Making milkshakes without ice cream is easy and simple. There's no limit to your creativity with these tasty frozen drinks.
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Have you ever just really wanted a milkshake only to find that you didn't have the right ingredients on hand? Or perhaps you just wanted to reduce some of the fats and sugars while still getting a sip of your favorite drink. (Our Keto Italian Soda is also great for that.)
These Milkshakes Without Ice Cream are going to show you how to make your own no ice cream milkshake so that you can whip up a batch of your favorite drink whenever you want, no matter what the reason may be.
Once you have the basics figured out you can really make the milkshakes your own. Try this Oreo Milkshake Without Ice Cream for a fun variation!
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're way more convenient than you'd think! No ice cream in the house but you still have milk and ice? You can make a milkshake in minutes and still have it taste wonderful.
- Versatile flavors. You can add in a little flavoring syrup or add-ins and create new and exciting drinks while using this recipe as the base for them all! See the tips and notes below for turning your milkshake from vanilla to chocolate, strawberry, and more!
- Perfect for sharing. One batch of Milkshakes Without Ice Cream makes a great amount of milkshake. For kids you can easily divide it up into (4) 8 ounce sized glasses or you can fill one and a half large milkshake glasses.
🛒 Ingredients
Whole milk- This is needed to help you get the right consistency and the amount needed may vary depending on how thick you like your shake.
Heavy cream- For that added richness and creamy consistency without actual ice cream.
Powdered sugar- This will make the milkshakes nice and sweet, without changing the consistency.
Ice cubes- You'll need ice to pulverize as this is what makes the milkshakes thick and cold.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Heavy cream. Swap for coconut milk, half and half, or whole milk. The shake won't be quite as rich but will still taste great.
Milk options. Use nondairy milk, low-fat milk, or whatever you have on hand, just adjust the amount to reach your desired thickness.
Flavor Add-Ins.
Turn your vanilla base into any flavor with simple additions:
- Chocolate: Add ¼ cup chocolate syrup.
- Strawberry: Add ¼ cup strawberry syrup.
- Cookies & Cream: Blend in Oreos for a Cookies and Cream Milkshake.
- Extra mix-ins: Try chocolate chips, sprinkles, cereal, or your favorite cookies.
- Frozen fruit: Use berries, mango, or frozen watermelon for fruity milkshake variations.
These add-ins are the foundation for fun spins like Brownie Milkshakes, Fruity Pebbles Milkshake, Chips Ahoy Milkshake, Cookie Monster Milkshake, and even our 3 Ingredient Watermelon Milkshake.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use what you already have. Any milk, cream, or nondairy option works, no need to buy extra ingredients.
Skip specialty syrups. Use cocoa powder with sugar for chocolate flavor, fruit jam for strawberry flavor, or a splash of extract for customization.
Ice = the thickener. Ice replaces ice cream, keeping this recipe extremely budget-friendly compared to traditional milkshakes.
🥄 Instructions for Milkshakes Without Ice Cream
Step 1: Place all of the ingredients into your blender.
Step 2: Blend until creamy.
Step 3: Add in more milk or ice to suit your desires.
Step 4: Divide into drinking glasses and enjoy.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Adjust consistency. Add more ice for thicker Milkshakes Without Ice Cream or more milk for a thinner one.
- Why heavy cream works. Heavy cream provides richness similar to melted ice cream, but you can substitute with milk if needed.
- Make only what your blender can hold. Increase or decrease the recipe as needed, but avoid overfilling the blender for best texture.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Pair these Milkshakes Without Ice Cream with simple snacks like popcorn, pretzels, or graham crackers. It also works well alongside light lunches (like grilled cheese or air fryer snacks) or desserts such as cookies, cinnamon pastries, or fresh berries.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
While you could freeze the milkshakes, they will become a solid block and no longer be drinkable. Thawing them will take a long time and then the consistency will still be off. For best results, enjoy your milkshakes while they are freshest.
To make your milkshake thicker you can always add in chocolate syrup or more ice cubes. Both work wonderfully at helping to make a thicker consistency.
Follow this recipe exactly and place it into a food processor. Pulse or blend the milkshake ingredients until smooth and creamy.
To whip up a classic No Ice Cream Milkshake, blend ice cubes with milk, sugar, and a hint of vanilla extract. For a richer texture, opt for a higher-fat milk or a combination of heavy cream and milk.
Nope. You just need ice, sweetener, and something creamy like milk or heavy cream (or both). When the milkshake urge hits and you're ice cream-less, fear not! Whip up a simple vanilla milkshake by blending ice cubes, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy and smooth.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Fruit Loop MilkshakeRecipe $1.30
- Brownie MilkshakeRecipe $1.04
- Watermelon MilkshakeRecipe $3.06 / Serving $1.53
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch ShakeRecipe $1.33
🐝 If you tried these Milkshakes With No Ice Cream, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Milkshakes Without Ice Cream
Ingredients
Milkshake
- 3 cups ice cubes - ($0.00)
- 2 cups whole milk - ($0.40)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream - ($1.49)
- 1 cup powdered sugar - ($0.36)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract - ($0.09)
- 1 pinch salt - ($0.01)
Optional Add-ins
- ¼ cup chocolate syrup or strawberry syrup
Optional Toppings
- sprinkles
- whipped cream
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Blend. Add the ice cubes, milk, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Adjust. Add more milk for a thinner consistency or more ice for a thicker milkshake, blending again as needed.
- Serve. Divide between glasses and top with whipped cream, sprinkles, or cherries if desired. Serve immediately with straws.
Notes
- Yield. This base recipe makes about 2 servings.
- Flavor Variations. Add chocolate syrup for chocolate milkshakes, strawberry syrup for strawberry milkshakes, or crushed cookies for Oreo-style shakes.
- Scaling. The recipe can be doubled or halved easily.
- Texture. For extra thickness, add more ice or a small amount of syrup.
Nutritional Information
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Jenie says
Hello!
I was wanting to know if instead of using whole milk if I could use 2% REDUCED FAT
ULTRA-FILTERED MILK?
Nicole Durham says
You can, but the milkshake won't be as creamy because the fats in the milk or cream are what give it that classic creamy flavor. 2% milk is lower in fat. That said, it'll still taste delicious and is worth the attempt. 🙂