Pumpkin Milkshake – Kid and Adult Versions

You are just a few ingredients away from one of my favorite fall upgrades to the homemade milkshake: Pumpkin Milkshakes! Kids absolutely love this twist on the classic milkshake, but the secret is that it’s also delicious as an adult milkshake with some booze in it! Either way you make it, it’s a wonderful seasonal treat. 

How I fell in love with pumpkin milkshakes

There are very few times in life when you’ll hear this from your doctor: You need to drink more milkshakes!

But that’s honestly what Betsy’s doctor told her many years ago when she was pregnant with our first kiddo. She was a bit behind on the weight gain for the pregnancy and, in fact, she lost weight for the first four months or so.

I guess it turns out that isn’t so uncommon, but I was freaking out a bit because if I can’t fatten up my pregnant wife, it could be argued that I have failed as a food blogger.

So when the milkshake prescription came in, I kicked it into high gear. This creamy, spicy pumpkin situation has since been an annual tradition in our house. It’s easy to mix together and has great fall flavors like cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin, and (occasionally) some festive fall booze. 

Even though Betsy is now many years away from being pregnant, we still sneak these shakes in occasionally. After all, they were doctor’s orders!

• Need a different chilled dessert? Try these Yogurt popsicles with fruit and cereal!

How to make a great pumpkin milkshake

The only important thing to note about this recipe is to make sure you buy pureed pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling which has all kinds of additives in it. Just get the 100% pureed pumpkin and then you can add in the spices you want.

For these Pumpkin Milkshakes, I chose to use a teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, but you could make your own mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice!

Of course, good vanilla ice cream is also a good idea. 

Blend that all up in your blender and you are well on your way to a delicious milkshake!

Easier Clean-up Tip for Milkshakes

While I used to bust out the full-fledged blender for milkshakes, these days I use an immersion blender to make cleanup a whole lot easier. You need a big jar or glass and you can only make one milkshake at a time (or two kid-sized milkshakes). 

To make it happen, add the ingredients to the glass and stick in your immersion blender. Start it on low speed and slowly pull the blender out of the glass. It will perfectly blend up the milkshake! If it seems too thick, add an extra splash of milk or almond milk to smooth it out. 

This means you just have clean the immersion blender attachment rather than the whole dang blender!

The Boozy Pumpkin Milkshake

Let’s face it, if you aren’t adding a little shot of something to your milkshake once in a while, you’re doing it wrong.

I pondered long and hard over the kind of booze to use for these milkshakes. I thought about going cinnamon whiskey but thought that would overpower the sweetness of the milkshake. Rum was also tried, and was just fine, but not my favorite. 

This Cinnamon Cream liquor is the answer though. It’s a perfect complement to the pumpkin flavors and isn’t too boozy.

I guess you can make it as strong as you like but an ounce or two of cinnamon cream liquor really is all you need to jazz up this already wonderful milkshake. 

Garnishing and Serving this Milkshake

Top this pumpkin milkshake as you like, but for me I like a lot of whipped cream and some ground cinnamon on top! I’ve also seen versions of milkshakes like this that include graham cracker crumbs or gingersnaps! Those toppings would give the milkshake a slice of pie flavor profile, for sure!

This pumpkin milkshake has been in my life for years now, from trying to feed my pregnant wife, to now feeding my kids dessert, and to occasionally making an adult version for my damn self! 

Whatever way you serve it, pumpkin milkshakes are a win. 

Here are a few other recipes!

• Fresh Strawberry and Chocolate Shake
• Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Concentrate
• Creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese