingredients
- 1 cup vanilla ice cream
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries (8-ounces by weight)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
- whipped cream
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Blend the ice cream, milk, cream, strawberries, and vanilla in a blender until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into 1 large glass and top with whipped cream and sprinkles, if desired.
- Enjoy immediately.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A great treat. I have also substituted frozen peaches for strawberries and it was wonderful.
Looks delicious. Why did I let myself look at the calories!
Hi Laurel, you can shave off a few calories by eliminating the heavy cream and using a lower fat milk. The milkshake won’t be as thick and rich but will still be absolutely delicious.