Chocolate Shake Recipe

This creamy & thick Chocolate Shake is the ultimate summer dessert drink. It was a hot summer day in 1922, and Ivar “Pop” Coulson was working behind the bar of a Walgreens soda fountain. At that time, one of their most popular drinks was a simple concoction of milk, malt powder, and chocolate syrup mixed together and poured into a glass. Ever an innovator, Coulson decided to make the drink more heat-friendly. He added a few scoops of cold ice cream to the drink. The Chocolate Milkshake was born!

About Chocolate Milkshake

Obviously the Milkshake has evolved since the 1920s; nowadays the most basic Milkshake contains milk and Ice cream, though there can also be flavorings like syrups, malt powder, and mix-ins.

Even with all the variations between milk, ice cream, and syrup flavors, sometimes the classic is still the best. It’s hard to beat a Chocolate Milkshake topped with fluffy whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup on a warm summer’s day. Better yet, why not share it with a loved one?

Thankfully, you and your loved ones no longer need soda shops and diners with specialty drink mixers to make milkshakes. You can now make them in the comfort of your own home with a simple blender and a few simple ingredients.

For an easy night in and the perfect sweet treat for two (or more, or just yourself, no judgment either way), try making a homemade chocolate milkshake with all the classic fixings. Don’t forget the cute colorful straw to complete the aesthetic!

While people’s ideas of milkshakes have expanded, there are now plenty of milkshake recipes that leave out or change the titular milk and the important ice cream. But the classic milkshake is arguably the easiest to make.

If you can’t eat dairy, don’t worry! Replace the milk and ice cream with any plant-based alternatives. You should still have a similar effect.

Don’t be afraid to get creative! You can also add malt powder, chocolate chunks, flavor extracts, spices or other mix-ins to give your chocolate milkshake a unique spin.

Don’t have an Ice cream?

But what if you don’t have an ice cream? Or you don’t want to drink an ice cream every day, simply use my alternative chocolate shake recipe (recipe 2 in the card below) made with just milk, cocoa and milk ice.

Now if you wonder what milk ice is, it is just frozen milk. It gives a thicker and frothy texture to your milkshake even without using ice cream. But the flavors won’t be the same. If you are a beginner read my pro tips section below for more tips & tricks.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a glass, a loved one, and a blender. It’s been a long, hot day. Time to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures.

Similar Recipes
Apple Milkshake
Strawberry Milkshake
Mango Smoothie
Oreo Milkshake
Cold Coffee
Pomegranate Molasses

Photo Guide

How to make a Chocolate Shake (Stepwise photos)

(makes one serving)

1. Pour ¼ cup chilled full-fat milk to a blender. The type of milk can vary, obviously, but full-fat dairy milk will give you the richest results.

2. Add 1 cup vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream (7 to 8 oz/ 225 grams).

3. Add 2½ tablespoons chocolate sauce/ syrup if using vanilla ice cream. Alternately omit this if using chocolate ice cream. If you do not have the sauce, you can make your own from my pro tips section below.

4. Blend everything together until just combined. Over blending can make your milkshake runny. Avoid it if you prefer thick Chocolate shake. A few lumps of ice cream in your shake is just alright.

5. If you want you may decorate your serving glass with a tbsp of chocolate syrup. Simply pour it on the sides of your glass. Pour your milkshake into glass.

6. Consider adding toppings like whipped cream, cherries, sprinkles, chocolate shavings or just a drizzle of the chocolate syrup.

Serve Chocolate milkshake immediately.

Pro Tips

Proportion of ice cream & milk: For a thick and creamy chocolate milkshake, the proportion is the key. Using more milk and less ice cream is only going to make your shake less rich & creamy. For best results weigh your ice cream.

Milk: Avoid using raw milk. Use pasteurized or boiled & cooled milk. Chill the milk well before using.

Cocoa powder: For a richer flavor, avoid using cocoa directly in your shake. If you don’t have chocolate syrup make your own as mentioned below. It just takes 5 mins.

Chocolate syrup/ sauce: Stir in 4 tbsps of cocoa, half cup sugar with 4 tbsps water & half tsp vanilla extract in a small sauce pot. Whisk it well so there are no lumps & sugar dissolves, bring this to a boil on a medium flame and cook for a few minutes until you smell the sauce good. It will thicken up cooling. Cool completely and use it.

Chocolate chips: You may substitute chocolate syrup with 2 to 3 tbsps of chocolate chips. Pour little hot milk over the chips and mix well with a spoon until melted. Use this for the milkshake. You can add them directly if you want unmelted chips in your milkshake.

Recipe 2: You can make recipe 2 by making the sauce or melting chocolate chips.

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