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Our Love Language is Food > Recipes > Desserts

Published: Jul 11, 2022 by Meredith · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

Coffee Milkshake, 2 Ways!

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Coffee AND ice cream? It can’t get much better. These amazing coffee milkshakes are thick, creamy, and super easy to make! Made with either two or three ingredients, we have a coffee milkshake option for both the vanilla and the chocolate lover.

two milkshake glasses filled with coffee milkshakes. the chocolate based coffee malt is on the left and the vanilla coffee milkshake is on the right.

We love making our own milkshakes at home (have you tried our homemade shamrock shake?!). It’s an easy way to have a special treat, even on a weeknight, without having to leave the house. I make myself a small shake in a personal sized blender more often than I’d like to admit… and have gotten blender milkshake making down to an art.

These coffee milkshakes combine my love for coffee recipes along with my lifelong love of ice cream. And our coffee milkshakes are made with strongly brewed coffee, not instant coffee (like a lot of the recipes you’ll find), because good coffee makes a good coffee milkshake!  

You’ll Love this Coffee Milkshake Recipe!

So easy! Measure, blend, and enjoy!

Strong coffee flavor. Depending on which ice cream base you choose, you’ll have a blend of coffee with either vanilla or chocolate as your main flavors, and it’s a delight.

A quick treat! It takes less than 5 minutes to blend these up, especially if you already have cool coffee to use.

Ingredients Needed

side by side ingredient shot showing what is needed to make these coffee milkshake recipes.

Vanilla Version

  • Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Strongly Brewed Coffee, Chilled

Chocolate Version

  • Chocolate Ice Cream
  • Strongly Brewed Coffee, Chilled
  • Chocolate Malt Powder (may be labeled as Chocolate Malted Milk Powder)
    • NOTE: Ok, technically, this is a coffee and chocolate malt. We’ve tried leaving out the malt powder, and honestly, the chocolate and coffee combination alone can be a little bitter. The chocolate malt powder takes this coffee shake to a whole new level of awesome! I highly recommend using this ingredient.

Optional Garnishes

  • Whipped Cream
  • Chocolate Sauce / Chocolate Syrup
  • Pirouette Cookies
  • Maraschino Cherries
  • Wafer Cookies
  • Waffle Cone Pieces
  • Chocolate Shavings

See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for ingredient measurements and full instructions.

What is the Best Ice Cream for a Milkshake?

A good milkshake needs good ice cream! This isn’t the time to worry about calories. Go for the good stuff. I personally love using vanilla bean ice cream or a classic chocolate ice cream. However, if you have a favorite style of vanilla or chocolate, give it a try!

What Kind of Coffee Is Best for Coffee Milkshakes?

Much like the ice cream, good coffee will make a good coffee milkshake! Brew up a pot of your favorite coffee and set some aside to cool down (at least to room temp) to use in this milkshake recipe. Alternatively, using cold brew coffee is also a great option as it’s already chilled and is a more mellow brew.

How to Make a Coffee Milkshake

side by side 4 image collages showing how to make coffee milkshakes, vanilla on the left and chocolate on the right.

Place ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth.

Check the consistency.

  • If you’d like your milkshake to be a little thicker, add another scoop of ice cream. 
  • If you’d like your milkshake a little thinner, add another splash of cold coffee.

If making a change, blend again to combine.

Pour into a serving glass. Add optional garnishes if desired.

Serve with a spoon and a straw, and enjoy!

close up of a vanilla coffee milkshake. the coffee milkshake is topped with whipped cream and garnished with a pirouette cookie.

Variations for Coffee Milkshakes

Make a boozy milkshake: if you’d like to make this into an adult milkshake, add some liqueur to your coffee shake! Start by replacing 2 tablespoons of the coffee with the liqueur of your choice. Kahlua or Irish Cream would both be great options. If boozy milkshakes are you jam, be sure to try our frozen mudslide cocktail!

Change up the ice cream: try coffee flavored ice cream for an extra intense coffee flavor. You could also use a chocolate chip ice cream! 

