Buy Chocolate

For more on recettes faciles de desserts au chocolat faire la maison, check out our guide.

There are milkshakes, and then there are milkshakes that make you close your eyes on the first sip. The difference is almost always chocolate syrup. A properly made chocolate milkshake isn’t just milk blended with ice cream — it’s a carefully balanced combination of fat, sugar, and chocolate intensity that hits every pleasure centre in your brain at once. I’ve spent more years than I care to admit perfecting my milkshake technique, and I’m going to share everything I’ve learned, from the basic formula to the indulgent variations that turn a simple drink into a dessert experience.

Let me be clear about something upfront. The quality of your chocolate syrup matters more than the quality of your ice cream. You can use premium vanilla bean ice cream and end up with a mediocre shake if the syrup is thin, artificial-tasting, or too sweet. Conversely, store-brand vanilla ice cream with a really good chocolate syrup produces a shake that tastes significantly better than its parts. I’ve tested this. The syrup is doing the heavy lifting.

The Perfect Basic Chocolate Milkshake

Before we get into variations and add-ins, here’s the master formula. Memorise this, and you’ll never make a bad milkshake again.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (about 420g) vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (60ml) chocolate syrup
• Pinch of sea salt

Method:

Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before blending. This small step makes a massive difference — rock-hard ice cream forces your blender to work harder, which heats up the mixture and produces a thinner shake. Softened ice cream blends into a thicker, creamier consistency in half the time.

Add the milk and chocolate syrup to the blender first, then add the ice cream on top. This order helps the blades grab the liquid and pull the ice cream down more efficiently. Add the salt. Blend on low for 10 seconds, then increase to medium-high for 20 to 30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Scrape down the sides once if needed.

Pour into a chilled glass. Serve immediately with a straw and a long spoon.

Timing: 10 minutes prep, 1 minute blending. Yield: One large shake (about 20 ounces).

The salt is not optional. A pinch of sea salt — I use Maldon — suppresses bitterness from the cocoa and enhances the chocolate flavour without making the shake taste salty. I add it to every chocolate milkshake I make, and everyone who’s tried it has noticed the difference. Try one batch with and one without. You’ll taste it.

Double Chocolate Malt Shake

This is my personal favourite and the shake I make when I want something that feels genuinely indulgent. The malt powder adds a toasty, savoury note that transforms the chocolate flavour into something deeper and more complex.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (420g) chocolate ice cream
• 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (60ml) chocolate syrup
• 3 tablespoons malted milk powder (I prefer Carnations)
• Pinch of sea salt
• Whipped cream and extra syrup for garnish

Method:

Soften the ice cream for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature. Combine the milk, chocolate syrup, and malt powder in the blender and pulse a few times to dissolve the malt. Add the ice cream and salt. Blend on low for 10 seconds, then high for 20 to 30 seconds until thick and smooth.

Pour into a chilled glass. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Serve with a straw and a spoon.

Timing: 12 minutes total. Yield: One large shake (about 22 ounces).

I prefer chocolate ice cream for this shake because the double hit of chocolate from the ice cream and the syrup creates a richness that vanilla ice cream can’t match. If you can’t find good chocolate ice cream, use vanilla and add an extra tablespoon of syrup. For more chocolate recipes and buying guides, visit BuyChocolate.org.

Vegan Chocolate Milkshake

A good vegan milkshake is harder to make than a dairy version because plant-based ice creams tend to have a different texture — icier, less creamy, and quicker to melt. But with the right ingredients and technique, you can get close enough that even dairy drinkers won’t complain.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (420g) oat milk or coconut-based chocolate ice cream
• 1/2 cup (120ml) oat milk (not almond — oat milk has better body)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) chocolate syrup (check labels — most are vegan, but some contain milk solids)
• 1 tablespoon coconut cream (from a can, the thick part)
• Pinch of salt

Method:

Soften the ice cream for 10 minutes. Combine the oat milk, chocolate syrup, and coconut cream in the blender. Add the ice cream and salt. Blend on low for 10 seconds, then medium-high for 20 seconds. The coconut cream adds the fat and richness that vegan ice creams lack.

Pour and serve immediately. Vegan milkshakes melt faster than dairy versions, so don’t let it sit.

Timing: 12 minutes total. Yield: One large shake.

