The Best Chocolate Milkshake Recipe

The best Chocolate Milkshake Recipe is made with just three main ingredients. These are easy to make, and they’re delicious too!

September 12th is National Chocolate Milkshake Day! Celebrate by making the best chocolate milkshake recipe, or visit your favorite soda fountain or ice cream shop and order a great chocolate shake to enjoy! Share the chocolate shake love on social media today by using the hashtags #NationalChocolateMilkshakeDay, #ChocolateMilkshakeDay and #RecipesForHolidays.

Be sure to follow my September Food Holidays page so you never miss a food holiday in the month of September!

“Accept what people offer. Drink their milkshakes. Take their love.”

-Wally Lamb

The History of Milkshakes:

Random House Dictionary describes a milkshake as “a frothy drink made of cold milk, flavoring and usually ice cream shaken together or blended in a mixer.”

The first printed reference to a milkshake was in an 1885 newspaper. Originally, a milkshake was an alcoholic drink made of eggs, whiskey and other ingredients, and it was served as a cocktail or a treat. The milkshake got its name from being served in bars. If a customer enjoyed his milkshake, he shook hands with the bartender!

By 1900, the milkshake transitioned into a dessert drink made with chocolate, vanilla or strawberry syrup (but still no ice cream!)

In 1922, an employee at a Chicago Walgreens named Ivar “Pop” Coulson experimented with improving their chocolate malt beverage. He added two scoops of ice cream to the beverage and the chocolate malt was invented! Its popularity soared. By the 1930’s soda fountains became known as “malt shops.” Some milkshakes were served malt-free, providing the distinction between a shake and a malt.

In 1937, Fred Waring invented a blender that was able to blend milkshakes well. And the flexible straw was also invented that year by Joseph Friedman.

Dairy Queen introduced milkshakes to the world of fast food in 1949.

Wendy’s Frosty’s were invented and added to their menu in 1969. Nowadays, Wendy’s sells over 300 million Frosty’s per year.

Ingredients needed:

• milk
• chocolate syrup
• vanilla ice cream
• maraschino cherries and whipped cream (optional)

What’s the best chocolate milkshake recipe?

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. In a blender jar, blend together the milk and chocolate syrup.
2. Add the ice cream, and blend until smooth.
3. Pour into milkshake glasses.

Add whipped cream. Drizzle chocolate syrup on top. Garnish with a cherry and a fancy straw!

We even added some chocolate shavings to create the best chocolate milkshake recipe ever!

Fun Facts About Milkshakes:

• The most popular milkshake flavor is strawberry.
• A “frosted” is a blended, creamy shake. A “float” is an unblended shake where the scoops of ice cream sit in soda water or milk.
• In New England, milkshakes are also known as “frappes.”
• The “concrete” was invented in St. Louis. This is a milkshake that is so thick that it’s often handed to the customer upside down for shock value.
• In the year 2000, the world’s largest milkshake was created with 6,000 gallons (according to the Guinness Book of World Records.” This is equivalent to 50,000 regular-sized shakes.
• They say that a banana milkshake mixed with a little bit of honey is the perfect cure for a hangover.
• In 1963, the CIA unsuccessfully tried to assassinate Fidel Castro with a poisoned chocolate milkshake.