Homemade Shamrock Shake

Before you start

This is a copycat of the seasonal mint shake: vanilla ice cream, a little milk and a cool peppermint flavor, finished with whipped cream. The fast-food version uses its own flavored syrup, so a homemade one is not identical, but the core is simple and easy to match: a thick, cold vanilla shake with clean mint.

The main hazard is the extract. Peppermint extract is very strong, and a few extra drops make the shake taste like toothpaste. Add it in tiny amounts and taste. Keep milk to a minimum so the shake stays thick, and use pure peppermint rather than generic mint extract, which often contains spearmint and tastes more like gum.

Ingredients

• 3 cups (about 400 g) vanilla ice cream — softened 5 minutes
• 120 to 160 ml (4 to 5½ oz) cold whole milk
• ⅛ to ¼ tsp pure peppermint extract — start with less
• 3 to 4 drops green food coloring — optional; or a small handful of baby spinach
• to top whipped cream
• 2 maraschino cherries — optional

Method

1. Put the glasses in the freezer. Let the ice cream sit on the counter for about 5 minutes, until a scoop drags through it easily but it is still firm.
2. Pour 120 ml of the milk into the blender, then add the ice cream, ⅛ tsp peppermint extract and the coloring.
3. Blend on low for 15 to 20 seconds, stopping once to push the ice cream down. The shake should be thick enough to hold a ribbon when you lift a spoon.
4. Taste. Add more peppermint a few drops at a time if needed, and more milk 1 tablespoon at a time only if it is too thick to blend. Pulse briefly after each addition.
5. Pour into the chilled glasses, top with whipped cream and a cherry, and serve right away.

Tips for success

• Measure the extract over a small bowl, never directly over the blender. A slip of the bottle can ruin the whole batch.
• Blend on a low speed and keep it short. Long, fast blending warms the ice cream and makes the shake thin.
• A few drops of vanilla extract round out the mint if your ice cream is mild.

Substitutions

Green food coloring

A small handful of baby spinach gives a natural green with only a faint vegetable taste under the mint. Leave the color out entirely and it tastes exactly the same.

Peppermint extract

Crème de menthe syrup (non-alcoholic) adds color and mint; use 1 to 2 tbsp. Fresh mint leaves give a gentler, grassy flavor but must be blended well.

Vanilla ice cream

Mint chip ice cream makes a chunkier shake; skip the extract. Dairy-free vanilla frozen dessert works with oat milk for a dairy-free version.

Variations

Mint chocolate

Add 2 tbsp chocolate syrup and pulse in a handful of chopped chocolate at the end.

Mint cookie

Pulse in 3 crushed chocolate sandwich cookies in the last 3 seconds.

Troubleshooting

It tastes like toothpaste

Too much peppermint. Blend in another scoop of ice cream and a splash of milk to dilute it.

The shake is too thin

Too much milk or over-blending. Add another scoop of ice cream and pulse briefly.

The blender won't move

The ice cream is too hard. Let it soften a few more minutes or add milk a tablespoon at a time while stirring.

Storage

Serve immediately; milkshakes melt fast. Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight cup for a few days and re-blended with a splash of milk, though the texture will be icier.

Safety notes

Contains dairy. If you use food coloring or cookies, check labels for allergens. FDA lists milk among the major food allergens.