Recipe Roundup

Our 26 Best Milkshake Recipes and Ice Cream Float Recipes

Choosing between refreshing ice cream floats and creamy milkshakes is a win-win proposition.
Palm Springs date shake in a glass with a redandwhite straw.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
  • Two banana milkshakes with straws topped with whipped cream slices of banana and nutmeg.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    1/26

    Banana Milkshake

    Easy, creamy, and dreamy, this banana milkshake gets a dash of warm spice to complement the real fruit flavor.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    2/26

    3-Ingredient Ginger-Peach Ice Cream Floats

    Poaching peaches in ginger beer infuses them with sweet, spicy flavor. Layer the poached fruit with ice cream and top with more ginger beer for a fun new take on a classic float.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    5/26

    Chocolate Malt

    Put on your bobby socks and make this old-fashioned chocolate malt with just four ingredients.

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  • Photo by David Loftus
    6/26

    Blood Orange–Champagne Ice Cream Float

    This citrusy dessert cocktail is a great way to use up any leftover Champagne or sparkling wine.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
    9/26

    Palm Springs Date Shake

    This Southern California classic is a mix of vanilla ice cream, sweet dates, and chipped ice—which keeps it super cold and extremely refreshing.

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  • Romulo Yanes
    10/26

    Tiramisu Affogato

    Coffee ice cream, lady fingers, and espresso make for all the flavors of tiramisu in a delicious ice cream sundae.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    11/26

    Iced Chocolate Soda

    This refreshing, effervescent drink has the sweet flavor of chocolate milk without the dairy—fix that with a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    12/26

    Matcha Affogato With Green Tea Ice Cream

    Try this delicious variation of matcha, almond milk, green-tea ice cream, and cornflakes on the traditional vanilla-and-espresso dessert.

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  • Ted Cavanaugh
    13/26

    Coconut And Cream Float

    Coconut ice cream and cream soda get a shot of rum in a float that offers a hint of the Caribbean.

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  • Photo by Leo Gong
    14/26

    Root Beer Granita Float

    For the best texture, scrape the granita mixture at least once an hour until it's set, then scrape again just before serving.

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  • Photo by Tina Rupp
    17/26

    Milkie Way Malt

    Vanilla ice cream blended with malted milk, chocolate, caramel sauce, and crushed malt balls is a candy bar–inspired treat.

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  • Sara Bonisteel
    18/26

    Boozy Shamrock Shake

    It doesn't have to be St. Patrick's Day to sip on this perennial favorite that's flavored with crème de menthe and a little peppermint extract. Add a shot of whiskey for extra oomph.

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  • Photo by Hirsheimer & Hamilton
    21/26

    Apricot Sorbet Float

    The sorbet in this Champagne float is the perfect use for overripe apricots. Don't worry about peeling them—the skin will add flavor and pretty, delicate flecks throughout the purée.

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  • Photo by Mikkel Vang
    22/26

    Stout Floats

    This float is based on Guinness and Black—stout cut with blackcurrant concentrate—which is popular in Ireland. Here, blackberry brandy adds the fruitiness that bridges the gap between beer and ice cream, but crème de cassis, or another berry liqueur, would work just as well.

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  • 23/26

    Strawberry Sorbato and Prosecco Floats

    Sorbato is a cross between sorbet and gelato: half fruit purée, half cream-based (much like American sherbet). When floated with a glug of prosecco, it makes for a sweet and elegant summer dessert.

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  • Christopher Griffith
    24/26

    Stout Floats With Cocoa Syrup

    This stout float relies on chocolate ice cream and a rich cocoa syrup—plus a shot of coffee liqueur—to take it to next-level sweet indulgence.

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  • Ted Cavanaugh
    25/26

    Peach and Fizzy Grapefruit Float

    Sweet peach ice cream and bittersweet grapefruit soda combine in this ultra-summery, super-fruity float.

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  • Photo by Penny De Los Santos
    26/26

    Mamey Milkshake

    Mamey is an oblong fruit, similar in appearance to a large mango, with a texture and taste somewhere in between melon and pumpkin. A popular choice for milkshakes in Mexico and Central America, the fruit can be found at Latin American markets.

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