Sweet cherry vanilla milkshake – as simple and delicious as it gets! No frills, no crazy toppings. Just milk, vanilla ice cream, sweet cherries. Yum.
(Have a boatload of fresh cherries? Make chocolate cherry bundt cake. An easy, delicious snacking cake but also so pretty you can serve it to company!)
I love sweet cherries. I usually make roasted cherry choco chip ice cream but this year I chose to take the lazy simpler route and made cherry vanilla milkshake instead.
And lemme tell you. This milkshake brings the boys to my yard lol. Fresh, sweet, refreshing. Bursting with sweet cherry flavour. Takes all of 15 minutes to prepare too.
How to make sweet cherry vanilla milkshake
It’s really simple to make: take milk, ice cream and cherries. Blend. Slurp!
Sounds like my fresh mango mousse? Why, yes. My blender and I are usually BFFs during TUB’s No Bake Summer.
How’s your summer going so far? Splendidly I hope! Can you believe it’s August?! Anyway.
Related: Strawberry Mango Banana Smoothie
What’s the best kind of ice cream to use for milkshakes?
Although it is very simple to make milkshakes, there is still some science behind making the perfect milkshake.
For example, what kind of ice cream do you like to use? Do you use the ice cream flavour of the milkshake you’re making? Next time, try opting for vanilla ice cream instead (I personally like using french vanilla for that added oomph.)
It’s a great base for all the mind-blowing milkshake flavours you’re cooking up. Making chocolate milkshake? Do vanilla ice cream + chocolate syrup or cocoa powder. Strawberry? Vanilla ice cream + frozen strawberries.
With vanilla ice cream, it’s hard to go wrong. And BTW, it’s best to soften your ice cream a little bit before scooping it into the blender vs. straight out of the fridge.
Related: How to Make No-Churn Ice Cream
What’s the perfect ratio of ice-cream and milk for milkshakes?
Now how about the ratio of milk to ice cream? There is none. As master milkshake makers would tell you, it’s all about adjusting and re-adjusting according to taste and consistency.
Milkshakes are traditionally thick and creamy so you really only need very little milk. In this recipe, I put 1/4 cup and that’s considered a lot.
Remember: as the ice cream melts, your milkshake becomes runnier so try not to add too much milk if you think your milkshake is too thick. If you must, do so at about a teaspoon at a time.
And nope, don’t even think about adding cream. Unless you want to make butter in your blender!
Related: Easy Puff Pastry Cherry Hand Pies
Can I use frozen cherries?
Since I freeze the fresh cherries anyway, you may be wondering if you can use frozen cherries instead of fresh. Yes, absolutely.
But again, since it’s summer and beautiful cherries are everywhere, go crazy with fresh cherries! I usually buy lots and lots when they’re in season and freeze some of them so I can enjoy them the whole year.
But this year, this summer, today, I am going to enjoy my cherry vanilla milkshake. Hope you do too. Cheers!
Related: How to Take Delicious Food Photos
Sweet Cherry Vanilla Milkshake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup milk chilled
- 3 heaping scoops vanilla ice cream softened just a little bit
- 1 cup cherries pitted, halved and frozen
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute any kind of milk although full fat works best. If you need to add more milk, do so 1 teaspoon at a time (see my tips in the post).
- There are different sizes of ice cream scoops - start with 3 scoops and adjust from there.
- Freeze your fresh cherries and chill your milk at least 30 minutes before using them.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Happy blending!
Did you make sweet cherry vanilla milkshake? What’s your favourite recipe from our No Bake Summer Series so far? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
Here are more refreshing summer recipes for you:
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- Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse
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- Easy Refreshing Apple Buko Salad
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- Cantaloupe Feta Cheese Salad
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- 2-Ingredient Frozen Yogurt Granola Cups
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Steve Keays says
I use Organic Meadows Vanilla Ice Cream since it is the purest ice cream ,as good as Hagen Daz I think . I use frozen dark cherries ,maybe I will try fresh some time . I make different kinds of shakes every night but this is one of my favorites. Cherries just have an amazing flavor mixed with a subtle ice cream like vanilla ,so you really taste the cherry ! Just thought I would check to see if they were popular at all so Im glad to see they are !
