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Black Milkshake

This black milkshake gets its Oreo-like flavor from black cocoa powder with no food coloring needed. Made with vanilla ice cream, it’s a fun and easy Halloween treat that can be made vegan or paleo.
Prep Time 4 minutes
Total Time 4 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • Optional whipped cream topping and rim:
  • ▢1/4 cup 60 ml heavy cream or whipping cream
  • ▢black sanding sugar
  • Milkshake ingredients:
  • ▢2 cups 475 ml vanilla ice cream packed, see notes
  • ▢1/4 to 1/2 cup 60 to 120 ml milk see notes
  • ▢3 tablespoons 26 grams black cocoa powder plus more, if needed
  • ▢2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ▢2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ▢sprinkles optional

Instructions
 

  • If making whipped cream and rim:
  • Add the heavy cream to a bowl. Begin by whipping the cream at medium speed. Once it starts to thicken, increase the speed to high. Continue whipping until the peaks stand up straight. Place in the fridge while you make the milkshake.
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
  • If you want to make a rim with black sanding sugar like I did – pour sanding sugar into a shallow bowl. Brush some maple syrup on the rim of your glass with a small pastry brush or dip the rim into a shallow dish of maple syrup. Immediately dip the rim of the glass into the sanding sugar. Tap to remove excess sugar and place in the freezer for a few minutes to help the sugar adhere better.
  • Make the milkshake:
  • Add ice cream, milk, black cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla to a blender and blend until it’s totally combined and there aren’t any lumps of ice cream. If it’s too thick, add more milk until it’s however thick you'd like. Taste and add more black cocoa, if desired. Note that the milkshake may look dark grey at the beginning, but gets very close to black the longer it sits.
  • 2 cups (475 ml) vanilla ice cream,1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 120 ml) milk,3 tablespoons (26 grams) black cocoa powder,2 tablespoons maple syrup,2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Top with the whipped cream and add sprinkles, if desired.

Notes

For the milk, you can use any type except for canned coconut milk. I use unsweetened cashew milk for a paleo/vegan version, but any compliant milk would work. Also omit the sprinkles if you're paleo/vegan. When I made this recipe with store-bought vegan ice cream, I didn't need any milk at all. That ice cream was very airy and not dense. When I used homemade ice cream, I needed 1/2 cup (120 ml) of milk.
The recipe yields 2 1/2 cups (591 ml) when using dense, high-quality ice cream and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of milk. When I made this with ice cream that had a lot of air in it, I didn't need any milk and the yield was only around 1 1/3 cups (307 ml).
The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Nutrition
Calories: 475kcal
Carbohydrates: 52g
Protein: 8g
Fat: 27g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 95mg
Sodium: 129mg
Potassium: 502mg
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 43g
Vitamin A: 1042IU
Vitamin C: 1mg
Calcium: 258mg
Iron: 1mg
Net Carbs: 48