Oat milk is the best plant-based milk for milkshakes because it has a thicker consistency and a neutral flavour. Almond milk is too watery, and soy milk can add a beany taste that competes with the chocolate. I’ve tried all of them. Oat milk wins by a wide margin.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

This combination is a classic for good reason. The saltiness and umami of peanut butter cut through the sweetness of the chocolate and create a savoury-sweet balance that’s almost addictive. I make this shake after long runs, and it hits the spot like nothing else.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (420g) vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (60ml) chocolate syrup
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 frozen banana (optional, but recommended)
• Pinch of salt

Method:

Soften the ice cream. Combine the milk, chocolate syrup, and peanut butter in the blender and pulse to combine. Add the ice cream, frozen banana, and salt. Blend until smooth. The frozen banana adds natural sweetness and creates a thicker, creamier texture without adding more ice cream.

Pour, top with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts if you’re feeling fancy.

Timing: 12 minutes total. Yield: One large shake.

Use creamy peanut butter, not crunchy. Crunchy peanut butter leaves small nut pieces that get stuck in the straw, which is annoying enough to ruin an otherwise perfect shake. If you want peanut texture, save it for a garnish on top. Check out our chocolate truffle ice cream guide for more frozen chocolate inspiration.

Chocolate Syrup Selection for Shakes

Different syrups produce noticeably different shakes. Here’s what I’ve found after testing the main options.

Hershey’s is the standard for a reason. It’s sweet, reasonably chocolatey, and blends seamlessly into cold liquids without separating. A shake made with Hershey’s tastes like the milkshake you remember from childhood — familiar, comforting, and reliably good. It’s not fancy, but it works. A 24-ounce bottle costs about $5 and will make roughly six shakes.

Sonoma Syrup chocolate syrup produces a more complex flavour with noticeable vanilla and caramel notes. The shake is less sweet and more sophisticated — closer to what you’d get at a premium ice cream shop. A 12-ounce bottle costs about $10, which is expensive per shake, but the quality difference is real.

Homemade syrup gives you control over the sweetness and intensity. I use my homemade version when I want a darker, more adult shake with less sugar. The recipe is straightforward: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, simmered for 2 minutes with vanilla and salt. It’s thinner than store-bought syrup but has a cleaner chocolate flavour.

For a guide to choosing the best organic chocolate syrup brands, check out our dedicated guide to cleaner options.

The Science of a Good Milkshake Texture

The ideal milkshake texture is thick enough to hold a straw upright for a few seconds but thin enough to drink without a spoon. Achieving that balance depends on three variables: ice cream temperature, milk-to-ice-cream ratio, and blending time.

A 3:1 ratio of ice cream to milk by volume is the sweet spot. More milk makes the shake drinkable but thin. Less milk makes it too thick to pull through a straw. The ratio works with any ice cream density because you’re measuring by volume — denser premium ice creams will produce a slightly thicker shake at the same ratio, so adjust by adding milk a tablespoon at a time.

Blending time is the most commonly overlooked variable. Blend too long and the friction from the blades melts the ice cream, turning your thick shake into a thin, watery mess. Thirty seconds total is the maximum for a standard blender. If you’re blending for a minute or more, your ice cream is too cold.

Chill your glass before pouring. A warm glass will start melting the shake from the outside in, creating a ring of watery milk around the edges before you’re halfway through. Ten minutes in the freezer is enough. It’s a small step, but it makes a noticeable difference to the drinking experience.

I’ve given you four recipes here, but the real lesson is the formula. Three parts ice cream, one-half part milk, a generous amount of good chocolate syrup, and a pinch of salt. From that starting point, you can go anywhere — add malt, peanut butter, banana, espresso powder, mint extract, or a shot of bourbon for an adults-only version. The basic chocolate milkshake is a canvas, not a finished painting.

That first sip — cold, thick, intensely chocolate, with just a hint of salt to keep it from being cloying — is one of life’s simple pleasures. It’s the taste of summer afternoons and late-night cravings, of childhood birthdays and adult celebrations. And it starts with the syrup. Find the best chocolate syrup for your milkshakes at BuyChocolate.org and treat yourself to the thickest, creamiest shake you’ve ever made.

Hershey Chocolate Syrup Guide