Strawberry Milkshake

There's something beautifully nostalgic about an old-fashioned strawberry milkshake. The fresh berries and the rich vanilla ice cream come together to create the flavor of days gone by.

There are also many varieties of this classic treat. Some folks like to make their strawberry milkshake without ice cream; some prefer to omit the milk for an extra thick spoonable treat, and some like to make their milkshake with strawberry ice cream to amp up the berry flavor. We prefer the traditional mix of fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream. It's a crowd-pleaser for a reason.

What Ingredients Are in a Strawberry Milkshake?

This is an easy strawberry milkshake recipe to make, and the list of ingredients isn't very long. Here's what you'll need:

• Fresh strawberries: When choosing your strawberries at the store, be sure to open the container to look over the berries. You want a nice assortment of darker berries and lighter berries for a mix of sweet and tart. Be thorough to get the freshest berries you can. No good fresh berries available? Frozen ones can be used in a pinch. They'll add a nice thickness to the strawberry milkshake once all blended.
• Whole milk: When it comes to milkshakes, whole milk is king. The high fat content and creamy, sweet flavor make it the best choice for this cold treat. However, if you have a lactose sensitivity, you can choose a non-dairy milk and ice cream, but we recommend trying lactose-free milk. That way you'll get the creaminess of the dairy and the flavor you remember as a kid but without the stomach ache.
• Vanilla ice cream: To get that truly nostalgic flavor, we recommend choosing a vanilla ice cream labeled as "old-fashioned" or "homemade." These tend to have the most vanilla-forward flavor and the best texture for blending.
• Vanilla extract: Even though you'll be using vanilla ice cream, the secret ingredient to making the perfect strawberry milkshake is adding a little vanilla extract to give it that extra oomph! And if you really love vanilla, you can even substitute vanilla bean paste at a 1:1 ratio for the vanilla extract for an even richer vanilla flavor.
• Granulated sugar: Most milkshakes include at least a little sugar. Depending on the time of year and the ripeness of your strawberries, you may want to add more or less sugar. We recommend starting with one tablespoon of sugar, tasting the milkshake, then adding more, one tablespoon at a time as needed. If you happen to get berries in peak strawberry season, you may want to omit the sugar altogether.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Milkshake

Making a homemade strawberry milkshake is quite easy, but after making a few, we have some tips for even better milkshakes:

• Use all frozen strawberries for an extra thick milkshake.
• Omit sugar for a less sweet milkshake.
• Pick a premium ice cream for the best vanilla flavor.

How To Make a Strawberry Milkshake

Grab your blender. This milkshake is ready in just minutes. Here's a brief recap, and the full recipe is below:

• Step 1. Choose your berries: To a blender jar, add strawberries and sugar. A high-powered blender works best with this strawberry milkshake recipe, especially if you're using frozen strawberries. If you want a thicker milkshake, freeze half of the strawberries.
• Step 2. Add ice cream: Next, add 2 cups of vanilla ice cream and vanilla extract.
• Step 3. Add milk and blend: Then, add 3/4 cup of whole milk, and blend! Start with 3/4 cup of milk, and if you feel the texture is too thick, add more milk a little at a time.
• Step 4. Pour and serve: Pour the milkshake into two tall glasses, and top with whipped cream and sliced strawberries if you want. For that extra homemade flavor, you can make the whipped cream from scratch.