Best Pumpkin Spice Milkshake: Even Better Than Pie!
It’s pumpkin spice season! But how do you get your fall feels when it’s still over 80 degrees outside? I’d say a pumpkin spice milkshake is in order!
Truth be told, I’m not the biggest fan of pumpkin pie. However, I do like the flavor of pumpkin pie spice, and I LOVE this pumpkin spice milkshake recipe.
In fact, it was so hot last night, I had a pumpkin shake for dinner. That may sound decadent, but a girl needs her calcium, and pumpkin is a superfood!
With just four simple ingredients, this recipe took less than 10 minutes to make—and I savored every drop.
Pumpkin Spice Milkshake Ingredients
You can purchase everything you need for this pumpkin milkshake recipe from your local grocery store.
Ice Cream
I use French vanilla ice cream rather than regular vanilla. And not just because I love French food and all things French, but because French vanilla ice cream is creamier and more flavorful.
Pumpkin
Make sure you purchase real pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
If you want to cook fresh pumpkin, puree it in a food processor before you measure it. Just know it will take more than 10 minutes to complete.
Milk
Any type of milk will work, even coconut milk. I balance the richness of my ice cream choice with 1% milk. If I could eat all of the fat I wanted, I’d use whole milk.
Pumpkin Spice
In the old days when you made pumpkin recipes, you needed four different spices (nutmeg, clove, all spice, and cinnamon). Nowadays, you can buy one spice blend called “pumpkin spice.” Yay!
Pumpkin Spice Milkshake Recipe
Serves: 3
Ingredients
1 quart French vanilla ice cream
1½ cups pumpkin puree
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth and thoroughly combined. On my Kitchenaid blender, I use the “puree” setting.
2. Pour into glasses. Garnish with whipped cream if desired, and serve immediately.
Pro Tips
1. If you know ahead of time that you’ll be making pumpkin milkshakes, put a few glasses in your freezer to chill.
2. I like to serve these in glass mugs that make my milkshakes look like a hot drink or a pumpkin spice latte.
3. Post your shake photos on social media with one of these fun ice cream quotes.
Garnishes and Variations
Garnishes
There are lots of options for garnishing your delicious pumpkin spice milkshake. Try sprinkling a few pumpkin seeds, drizzling some maple syrup, or adding a little bit of orange zest on top.
Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
One of the reasons I find it easy to pass on a slice of pumpkin pie is the pie crust. But if you think you’ll miss the crust, you can sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top of your shake or garnish with a Biscoff cookie.
Butternut Squash or Sweet Potato
If you have butternut squash or sweet potato on hand, feel free to substitute for pumpkin. Or, combine all three.
Adult Milkshake
If you’ve tried my pistachio milkshake or homemade shamrock shake, you know I like to give a recipe option for boozy shakes. So, if you’re looking to enhance your shake with a buzz bounce, just add a shot of vodka and a shot of Irish cream to the above recipe.
These reinforced pumpkin spice shakes make a yummy cocktail (especially for Halloween, Day of the Dead celebrations, and Thanksgiving). Or you can serve them in cordial or shot glasses for an after-dinner treat with dessert.
For the record, the shake I had last night for dinner: not boozy. Who knows what’s going to happen tonight?
