Ingredients
Scale
For Classic Mango Milkshake:
- 1½ cups fresh mango chunks (about 1-2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cubed) OR 1½ cups frozen mango chunks
- 1 cup whole milk (or 2% milk)
- 3 scoops (about ¾ cup) vanilla ice cream OR 1 cup ice cubes
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons honey or sugar (optional, only if mangoes aren’t sweet enough)
- Pinch of cardamom powder (optional, for authentic Indian flavor)
For Garnish (Optional):
- Whipped cream
- Fresh mango slices
- Mint leaves
- Chopped pistachios or almonds
- A sprinkle of cardamom
Instructions
- Prepare the mangoes: If using fresh mangoes, wash them thoroughly. Cut along both sides of the flat pit, score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern, and scoop out the cubes with a spoon. You’ll need about 1½ cups of mango chunks. If using frozen mango, no prep is needed—use them straight from the freezer.
- Check sweetness: Taste a piece of your mango to assess sweetness. If it’s perfectly ripe and sweet, you won’t need additional sweetener. If it’s slightly tart or not fully ripe, plan to add 1-2 tablespoons of honey or sugar.
- Add ingredients to blender: Place the mango chunks in your blender first (they’re heaviest and should be closest to the blades for easier blending). Add the milk, vanilla ice cream (or ice cubes), vanilla extract, and any optional sweetener or cardamom if using.
- Blend on low, then high: Start blending on low speed for 10-15 seconds to break up the mango and ice cream initially. This prevents large chunks from flying up the sides of the blender. Then increase to high speed and blend for 30-45 seconds until completely smooth and creamy. The mixture should be uniformly colored with no visible chunks or streaks.
- Check consistency: Stop the blender and check the thickness. The shake should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still pourable. If too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons more milk and pulse briefly. If too thin, add another small scoop of ice cream or a handful of ice and blend again.
- Taste and adjust: Sample your shake and adjust sweetness or flavor if needed. Remember that flavors will be slightly muted when cold, so it should taste just slightly sweeter than you want the final result.
- Serve immediately: Pour the mango milkshake into chilled glasses. The shake should pour smoothly and hold its shape slightly when poured.
- Garnish (optional): Top with a dollop of whipped cream, a fresh mango slice on the rim, a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, or a mint leaf for a beautiful presentation.
- Enjoy fresh: Serve immediately with wide straws or long spoons. Mango milkshakes are best enjoyed fresh and will begin to separate if left sitting for too long.
Notes
- Mango ripeness: The sweetness of your shake depends entirely on mango ripeness. Always choose fruit that’s fragrant, yields slightly to pressure, and shows good color.
- Frozen vs. fresh: Frozen mangoes create a thicker, colder shake and are available year-round. Fresh mangoes have slightly brighter flavor when in season.
- Thickness control: Start with less milk (¾ cup) for a thicker shake; add more gradually as needed. The ice cream-to-milk ratio determines final consistency.
- Dairy-free version: Substitute coconut milk, oat milk, or almond milk for regular milk, and use dairy-free ice cream or just add more ice.
- Sugar-free option: Skip all sweeteners and rely solely on the natural fruit sugars if your mangoes are perfectly ripe.
- Make it tropical: Add ½ cup pineapple chunks or ¼ cup coconut cream for enhanced tropical flavor.
- Protein boost: Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder or 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt for post-workout nutrition.
- Serving temperature: For best results, serve in glasses that have been chilled in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 milkshake (half of recipe, made with whole milk and ice cream)
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 42g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 30mg