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Learn how to make the perfect vanilla milkshake. Nothing is easier than this refreshing, cooling and creamy treat, so long as you have the right ratio of ice cream to milk. I add a touch of sugar, a touch of vanilla, and occasionally a raw egg for extra frothy creaminess! Don’t worry, the raw egg is optional!
Milkshakes can be considered drinks that go perfectly with a hamburger and French fries, or they can even be considered as dessert, or a mid-day treat. Any way you enjoy your shake is perfect, and with this recipe, so long as you have a blender and the simple ingredients, you can make them at home whenever the craving hits you.
What makes this milkshake great
Rich and creamy
I use the best quality ice cream and full fat milk to make the most decadent and delicious milkshake. Sometimes I even add a raw egg, which brings the richness and creaminess up several notches!
Quick and simple
Imagine a house full of kids looking for something satisfying and delicious to enjoy. Whipping up several milkshakes is super quick and easy – and everyone loves them. For some reason milkshakes often feel like something you have to go out to enjoy, but I will show you how easy it is to make them at home.
Versatile
Once you get the basic ratio of ingredients down, you can have fun with this recipe. Add some caramel sauce, top with whipped cream, decorate with a maraschino cherry – the options are endless.
Key ingredients
Ice cream Use the best vanilla ice cream that you can.
Milk Any milk will be fine, but if you want the creamiest result then use full-fat milk.
Sugar The sugar is optional, but I really find that just a touch of sugar adds a lot of flavour.
Vanilla I tend to use vanilla powder because it does not change the colour of the milkshake the way vanilla extract usually does.
Egg The raw egg is totally optional, and should not be included if you are pregnant or if you are immunocompromised.
How to make it
Making milkshakes at home is so simple, you may find yourself making one every day! Here is a really brief summary of how to do it – you can find the complete recipe below.
Step 1
Add all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined and frothy. Depending on your blender, this can take 1 to 2 minutes. Pour into a tall glass and serve immediately.
Recipe variations
This basic recipe for a classic vanilla milkshake can be easily changed up.
Make a chocolate milkshake
Use chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk to make this classic treat.
Make a strawberry milkshake
Use strawberry ice cream and regular milk as directed in the recipe. If you can find strawberry milk powder then you can add a teaspoon of that as well for added flavour.
Helpful hints
Milk choices
A classic vanilla milkshake, like the one my mom used to make for me, uses full fat milk and this is a wonderful way to make a shake. I have also used zero percent milk however, and although the result is less creamy, it is quite drinkable.
Using a raw egg, or not
Raw eggs are quite nutritious, and don’t really add any flavour to the milkshake. What they do add is a delicious creaminess and frothiness. Having said that, the egg is totally optional so if you are queasy about the idea, or worried about salmonella poisoning, just leave it out. You want to enjoy your milkshake, not worry that it’s going to make you sick. Having said that, entire summers and beyond of adding raw eggs to our milkshakes when we were younger never caused any of us any harm. Still, here are a few things to keep in mind if you are going to use raw eggs in your shake. First, always use pasteurized eggs and be mindful that they have not passed their expiration date. Wash the shell before cracking it open and only use eggs with an intact shell. Also, I would advise not using raw eggs if you are pregnant, very young, elderly, or have a compromised immune system. For more information about raw egg safety, you can consult this link: Egg Safety – Health Canada.
The story behind this recipe
So here’s something that you should know about my mother. Like many other people of her generation, raised in Greece during times of economic hardships, my mother has always been quite sensitive to signs of health and wellness. For instance, according to my mother, anyone who looks even slightly underweight is cause for concern. Perhaps they aren’t eating enough. Perhaps they are sick. Perhaps they need her to intervene.
My whole life I have gauged my weight and appearance, in part, by my mother’s comments, or lack thereof. My mother telling me that I look wonderful, while she calmly accepts the fact that I have not finished all of the food on my plate, generally means that I could lose a pound or two. My health has always been a preoccupation for my mother (and father, of course) and she has spent a lifetime doing everything in her power to make sure that she has covered all the bases.
Growing up I spent many summers in a small town in Ontario with our beloved family and our parents’ god-daughter who is only a year older than I am. It was there, from our parents’ Koumbara, that my mother learned of the magic of the milkshake. Our Koumbara would make daily milkshakes which we drank with enthusiasm. These were made with ice cream, full fat milk, a bit of sugar and vanilla, and a raw egg. That’s right…a raw egg. Once you get past the fear of salmonella poisoning, the truth is that the raw egg added a frothy deliciousness to the milkshake which was pretty amazing. My mom, when she learned of this daily treat, could care less about the froth. All she understood was that her daughter, whom she felt could use as many nutrients as possible, was getting loads of vitamins in that shake. She was thrilled.
Upon returning from this particular summer getaway, my mother realized that the milkshake ritual could not continue without a blender, which we did not have. So of course, she went out and bought one. She purchased an Osterizer Classic blender and used it everyday, to make milkshakes for the neighbourhood, and me and my siblings. We can’t really remember when, or how, the milkshake phase ended, but in preparing this post I realized that it had been many, many, many years since I enjoyed one. Despite the fact that I omitted the raw egg, the flavour was perfectly familiar. In part, this may have been because I used the exact same blender that my mother purchased over 30 years ago. That’s right, the same exact blender. This thing is a beast and a shining example of the saying “they don’t make them like they used to”.
How to serve
Milkshakes are best enjoyed right after they are made. If you want to be especially fancy, you can serve your shake in a chilled glass.
Serving size
This recipe makes one milkshake. It can easily be doubled, or tripled, so long as the ingredients fit in your blender.
If you love delicious beverages, that make you feel like you are having a real treat, then check these out:
Smoothie with orange juice and berries Quick and easy, I love this smoothie for breakfast.
Frappé float (Φραπέ με παγωτό) A twist on the classic Greek cold coffee
Chamomile and basil iced tea (Κρύο τσάι από χαμομήλι και βασιλικό)
Vanilla milkshake (Μιλκσέικ βανίλια)
A simple vanilla milkshake with the perfect ratio of ice cream to milk
4.25 from 4 votes
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Course: Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine: American, Greek
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 milkshake
Calories: 587kcal
Author: Mia Kouppa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup vanilla ice cream
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla powder (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 1 raw egg optional
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Add the ice cream, milk, sugar, vanilla and raw egg, if you are using it, into a blender.
1 ½ cup vanilla ice cream, ¾ cup milk, ¼ teaspoon sugar, ⅛ teaspoon vanilla powder, 1 raw egg
Blend well until all the ingredients are combined; this will take 1 – 2 minutes depending upon the strength of your blender.
Pour into a large glass. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Notes
The raw egg is entirely optional here. If you do decide to include it, be sure to use pasteurized eggs, and respect the best before dates. As well, we would strongly recommend avoiding raw eggs if you are pregnant or immunocompromised.
Nutrition
Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 273mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 729mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 1368IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 503mg | Iron: 1mg
