by Kat Apf

Created on: February 18, 2013

A simple milkshake can be a beautiful thing.  It can be a great dessert or an accompaniment to certain meals, such as sandwiches and burgers with fries. Milkshakes are also a great addition to breakfast.  They are fairly easy to make, too.

There are a multitude of milkshake recipes out there but a basic milkshake is just milk and ice cream.  From there, you can build on it with different flavors and textures.  The basic recipe is just 1/4 of a cup of milk and about 1 and 1/2 cups of ice cream of your choice,  whirled up in the blender.  It's what you do after that which can make it really special.

Many people like to use whole milk or even condensed milk for milkshakes but if you're trying to avoid the fat and calories, you can make a good milkshake with 1% milk or even skim. Adding instant pudding and reducing the amount of milk also makes an interesting, creamy shake.  A tablespoon or two of can also thicken your milkshake and give it a good flavor. 

Try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the basic recipe.  It will add a little zing to either chocolate or vanilla milkshake.  Add a dash of nutmeg to the cinnamon and it will remind you of pumpkin pie.

Fruit, such as bananas, strawberries or blueberries can make your milkshake not only delicious but boost your fruit intake.  The best method is to blend the fruit and a little water first and then add the milk and ice cream.  Try different fruit combinations besides the normal strawberry/banana such as blueberries and kiwi. You can also add juices to the shake and come up with some surprisingly good combos. Try apple juice or grape juice.

Instant coffee or a tablespoon of strong coffee can make your milkshake taste just as good as a Starbucks Frappuccino at a quarter of the price.  A mocha milkshake is a wonderful breakfast beverage for adults.

Crushed cookies also can be a great addition to a basic recipe, think Oreos or other sandwiches cookies. Put the cookies in a large baggie and crush them with either a mallet or a rolling pin.  Add them after the shake has been in the blender. 

Whipped cream and swirls of chocolate can be great toppers for your milkshake. Sliced fruit or crumbled cookies are also great garnishes for milkshakes.  Besides making them more yummy, they look pretty, too. 

Milkshakes are versatile and you can make them with whatever you have on hand.  With a little thought, you can get creative and make all kinds of great milkshakes.

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