Jolina says
Hi Steve! Glad to hear from a fellow cherry milkshake fan. This is really one of my favourites to make during cherry season. Hope you’re having a fabulous summer!
Marisa Franca says
Every year we are so excited about the fresh cherries being in season. We practically make ourselves sick eating them. They are just that good!! I can just imagine how good they are with ice cream and made into a milk shake. Wish I had some now!!
Ananda says
omg i would love some right now! it sounds so good, and the color is so pretty!
Dawn says
HAHAHA….’brings the boys to the yard’ – too funny! This does sound really delish though! Bought cherries the other day for $1.99 per pound…best deal yet. I’m on a constant search for the best cherry deal 😀 Perfect for the hot weather we’ve been having!
Jolina says
Hey Dawn! How’s it going? That song’s been in my head for a week lol. And whadyaknow, I bought cherries today for 1.99 a pound too! I’m so scared they’re going to go away soon haha. Hope you’re having a lovely summer my friend!
Pam says
Went cherrypicking some time back and the kids picked too much so I froze them and saw your recipe on pinterest. We made milkshakes yesterday and it was a hit. New favorite with the kids. Simple and delicous!
Jolina says
Happy to hear that Pam! Glad you and the kids liked it. Hope you’re having a fab summer.
Veena Azmanov says
OH, summer and milkshakes – yes, please. This sounds so refreshing. Considering it’s almost 40 C here – we are living on drinks. So this is on the must make list soon.
Esther says
This sweet cherry vanilla milkshake looks delicious. It kind of looks like a smoothie. The recipe seems very simple. I also like to substitute with french vanilla sometimes.
Tonya Tardiff says
A cherry milkshake sounds so perfect how have I never thought of it before? Love this recipe!
Denise says
This looks delicious! My family and I make lots of milkshakes and smoothies in the summer. I have to try this cherry vanilla combination though because my husband would LOVE it!
Rachel says
I need to get a cherry pitter! I have so many things that I want to make.
Jolina says
A cherry pitter is life changing LOL! Hope you’re having a lovely summer!
Patricia Chamberlain says
Cherries are pretty much life in our house. I will be trying this soon!
Holly says
Oh, this looks super yummy. I will definitely have to try this. I love trying new recipes!!
T says
This could very well replace my current recipe for a cherry vanilla milkshake. I treat myself to one every weekend.
Jolina says
Sounds like a great way to spend every weekend 🙂
CourtneyLynne says
O my yum!!! I’m a huge fan of all things cherry!!! Definitely adding this smoothie to my must try list!
Stephanie says
Yum! We love to make milkshakes and always use a good vanilla ice cream as the base for them. When we do chocolate we use both powder and syrup for extra chocolate goodness!
Jolina says
Vanilla ice cream is a great base isn’t it? And what a great way to make chocolate milkshake. Sounds super chocolatey!
Didi Marie says
I have never tasted a cherry milkshake! But, my family loves them, so I just had to pin your recipe. Won’t they be delighted!!
Jolina says
Hope you and the fam enjoy!
Gloria says
Fresh cherries are so delicious. When I was a child, my aunt had a fruit orchard in Ontario. Every summer all the family would help out picking cherries, peaches, plums….along with taking the haul home for making delicious things. Every time I see fresh cherries…I brings back memories.
Jolina says
What a wonderful memory Gloria! We were supposed to go cherry picking this year. Didn’t happen though, perhaps next year. I’m a little afraid of getting so overwhelmed and bringing home crates-ful of cherries lol!
brianne says
Cherries are my absolute favorite fruit! These smoothie looks super delicious, I need to try this!
Jolina says
Mine too! Such a shame cherry season is so short eh?
Scott says
It probably is pretty good, but I like chocolate in my milkshakes. I guess I could still mix cherries with it though!
Jolina says
Absolutely! Then you’ll have some kind of black forest milkshake happening 🙂
Maria says
Sounds like a terrific milkshake to me. I like your tip of using vanilla ice cream as the base for milkshakes. I will be doing that from now on.
Neely says
What a delicious summer treat! I always folove get to use cherries in things
Jill says
Haven’t had milkshake in ages. Gotta get my moving before cherries are gone.
Jolina says
Absolutely! What I do is freeze them when they’re available so I can enjoy them all year 🙂