Strawberry Milkshake

Written by
Katie Workman
Award-winning food writer, blogger, and author of two cookbooks. She frequently appears on broadcast media sharing her expertise.
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Katie Workman
Tested by
Danilo Alfaro Reviewed on 08/31/20 by
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Recipe Testing Panel
Danilo Alfaro
Updated 12/09/20
Strawberry milkshake in a glass jar with straws

The Spruce 
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
613 Calories
49g Fat
39g Carbs
10g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 613
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g 62%
Saturated Fat 30g 152%
Cholesterol 153mg 51%
Sodium 102mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Protein 10g
Calcium 290mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There's nothing quite like a milkshake when that's what you're craving, and they feel so nostalgic and old-fashioned. Creamy, frothy, sweet, and icy cold, milkshakes can cool you off on a hot and humid day or satisfy an ice-cream urge in a unique way. This recipe is extra sweet, as it calls for fresh strawberries, but you can use frozen ones if that's all you have.

While it’s not necessary to soak the strawberries in sugar before blending, it's an extra step that makes a difference. That little bit of sugar (just a tablespoon) pulls out the natural juices and intensifies the sweetness in a way that gives your milkshake amazing flavor. Letting the strawberries sit in the sugar before blending macerates and softens them, and it really does the trick. Sometimes the sweetness of fresh berries can vary, and using a little bit of sugar amplifies the natural sweetness. If you really, truly love strawberries, use strawberry ice cream instead of vanilla.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for a strawberry milkshake
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  2. Cut the tops off the strawberries and slice them into a few pieces.

    The tops cut off whole strawberries
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  3. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, sugar, and vanilla extract and stir to combine well.

    Combine sliced strawberries and sugar
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  4. Set aside and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes and for up to 1 hour.

    Set aside the strawberries
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  5. Place the strawberries with any juices, ice cream, and milk in a blender.

    Strawberries, milk, and ice cream in a blender
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  6. Blend until smooth.

    Blended strawberry milkshake
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  7. Pour into large glasses and, if desired, put a strawberry on the rim of each glass.

    Blended milkshake
     The Spruce

What Kind of Milk Is Best for Milkshakes?

Feel free to use any kind of milk you'd like, from skim to whole, or even plant-based ones, although whole milk makes for a richer milkshake.

Tip

  • You can use frozen strawberries that you buy in the freezer aisle, or you can freeze fresh strawberries and use those if you want a very thick shake. You may need to add a bit more milk if the shake is too thick.

Recipe Variations

  • If you are looking to add more flavor to your strawberry milkshake, try adding a banana for a strawberry banana milkshake. (It's a good use for frozen bananas.)
  • Include other berries in addition to the strawberries for a mixed berry shake. Try blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
  • Add a scoop of malt powder for a malted strawberry shake.
  • Drizzle it with chocolate syrup for a strawberry chocolate milkshake.
  • Dollop some whipped cream on top, and maybe some chocolate shavings or sprinkles.
  • You could also substitute all of the dairy items with non-dairy milk and ice cream.

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