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Thick Strawberry Shakes

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Thick Strawberry Shakes are rich, frosty drinks made with ripe strawberries, cold vanilla ice cream, and just enough milk for a creamy, spoonably thick texture. They are an easy classic dessert packed with fresh berry flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 4 cups vanilla ice cream, firm and cold
  • 1/2 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or honey, optional
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves, optional
  • Whipped cream, optional
  • Fresh strawberries, for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Wash the strawberries, remove the green tops, and cut larger berries into halves or quarters.
  2. Place the strawberries in a blender and add the whole milk.
  3. Blend briefly until the strawberries are mostly broken down. For small pieces of fruit throughout the shake, stop before the mixture becomes completely smooth.
  4. Add the vanilla ice cream and vanilla extract. Add sugar, honey, or strawberry preserves if additional sweetness or strawberry flavor is desired.
  5. Blend on low speed at first, then increase the speed just until the shake is thick and smooth. Avoid over-blending.
  6. Check the consistency before adding more liquid. If the mixture is too thick for the blender, add additional milk 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.
  7. If the shake becomes too thin, add another scoop of firm vanilla ice cream or a few frozen strawberries and blend briefly.
  8. Immediately pour into chilled glasses and garnish with whipped cream and fresh strawberries if desired.

Notes

  • Use firm vanilla ice cream straight from the freezer and limit the amount of milk for the thickest shake.
  • Frozen strawberries can replace fresh strawberries and will produce an especially cold, thick shake.
  • For stronger strawberry flavor, add a small amount of strawberry preserves.
  • For a Chocolate Strawberry Shake, blend in chocolate syrup or unsweetened cocoa powder.
  • For a Strawberry Banana Shake, add one ripe banana, preferably frozen for extra thickness.
  • For a Strawberry Cheesecake Shake, add softened cream cheese and garnish with crushed graham crackers.
  • Serve immediately because the shake will become thinner as the ice cream melts.
  • Leftovers can be frozen, softened slightly, and reblended with a small splash of milk.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thefamilycooking.com/thick-strawberry-shakes/