Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake
A creamy, indulgent milkshake that combines rich peanut butter with sweet banana and smooth vanilla ice cream. Perfect for a quick breakfast, dessert, or afternoon treat. Thick and satisfying with natural fruit sweetness balanced by nutty depth.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- —
- Total
- 5 min
- Makes
- 2 milkshakes (about 16 fluid ounces total)
Steps
Before you start
- Use a banana that is ripe but still firm (yellow with a few brown flecks); overripe bananas will make the shake too soft and mushy.
- Make sure the ice cream is straight from the freezer so the shake is thick and cold.
- Have your blender clean and ready to go.
Prepare the banana
- Peel the banana and cut it into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks on a cutting board.
- If the banana is very soft, you can freeze the chunks for 15 minutes to make blending easier, but this is optional.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Banana is cut into uniform chunks and ready to blend.
Tip: Cut the banana into small chunks so it blends smoothly with the other ingredients without stalling the blender.
Assemble ingredients in blender
- Add the cold milk, vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, banana chunks, and a pinch of salt to the blender.
- If you prefer a sweeter shake, add the honey now.
- Do not blend yet.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: Adding salt enhances the peanut butter flavor without making the shake taste salty. If not using honey, the natural sweetness of the banana and ice cream is usually sufficient.
Blend until smooth
- Secure the blender lid and blend on high speed for 30–45 seconds, until completely smooth and creamy.
- There should be no visible chunks of banana or peanut butter, and the mixture should be pale tan and uniform throughout.
- Stop and check the texture halfway through if needed.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Shake is smooth, creamy, and uniform in color with no lumps visible through the blender pitcher.
Tip: If the shake is too thick to blend smoothly, add 2–3 tablespoons of milk at a time and blend again. Do not over-blend or the shake will become thin and airy.
Divide and serve
- Pour the shake equally into two tall glasses, using a spoon to guide it if the shake is very thick.
- Serve immediately with a straw and a long spoon.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: Serve at once—the shake will begin to separate and melt if left standing. If you must wait, cover and refrigerate for no more than 10 minutes, then stir gently before drinking.
Good to know
Tips
- Freeze 1–2 small banana chunks separately and add them last if you prefer a slightly frostier shake with more texture.
- For a protein boost, add 1–2 tablespoons of vanilla protein powder and blend in with the other ingredients.
- Make it indulgent: drizzle whipped cream on top and sprinkle with crushed peanuts or chocolate chips.
- If your bananas are very ripe and soft, reduce the ice cream to 1¾ cups (420 ml) to keep the shake from becoming too thick.
Storage & reheating
Best served fresh. Leftover shake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours, but texture will become thinner as the ice cream melts. Stir well before serving. Not recommended for freezing.
Substitutions
- whole milk, cold → 2% milk, reduced-fat milk, or unsweetened almond/oat milk. Whole milk creates the richest, creamiest texture. Lower-fat milk will result in a thinner shake; nut or oat milk will add a slight flavor of its own.
- creamy peanut butter → almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter. Any nut or seed butter works; choose smooth varieties for the silkiest shake. Quantities remain the same.
- vanilla ice cream → Greek yogurt (use 1½ cups/360 ml instead) or soft-serve vanilla ice cream. Greek yogurt will create a tangier, protein-rich shake. Soft-serve will result in a slightly less thick texture.
- ripe banana → ½ cup (120 ml) canned pumpkin purée, ½ ripe avocado, or 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract plus 1 additional tablespoon of ice cream. Pumpkin adds fall flavor; avocado makes the shake ultra-creamy (reduce milk to ¾ cup). Skip the banana entirely and add extra extract for a pure peanut butter shake.
More milkshakes
See all →
Find more like this
- Meal
- Breakfast