Coffee Milkshake Recipe FAQs

Can I make my coffee milkshake ahead of time? Homemade milkshakes are best enjoyed straight from the blender. Plan to make your coffee milkshakes when you want to enjoy them.

How to make a thick milkshake? If you prefer an extra thick milkshake, add an extra scoop of ice cream! You can always alter the consistency of your coffee malt after blending, creating your perfect homemade milkshake.

What’s the Difference Between a Malt vs. Shake

You may be wondering what is the difference between a malt and a shake? A malt uses malted milk powder in addition to the other milkshake ingredients. 

What is malt powder?

Malt powder is used to give beverages, like malts, their distinctive flavor. Malted milk powder can also be used in baking for various reasons.

Malt powder, aka malted milk powder, is made of malted barley, wheat flour, and powdered milk. Chocolate malt powder has the addition of cocoa powder as well. Depending on the brand, there may also be some sugar added.

close up of a chocolate coffee milk shake. the coffee milk shake is topped with whipped cream and and chocolate syrup.

Helpful Equipment

  • Blender
  • Liquid Measuring Cup
  • Ice Cream Scoop
  • Milkshake Glasses
  • Reusable Straws
  • Tall Spoons

Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy

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    Homemade Shamrock Shake Recipe
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    Frozen Mudslide Cocktail Recipe
  • a vanilla sweet cream cold brew coffee served in a tall glass. vanilla sweet cream cold foam sits on top of the iced coffee, with legs of cream dripping down into the coffee. the glass sits on a wooden board, with coffee beans around the scene. a white linen, vanilla extract bottle, and container of cold brew sit in the background.
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  • an iced brown sugar shaken espresso in a mason jar with a metal straw. the jar sits on a wooden coaster and is surrounded by small bowls of brown sugar, coffee beans, and ice.
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Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating & comment below! You can also tag @ourlovelanguageisfood on Instagram & Facebook. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get free recipes sent directly to your inbox!

two milkshake glasses filled with coffee milkshakes. the chocolate based coffee malt is on the left and the vanilla coffee milkshake is on the right.

Coffee Milkshake – 2 Ways!

Meredith
These amazing coffee milkshakes are thick, creamy, and super easy to make! Made with either two or three ingredients, we have a coffee milkshake option for both the vanilla and the chocolate lover.
5 from 4 votes
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Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes mins
Total Time 3 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 Serving
Calories 479 kcal

Ingredients
  

Option 1 – Vanilla Base

  • 1 + ½ C vanilla ice cream
  • ½ C strongly brewed coffee, chilled*

Option 2 – Chocolate Base

  • 1 + ½ C chocolate ice cream
  • ½ C strongly brewed coffee, chilled*
  • 3 tablespoon chocolate malted milk powder

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Check the consistency. If a thicker shake is desired, add more ice cream. If a thinner shake is desired, add more cold coffee. If making a change, blend again to combine.
  • Pour into a serving glass. Add optional garnishes if desired.
  • Serve with a spoon and a straw, and enjoy!

Notes

*make sure coffee being used is chilled. cold brew coffee is a great option for coffee milkshakes.
 
*optional garnish ideas include: whipped cream, chocolate sauce / chocolate syrup, pirouette cookies, maraschino cherries, wafer cookies, waffle cone pieces, and/or chocolate shavings.
 
*the nutrition information for this recipe was calculated for the chocolate base with chocolate malt powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 8gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 192mgPotassium: 554mgFiber: 2gSugar: 53gVitamin A: 853IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 266mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    How many stars would you give this recipe?




  1. David says

    July 14, 2022 at 12:24 am

    5 stars
    I mean, come on. What’s not to like about this?!

    Reply
    • ourlovelanguageisfood says

      July 14, 2022 at 3:41 pm

      I mean, I totally agree! Which one did you like best?

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Meredith!

I am a Midwest-based foodie and mom working full time by day and sharing my passion for all things food by night. Follow along for great recipes to share with your family and friends. I've got you covered for breakfast, dinner, snack-time, parties, desserts, drinks, and more!

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