Make a Milkshake Without a Blender

Are you craving a milkshake but you don’t have a milkshake machine or blender at home? Don’t worry! You can easily whip together your favorite milkshake in minutes without one. Mix your ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, glass, or even a drink shaker.

Ingredients

  • Milk
  • Ice cream
  • Whipped cream, optional
  • Optional: Flavoring (cocoa powder, chocolate powder, etc.), fruit, or candy.

Steps

Mixing in a Container With a Lid

  1. Grab a large enough tupperware container that has a lid, or a drink shaker. Since you don’t have a blender, you can use a container that has a lid or a cocktail shaker to shake your milkshake ingredients together.
    • It's best to choose a container with a lid for shaking and storing any leftover milkshake. You can also use a large lidded jar such as a mason jar or blender bottle if you have one.
    • If you want something like a shake, you can use a drink shaker.
    • Note. If you decide to use a bottle with a spherical whisk to help mix your ingredients, mix any powder with milk in the bottle first. Then add your ice cream.
  2. Scoop your ice cream into your container. Since you don’t have a blender, you may want to consider using a lighter ice cream. A light ice cream will make your milkshake fluffier, while a thicker ice cream will make it creamier. However, a thicker ice cream will be harder to mix.[1]
    • To make your ice cream easier to scoop and mix, consider letting it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, or heating in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
    • You can also substitute frozen yogurt or sorbet instead of ice cream.
    • Try homemade ice cream, it tastes great and can be easier to mix.[2]
  3. Add milk. Pour your milk into your container on top of the ice cream. You want to have a ratio of about three parts ice cream to one part milk.
    • Like your ice cream, the thicker the milk, the creamier your milkshake will be.
    • If you are adding any powder, like malt powder or protein powder, mix it in with your milk first.
    • If you have a water bottle that has a spherical whisk, use it to mix up your milk and powder.
  4. Add any other ingredients. If you want to add fruit or candy in your milkshake, pour it in on top of your milk and ice cream.
    • If you are adding fruit or chunks of candy, mash up your fruit or candy in a bowl or with a mortar and pestle before adding it to your container. This will make it easier to mix into your milkshake.
  5. Mash and stir with a spoon. Before you shake up your milkshake to get a nice frothy texture, take a spoon and give your ingredients a good mix. By mashing and stirring with a spoon you will distribute your ingredients evenly and soften the ice cream.
    • Once you don’t feel many clumps of ice cream, and have a consistent texture, you can stop stirring and mashing.
  6. Put the lid on your jar or shaker and shake it up. Shake your container well so that the milk, flavoring, and ice cream get blended together smoothly.
    • Shake your container like you would when mixing a cocktail. Grab the top and bottom of your container and shake in an up and down motion.[3]
    • Shake your container for about 15 seconds. If you find your mix is still too solid, you can shake it again.
  7. Enjoy your milkshake. Once you’ve shaken up your container, remove the lid, grab a straw, and do a taste test. If your milkshake is too thin, add another scoop of ice cream. If too thick, pour in a bit more milk and give it another shake.
    • Once you’re satisfied, grab a straw or spoon and enjoy.

Mixing in a Bowl

  1. Grab a large mixing bowl. Since you don’t have a blender to whip your milkshake together, you’ll need a large container that you can use to mix, and stir all of your ingredients in.
    • Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer or food processor if you have those instead of a blender.
    • If you don’t have an electric mixer of any sort, a handheld whisk works just as well.
  2. Add your ice cream. Lighter ice creams will make your milkshake fluffier, while a thicker ice cream will make it creamier. If you’re using a flavor that has chunks of candy in it, you may want to let it sit out a bit longer so the ice cream is easier to mix.[1]
    • To make your ice cream easier to scoop and mix, consider letting it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, or heating in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
    • If you are using frozen yogurt or sherbet, you don’t have to let it sit as long because it will be softer.
    • If you are adding fruit or chunks of candy, make sure you have cut or mashed those ingredients into small chunks.
  3. Add milk to the ice cream in your bowl. You want to have a ratio of about three parts ice cream to one part milk.
    • Like your ice cream, the thicker the milk, the creamier your milkshake will be.
    • Add any powder you may be using to your milk before mixing the milk into your bowl. It’s easier to dissolve any powder in the milk first, rather than trying to do so once it’s in your bowl. Use a bottle with a spherical whisk if you have one, or simply stir with a fork or spoon.
  4. Mix your ingredients together. You have several options for mixing your ingredients together depending on what consistency you want in your milkshake. If you are looking for something a bit chunkier, then you can use a spoon or masher. If you want something smoother, try whisking your mix with a hand whisk.
    • If you have an electric mixer, you can mix your ingredients together like you would for cake batter.
  5. See if it's the right texture. Take a spoon and do a taste test to decide if you’re satisfied with the consistency.
    • You can add a little milk to thin it out, or add more ice cream to make it thicker.
  6. Pour your milkshake into a glass. It’s best to pour as much of your shake into your glass as you can right away. This way you can enjoy your milkshake without it melting, thinning out, or becoming soupy.[4]
    • If you want your milkshake to be extra cold, store your glass in the freezer while you mix all your ingredients together.
    • Plop a dollop of whipped cream on top if you want and grab a straw.
    • You’re finished! Now enjoy!



Tips

  • You can also use chocolate milk instead of cocoa powder.
  • If you don't like a liquid milkshake, leave it in the freezer. Check often, though, so it doesn't freeze completely!
  • Don’t let the ice cream sit out too long so that it doesn’t melt and you end up with a soupy texture.
  • Avoid using hard, cold chocolate. Make sure it is softened.
  • You can use malt powder for that old-fashioned diner style milkshake, or any other kind of powder for taste, like chocolate, or almond.

Warnings

  • Don’t add any ingredients that you are allergic to.

Things You'll Need

  • Fork/spoon
  • Ice cream
  • Milk
  • Vanilla extract, cocoa powder (optional)
  • Strawberry or chocolate syrup (optional)
  • Whipped cream (optional)

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Sources and Citations

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