Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups high-quality vanilla ice cream
- 1.5 cups cold whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated (about 1 inch of fresh ginger root)
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground cloves
- Pinch of sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar (or white sugar)
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg (plus more for garnish)
- Optional: whipped cream and crushed gingerbread cookies for topping
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients. Make sure your vanilla ice cream is solidly frozen straight from the freezer—this is key to achieving that luxurious thick texture. Have your cold milk ready in the refrigerator as well. Cold ingredients are absolutely essential for the perfect shake consistency.
- Add milk and molasses to the blender. Pour 1.5 cups of cold whole milk directly into your blender. Add 2 tablespoons of unsulphured molasses to the milk. Note: Molasses can be sticky, so you might want to lightly oil your measuring spoon to help it slide off more easily.
- Add the ice cream. Scoop 2 cups of vanilla ice cream into the blender. Don’t pre-soften it—keep it frozen and firm. Frozen ice cream blends with cold milk to create the perfect thick, creamy texture.
- Add fresh ginger. Finely grate approximately ½ teaspoon of fresh ginger root directly into the blender. Fresh ginger provides brightness and a lively bite that ground ginger alone can’t achieve. Use a microplane grater for the finest texture.
- Add all ground spices. Pour in ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and a generous pinch of ground cloves. These spices create the warm, authentic gingerbread flavor profile. Add ⅛ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg if you have it (pre-ground works too).
- Add remaining ingredients. Add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ tablespoon brown sugar, and a small pinch of sea salt. The salt enhances all the other flavors and prevents the shake from tasting one-dimensionally sweet.
- Blend until smooth. Blend on high speed for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth and creamy with no visible chunks of ice cream. The consistency should be thick but pourable—like a classic milkshake texture.
- Taste and adjust. Before serving, pour a small taste into a spoon. Does it taste authentically like gingerbread? Is the spice level right for you? Add a tiny pinch more cinnamon if you want more spice, or a touch more molasses if you want it darker and richer. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t remove it.
- Pour into serving glasses. Divide evenly between two tall glasses. For a beautiful presentation, pour carefully so the shake sits in the glass without overflowing.
- Garnish and serve immediately. Top each shake with a light dusting of fresh grated nutmeg and cinnamon. If you want to be extra fancy, top with whipped cream and crushed gingerbread cookies. A thin cinnamon stick makes a lovely garnish and adds flavor as you sip. Serve immediately with a thick straw.
Notes
- Make it extra thick: Use an extra scoop of ice cream and reduce milk to 1 cup for an almost-dessert consistency that you eat with a spoon.
- Make it more drinkable: Add an extra ½ cup of milk if you prefer a thinner shake that’s easier to drink through a straw.
- Batch recipe: This easily doubles for parties. Simply multiply all ingredients by two or three. Blend in batches if your blender isn’t large enough.
- Prep ahead: Blend everything except the toppings up to 30 minutes ahead. Keep refrigerated. Blend once more before serving or stir vigorously to recombine.
- Ginger substitution: If you don’t have fresh ginger, use an extra ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger. Fresh is superior, but ground still creates a delicious shake.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert & Beverages
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 shake (16 oz)
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 52g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 85mg