Total Time
30 minutes (plus 1 hour for chilling)
The best strawberry milkshake starts with really good strawberry ice cream. Sure you could make it with vanilla ice cream—but why, when the strawberry is right there for the taking? And yes, while you could simply blend a few scoops with a little milk and call it a day, we say more is more. We pumped this diner-style shake with supersized strawberry flavor and vibrant color courtesy of homemade strawberry syrup and freeze-dried strawberries. It’s officially the strawberri-est drink you’ll ever sip.
Gently cooking fresh berries into a syrup deepens their flavor—a technique that’s even more handy outside of peak strawberry season. You’ll have a little syrup left over for drizzling on pancakes or waffles or mixing with seltzer for a refreshing homemade soda. Meanwhile, adding in ground up freeze-dried berries, which are never heat treated, injects the mix with vibrant color and fresh strawberry flavor without needing to add more liquid.
For the ultimate creamy texture, you’ll use a half-pint of ice cream per serving. We also opt for whole milk here, but it is entirely possible to go dairy-free, if you’d like: Just use coconut or almond milk in place of the dairy milk and cashew-milk-based ice cream for the base. Garnish with a swirl of nostalgic canned whipped cream, and a few fresh slices—or a dusting of crushed freeze-dried berries.
If you’re looking for a less decadent option, consider this strawberry smoothie thickened with yogurt and bananas. Or check out more of our favorite strawberry recipes.
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What you’ll need
Glass Straws
$10 At Amazon
Blender
$40 At Amazon
Medium Saucepan
$50 $39 At Amazon
Mesh Sieve
$13 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$11 At Amazon
Ingredients
2 servings
¼
1
¾
1
⅓
Preparation
Step 1
If using ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries (about .25 oz.), grind in a spice mill until a fine powder forms; set strawberry powder aside.
Step 2
Bring 1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered, ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until strawberries are very soft and starting to lose their color, 9–12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 3
Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer strawberries to a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl, leaving syrup behind in pan. Press down on strawberries to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids. Add strained juices to syrup in pan.
Step 4
Return syrup to a simmer and cook until thick enough to coat a spoon, 6–8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to an airtight container. (You should have a little less than ¾ cup syrup.) Cover and chill until cold, at least 1 hour.
Step 5
Blend 1 pint strawberry ice cream, slightly softened, ⅓ cup whole milk, reserved strawberry powder (if using), and ½ cup syrup in a blender until smooth, thick, and creamy.
Step 6
Pour milkshake between 2 glasses, dividing evenly, and top each with canned whipped cream and 1 strawberry slice if desired. Serve with straws.
Do ahead: Syrup can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.
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