Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake
A thick, creamy, pale-green milkshake with cool peppermint flavor and crunchy mini chocolate chips, made in one blender in about 10 minutes.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 18 min
- Makes
- 2 shakes (about 12 oz / 360 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Chill two tall glasses in the freezer for at least 10 minutes so the shakes stay cold and thick.
- Keep the milk in the fridge until the moment you blend; warm milk makes a thin shake.
- Peppermint extract is very strong. Measure with a proper measuring spoon and start with the amount given.
- Use mini chocolate chips if you can; they blend into small flecks and are easy to sip through a straw.
Chill the glasses
- Place two tall glasses in the freezer.
- Measure the milk and return it to the fridge.
- Measure the chocolate chips and set aside 3 tablespoons for blending; keep the rest for topping.
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Ready when: Glasses are frosty to the touch
Soften the ice cream
- Leave the ice cream on the counter for about 5 minutes, just until the edge gives slightly when pressed with a scoop.
- Scoop about 8 medium scoops (4 cups / 540 g) into the blender jar.
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Ready when: Ice cream scoops easily but is not melted or soupy
Tip: Over-softened ice cream gives a thin shake. If it gets too soft, refreeze for 10 minutes.
Add liquids and flavor
- Pour the cold milk over the ice cream.
- Add the peppermint extract and the green food coloring, if using.
- Start with 2 drops of coloring; you can add more later.
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Tip: Pour the milk in first-ish on top so the blades catch the ice cream quickly and don't stall.
Blend until smooth
- Secure the lid.
- Blend on low for 10 seconds, then increase to medium-high for 20–30 seconds.
- Stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula if any ice cream is stuck.
- The shake should swirl smoothly and be thick enough to mound on a spoon.
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Ready when: No streaks of white ice cream remain and the shake is an even pale green, thick but pourable
Tip: Don't over-blend; heat from the motor melts the ice cream and thins the shake.
Taste and adjust
- Taste a spoonful.
- If you want more mint, add ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) more extract at a time and pulse twice.
- If it is too thick to pour, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cold milk and pulse once.
- If it's too thin, add 1 scoop of ice cream and pulse.
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Ready when: Clear, cool mint flavor that doesn't taste like toothpaste
Tip: Extract intensifies as it sits, so go lightly.
Fold in chocolate chips
- Add the 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips.
- Pulse 3–4 times, 1 second each, just to break them into small flecks while leaving some tiny pieces for crunch.
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Ready when: Dark flecks are visible throughout the shake
Tip: Pulse, don't blend. Longer blending turns the chips into brown specks and muddies the green color.
Pour and top
- Take the glasses from the freezer and divide the shake between them, tapping each glass on the counter to settle it.
- Top with whipped cream, if using, and scatter the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
- Add a straw and spoon to each glass.
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Ready when: Shakes are filled to just below the rim with a thick, mounded top
Tip: Serve right away; the shake begins to thin within about 10 minutes.
Good to know
Tips
- Peppermint extract, not mint extract, gives the classic ice cream parlor flavor; both are strong, so measure carefully.
- For an extra-thick shake, freeze the blender jar for 15 minutes before blending.
- Use a little less milk for a spoonable shake and a little more for a straw-friendly one.
- Wash the blender right away; chocolate and ice cream residue is easiest to remove while fresh.
Storage & reheating
Best enjoyed immediately. Room temperature: not recommended. Fridge: not recommended. Freezer: pour leftovers into a lidded freezer-safe container for up to 1 week; let it sit 5–10 minutes, then re-blend with 1–2 tablespoons of cold milk until smooth.
Substitutions
- vanilla ice cream → mint chip ice cream (omit the extract and food coloring). Use the same amount, then taste before adding any extract. Skip the blended chips if the ice cream already has plenty.
- whole milk → oat milk or other unsweetened plant milk. Use the same amount. The shake will be slightly thinner, so reduce to ½ cup (120 ml) if needed.
- green liquid food coloring → a small handful of fresh spinach leaves. Adds natural color with little flavor, but the green is less minty-pastel. Skip entirely for a white shake.
- mini semisweet chocolate chips → finely chopped dark chocolate or crushed chocolate sandwich cookies. Use the same weight. Cookies will make the shake darker and sweeter.
