There are few frozen confections we love more than a cool, creamy milkshake and mix in ideas, especially when it’s made at our favorite local scoop shop. But learning to make milkshakes at home means you can sate cravings whenever they strike. Plus, you can customize them with an endless array of mix-ins and toppings and get creative inventing your own flavor combinations.

Once you get the ratio of ice cream-to-milk right, making milkshakes is easy. And you can make milkshakes at home even if you don’t have a blender, or if you find yourself without ice cream. You can read on for top tips for making thick, creamy milkshakes, plus our favorite mix-ins and topping ideas.

No blender? No problem! You can also make a milkshake by using an immersion blender (also called a hand or stick blender) to blend ingredients in a large bowl or wide-mouth liquid measuring cup. Or you can hand-mix ingredients in a bowl with a spoon or a whisk.

Finally, you can place ingredients in a mason jar, mash them down with a spoon, and shake vigorously to combine. Be sure to start with softened ice cream in all cases.

For best results, put in your milk first. That will get the blender mixing quickly. Be sure to let your ice cream soften before scooping. If it’s too hard, you might end up having to add more milk, which thins the shake.

To Make A Milkshake You Will Need:

Ice cream: opt for the highest-quality possible, ideally full-fat because it creates a thicker, creamier shake (you can also use low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, but they tend to create a thinner consistency)

• Milk: you can use whole, 2%, 1% or skim, but using full-fat milk will yield the thickest, most consistent texture. If you’re making a chocolate milkshake, feel free to use chocolate milk. And if you’d prefer to go dairy-free (and presumably are using dairy-free ice cream), you can certainly use your favorite milk alternative.

• Add-ins: syrups, fruit, nut butters, cookies, etc. (see mix-ins below for inspiration)
• Toppings: garnishes such as whipped cream, sprinkles, cherries, or syrup drizzles (see toppings section below for more inspiration)

Mix-In Ideas

This is where things get fun, and you really get to make your milkshake your own. Raid your pantry for syrups, spreads, spices and extracts, or take things fruity by adding fresh or frozen fruit. For more textural contrast, experiment with adding baked good pieces or crunchy mix-ins toward the end of blending. Here are some of our favorite add-ins:

• Syrups: chocolate, maple, caramel, strawberry, pineapple, date, pomegranate
• Fruit: strawberries, bananas, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mango
• Spreads: nut butters, tahini, marshmallow fluff, chocolate-hazelnut spread
• Preserves: strawberry jam, blueberry preserves, marmalade.

• Baked goods: brownie pieces, chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake bites
• Crunchy stuff: mini chocolate chips, graham crackers, chocolate sandwich cookies, candy bar pieces, waffle cone pieces, halva, chopped chocolate
• Nuts: crushed peanuts, slivered almonds, pecan pieces, crushed walnuts

• Extracts: vanilla, almond, coconut, taro, lemon
• Spices and herbs: ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, fresh mint, lavender
• Coffee, tea and cocoa: shot of brewed coffee, tea, or espresso; finely ground espresso powder; hot cocoa mix
• Liquor: for an adult-only boozy treat, add a splash of your favorite liquor, such as bourbon, vodka or rum (non moslem).

Topping Ideas

Cap off your shake with garnishes such as whipped cream, maraschino or brandied cherries, sprinkles, cookie sticks, candy straws, chocolate dipped pretzel sticks, syrup drizzles, a dusting of spice, grated chocolate, crushed cookies, chopped candy bar pieces, chocolate-covered strawberries, or citrus peels.