Celebrate the holiday with lucky Green Milkshakes For St. Patrick's Day. Make vanilla or mint shakes topped with green sprinkles and colorful marshmallows. This is a fun recipe to make with kids.
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What a great day when McDonald's runs ads and hangs signs announcing that Shamrock Shakes are back. That means that St. Patrick's Day is drawing near!
But why wait for someone else to control your access to a lucky green shake? Make DIY Green Milkshakes for St. Patrick's at home any time you want one.
What is a green milkshake?
The McDonald's folks probably weren't the first ones to think of dyeing a milkshake green, but they're certainly the ones who are famous for it.
The Shamrock Shake recipe, vivid green and mint-flavored, was created in 1967 by a Connecticut franchise owner named Hal Rosen and it was indeed created to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
The idea spread to other McDonald's franchises over the next several decades and was even used in promotions to raise money for charities like the Ronald McDonald House.
So even though these milkshakes are not really Irish, over 55 years later, the annual St. Patrick's Day appearance of the green shakes is still a highly anticipated event.
Are green milkshakes mint-flavored?
Those green milkshakes at McDonald's are definitely mint-flavored, which is great news if you like mint (like me!) However, I know plenty of people who do not care for mint. Where are THEIR annual Green Milkshakes?
This recipe is for them! My Green Milkshakes have a rich vanilla flavor underneath all that green. That way everyone can enjoy a sweet, green St. Patrick's Day drink.
Why you'll love this milkshake
Looking for a fun St. Patrick's Day recipe to make with the kids? I promise they will LOVE these homemade green shakes! The drinks are simple to make, too: vanilla ice cream, milk, chocolate chips, and green food coloring.
For extra fun and extra kitsch, the milkshakes are topped with green or St. Patrick's Day-themed sprinkles, as well as Lucky Charms marshmallows.
I recommend the shamrocks, rainbows, horseshoes... and what the heck, grab the unicorns, too. You can get them from the cereal box, or order just the marshmallows online.
The milkshake is vanilla-flavored, but you can go mint if you want: just swap in some mint chocolate chip ice cream or add a few drops of mint extract to the blender.
(Lucky Charms was my third favorite breakfast cereal as a kid, behind Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. What's your favorite kid cereal?)
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Okay, who's thirsty for some St. Patrick's Day Lucky Green Milkshakes?
🔪 How to make Green Milkshakes For St. Patrick's Day
Ingredients in a Green Milkshake:
- Vanilla Ice Cream: Choose a quality brand for the best-tasting shakes
- Milk: This is the other key part of a good milkshake
- Vanilla Extract: My go-to brand is Nielsen-Massey.
- Green Food Coloring: It's a green milkshake after all!
- Chocolate Chips: These turn into tasty shards of chocolate in the shakes
- Whipped Cream: Use homemade or spray whipped cream
- Sprinkles: Find a St. Patrick's Day blend or even just green sprinkles
- Lucky Charms Marshmallows: Dig them from the box, or order them online
Step 1: Blend the shake
Put the ice cream, milk, flavoring, food coloring, and chocolate chips in a blender. Pulse the milkshake mix to make a smooth, green milkshake.
Step 2: Pour and top the shakes
Divide the milkshake mixture between two chilled glasses. Add whipped cream to the top of each glass. Drop some St. Patrick's Day sprinkles and Lucky Charms marshmallows over the tops. Serve the shakes immediately!
FAQs
One way to turn these vanilla milkshakes minty is to add a few drops of mint extract to the blender. Mint extracts are pretty strong so start with just a couple of drops, then taste the mixture to see if it needs more.
Another way to make a mint Green Milkshake is to use mint chocolate chip ice cream instead of vanilla.
Some spirits that taste amazing in vanilla milkshakes include Baileys Irish Cream, butterscotch schnapps, vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate or white chocolate liqueurs, and Kahlua.
If you're making a mint version, try adding some peppermint schnapps to the milkshake mixture.
Tips:
- Keep the milk very cold and the ice cream very frozen before making the shakes, so that they'll be as frosty as possible. And stash the glasses in the fridge so that they're nice and cold, too.
Huzzah: a St. Patrick's Day dessert that everyone can enjoy!
The recipe for Green Milkshakes for St. Patrick's Day is below. And here are more St. Paddy's Day recipes to try:
💬 How do you like these milkshakes? Did they bring you luck? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Green Milkshakes For St. Patrick' Day
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Equipment
- 2 Tall glasses chilled in the freezer
- 2 Straws
- 2 Long spoons
Ingredients
For the shake:
- 4½ cups vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Green food coloring
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
Toppings:
- 1 cup whipped cream
- Green sprinkles
- ¼ cup marshmallows from Lucky Charms cereal (The rainbows, shamrocks, horseshoes... and maybe the unicorns)
Instructions
Make the shakes:
- Place the ice cream, milk, vanilla extract, food coloring, and chocolate chips in a blender.
- Blend the ingredients together until the mixture is thick and smooth. Check the green color: blend in more food coloring if necessary to get a good, bright-green hue.
Pour and top:
- Divide the mixture between two tall, chilled glasses.
- Add whipped cream to the tops of the milkshakes, dividing it between the glasses.
- Sprinkle green sprinkles over the whipped cream. Drop several Lucky Charms marshmallows onto the tops of each milkshake.
- Serve the milkshakes immediately with long spoons and straws. Sláinte!
For mint Green Milkshakes:
- Add a few drops of mint extract to the blender. Start with just a couple of drops, then taste the mixture to see if it needs more. Another way is to use mint chocolate chip ice cream instead of vanilla.
For alcoholic Green Milkshakes:
- Add a few shots of liqueur to the blender, like butterscotch schnapps, vanilla vodka, Godiva chocolate or white chocolate liqueurs, or Kahlua. For mint milkshakes, add peppermint schnapps to the mixture.
Notes
Tips:
- Keep the milk very cold and the ice cream very frozen before making the shakes, so that they'll be as frosty as possible. And stash the glasses in the fridge so that they're nice and cold, too.
Nutrition
Check out the Green Milkshakes web story.
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