Is it possible to make a strawberry milkshake without ice cream? It certainly is! This milkshake is made with frozen strawberries instead of strawberry ice cream which adds an authentic taste and a nice thick and creamy texture. All you need is 3 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of your time!
This delicious milkshake makes a refreshing drink that can be enjoyed all year round but tastes especially good on hot days during the summer months. It’s naturally sweetened and super refreshing while also being healthy and not as high in calories.
Even without adding ice cream you’ll see that you can easily achieve a thick milkshake. There are different reasons for why you would want to leave out the ice cream.
Some people don’t like the consistency or are looking for a dairy-free milkshake recipe. Ditching the ice cream will also result in a shake that’s lower in calories and fat.
For more strawberry recipes see Strawberry Almond Milk, Strawberry Smoothie (no banana), Banana Strawberry Smoothie.
For more milkshake recipes without ice cream check out Banana Milkshake or Chocolate Milkshake
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This healthy strawberry milkshake can be enjoyed as a quick breakfast or as an indulgent yet wholesome treat.
- With only 3 basic ingredients, t’s super easy to prepare!
- It gets its delicious strawberry flavor from fresh fruits- there's no strawberry syrup or other artificial ingredients involved.
- There’s no ice cream, no heavy cream and no added sugar involved making it the perfect choice for when you don’t have ice cream on hand or you would want to cut back on calories.
Ingredients & Substitution Notes
- Frozen Strawberries:...are the main ingredient in this milkshake recipe and are responsible for the thick and creamy texture and strawberry flavors. They also turn this into a refreshing, cold milkshake without the need of ice cubes. I do not recommend using fresh strawberries instead because this will result in a thin textured milkshake.
- (Plant) Milk: As this is a vegan strawberry milkshake recipe, it’s made with plant milk. I recommend using dairy-free kinds of milk with a slightly sweeter taste such as soy milk or oat milk. You could also try coconut milk or even a scoop of coconut cream for some extra richness! If you don’t need this to be a dairy-free milkshake you could use any milk of choice such as full-fat milk, half-and-half or heavy cream. The more fat that’s in the milk, the creamier your milkshake will turn out!
- Medjool Dates/ Sweetener: They add some additional sweetness to this shake. Medjool dates are famous for their gooey texture and caramel-like taste. If you don’t have them on hand, you could use “small”, regular dates as well, just make sure to use about double the amount. Also, if the dates aren’t soft, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes before making the recipe. Feel free to replace them with any sweetener of choice such as regular white sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, stevia etc.
How to Make a Strawberry Milkshake Without Ice Cream
Making a creamy milkshake at home is super easy. This healthy variation of a dairy-free strawberry milkshake involves only 1 simple step and comes together in no more than 5 minutes. Equipment-wise you'll need a powerful blender.
Simply put frozen strawberries, plant milk and Medjool dates into a blender. Then it’s time to blend away!
Keep an eye on the consistency and gradually add more liquid if you prefer a thinner texture. Or add more frozen strawberries to achieve a thicker shake. Adjust sweetness by adding more dates or your sweetener of choice.
Top Tips
- Cold Glass: Pop your serving glass in the freezer. Once it's cold, the milkshake will stay cold and thick for longer.
- Cold Milk: Similar to the glass, make sure to use very cold milk cold.
- Consistency: This recipe will leave you with a thick, velvety-smooth milkshake but feel free to play around with the texture. Add more milk for a thinner consistency, add a couple more frozen strawberries (or frozen banana) for a thicker texture.
- High-Speed Blender: We want the consistency of this milkshake to be perfectly smooth and creamy. For best results you will need a high power blender that’s able to easily blend the frozen strawberries and dates without leaving any pieces behind. A simple immersion or stick blender won’t do the job.
- Toppings: Make this milkshake even tastier by adding some toppings of choice. Check out the list below to get some ideas.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Yogurt: Adding 1-2 tablespoon of yogurt adds some additional creaminess as well as protein.
- Fresh Strawberries: You could add some strawberry pieces for some extra chewy texture after blending. Make sure to choose ripe strawberries as they are naturally sweeter. Alternatively, you could macerate them. All you need to do is coarsely chop a handful of strawberries, add them to a mixing bowl and add some sugar (2 teaspoons of sugar per 1 cup of fruit). Let sit for 30+ minutes. That way, they will release their natural liquids and you’ll end up with super soft and juicy strawberries.
- Caramel Sauce: Check out our 2-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce for some extra caramel flavor!
- Nut Butter: such as our Homemade Almond Butter or peanut butter for some additional protein
- Vanilla Extract: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. It enhances the natural flavors of this smoothie even more while also adding a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Other Fruits: Feel free to add different flavors by adding other frozen fruits such as mango chunks, raspberries or blueberries. Make sure they are also frozen though and you might need to add a bit more liquid. Also try adding a frozen banana- this will result in an even creamier and sweeter milkshake.
- Nuts & Seeds: Sprinkle with nuts such as almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds etc.
- Homemade Vegan Whipped Cream: This plant-based whipped cream would make a super delicious topping!
- Protein Powder
FAQs
You can play around with the consistency of this strawberry milkshake. Add more frozen strawberries or a frozen banana to get a thicker texture.
To enjoy a lighter version of a regular milkshake, the ice cream can easily be replaced by anything frozen really. In this recipe, we use frozen strawberries, but you could add a frozen banana or ice cubes as well. Make sure to choose a milk that’s higher in fat for a creamier texture.
Unfortunately, this recipe, can’t be prepared without a high-speed blender as it contains frozen fruit. I also do not recommend using an immersion blender since it won’t have enough power.
Simply blend ½ of the strawberries with water and other half with plant milk, then combine the two, layer after layer in a serving glass.
The basic recipe for this milkshake includes plant milk, frozen strawberries and Medjool dates. There’s no additional artificial flavors or sugar added. Strawberries exist mostly of water but also include some vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Folate and Potassium. Dates are a great source of Selenium, Magnesium, Calcium and phytonutrients. They are also high in fiber!
This depends on what type of milk and add-ins you are using. To end up with a vegan strawberry shake make sure to use a plant milk such as soy, oat or almond milk.
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Recipe
Strawberry Milkshake Without Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1½ - 2 cups soy milk (or any othermilk of choice) *see notes
- 3-5 Medjool dates *or regular, small ones
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients to a (high speed) blender. Blend until smooth.
- Start with 1 ½ cups of milk and gradually add more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency. Or add more frozen strawberries for a thicker and creamier shake.
- Adjust sweetness by adding more dates or other sweetener of choice (maple syrup, honey, stevia...)
Video
Notes
- Milk: You can choose any milk of choice such as a plant-based milk (soy, almond, oat, coconut) or whole milk. The more fat that’s in the milk, the creamier your milkshake will turn out!
- Dates: Feel free to replace them with any sweetener of choice such as regular white sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, stevia etc.
- Tips:
- Cold Glass: Pop your serving glass in the freezer. Once its cold, the milkshake will stay cold and thick for longer.
- Cold Milk: Similar to the glass, make sure to use very cold milk cold.
- High Speed Blender: You will need a high-power blender to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Optional Add-Ins:
- Yogurt, fresh strawberry pieces, 2-Ingredient Vegan Caramel Sauce, protein powder, nut butter, vanilla extract, more frozen fruits (frozen banana), nuts & seeds, Homemade Plant Based Whipped Cream
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