If you are obsessed with all things pumpkin spice, I have just the milkshake for you! You don't want to miss this creamy and amazing Simple Pumpkin Pie Milkshake. This Pumpkin pie milkshake is satisfying, flavorful, and comes together in just 10 minutes!
This pumpkin milkshake is the perfect seasonal dessert to feed your pumpkin pie cravings all while satisfying your sweet tooth in those milder autumn months.
There's never a bad time of year to treat yourself to something chilly, especially when it has all the same warmth, love, and comfort as pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.
Top this pumpkin milkshake with your favorite spiced aromatics, whipped cream, and even candied nuts to enhance your flavor journey even more!
Why this Recipe Works
So, why a pumpkin milkshake? Well, it is the best of all worlds! You get the warm soothing flavors of real pumpkin and pumpkin spice. You also have the creamy, chilled flavor of a good milkshake. It is the ultimate combo!
If you are looking for an easy homemade pumpkin pie-inspired dessert with very little prep time, it does not get much easier than this pumpkin milkshake!
Once the weather starts to get cooler, it's time to break out everything pumpkin. For more delicious pumpkin recipes be sure to check out the following:
- Southwestern Veggie Soup With Pumpkin
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Creamy Pumpkin Risotto
- Mini Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
- Praline Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Dip With Gingersnaps
- Pumpkin Brioche
Ingredients
- Canned Pumpkin Puree- This pumpkin pie milkshake calls for canned pumpkin puree, not to be confused with the pumpkin pie mix.
Pumpkin pie mix already has sugar and spices in it, but for this recipe, you'll want the 100% pure pumpkin puree with no added ingredients.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice- A delicious mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
You can purchase pumpkin pie spice mixture in the baking section of your grocery store or, if you already have a pantry full of spices, make your own mix! Look for my recipe below. - Vanilla Ice Cream- We all have our favorite vanilla ice cream, I love Breyers Vanilla! It's creamy and has a delicious natural flavor. Feel free to use your personal favorite vanilla ice cream.I recommend looking for a vanilla ice cream with milk, cream, and sugar as the first ingredients. Some ice cream ingredients list skim milk, buttermilk, and even oil and fructose.
- Maple Syrup- I mean, pumpkin and maple are the Fall flavor combos, right? If you prefer extra sweetness in your pumpkin milkshakes, adding a finishing drizzle of maple syrup will take this dessert to the next level.
If the vanilla ice cream is sweet enough for you, feel free to omit the syrup and adjust it to your personal taste. - Whipped Cream- This is a great way to top your pumpkin pie milkshake! A delicious mountain of whipped cream makes any milkshake feel extra special.
How to make Pumpkin Milkshakes
- The first step to making your pumpkin pie milkshake is to add the ice cream, pumpkin puree, milk, and pumpkin pie spice to the blender.
- Blend it for 30 seconds on high, then use a spoon to taste it. How's the consistency? The sweetness?
- Blend it on high for an additional 30-60 seconds until it's a smooth consistency and all the chunks of ice cream and puree are well combined.
- Drizzle the mixture with the maple syrup, according to your preference, and blend for an additional 5-10 seconds.
- If your milkshake is too thick, feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of milk at a time and blend until you have achieved your desired consistency.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
Making your own pumpkin pie spice is super easy! All the spices are commonly used in baking so you may be surprised that you have everything you need in the pantry already.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined.
This will make enough pumpkin pie spice for the pumpkin milkshakes, but feel free to scale this recipe up and store it in an airtight container for whenever you need some pumpkin spice.
Notes
If you are buying the pumpkin, make sure you get the canned Pumpkin Puree and not the pie mix. The cans do look pretty similar, so just be sure it says 100% pumpkin.
Do a quick check of the ingredient label. There should be one ingredient: Pumpkin. There are several brands to choose from, but I always go with Libby's. It is easy to find and it's flavorful.
These milkshakes are best served right after making. I do not advise these are made ahead of time.
Topping The Pumpkin Milkshake
We love topping our shakes with a hearty dollop of whipped cream. I mean, may as well go all out, right? Another sprinkle of cinnamon is a good idea as well.
Topping it with cinnamon or additional pumpkin spice looks beautiful and allows the aromatic spice to engage your senses at first sip.
I also love these milkshakes topped with toasted or candied nuts. Pecans and walnuts are my favorite.
Can I Roast My Own Pumpkin to Make Puree?
Absolutely! To make your own pumpkin puree, first, you'll need to start with a pie pumpkin. These are smaller than other pumpkins and have a much sweeter flavor. These are also referred to as “sugar pumpkins”
Take your pie pumpkin and carefully cut it in half. A serrated knife will be the best option to do this.
Once the pumpkin is cut in half, use a spoon or smaller knife to scoop out the seeds. You can discard the seeds or roast them.
Place the two halves of the pumpkin upside down on a baking sheet.
Bake the pumpkin halves at 350 degrees until the pumpkin is fork tender, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Once cooled, scoop the pumpkin flesh out of the skin and place it into the blender or food processor. Process on high for 30-45 seconds or until smooth.
It should be completely smooth when done but if it has trouble blending, add a tablespoon of water and scrape down the sides to help it along.
Plant-Based Friendly Substitutions
While this recipe is not vegan, you can easily swap out a few ingredients for a plant-based friendly milkshake.
It's important to note that the consistencies of vegan and plant-based ice creams can often differ greatly from dairy ice cream.
When using any non-dairy vanilla ice cream, start with just the ice cream in the blender to see how it blends. It may need additional time to soften.
Then, determine if you need your milk substitute. You may find that using a non-dairy ice cream will require more or less milk than you would expect. It's best to start slowly adding so you don't end up with a soupy mixture.
You can use any plant-based milk that you prefer. Soy, almond and coconut milk are all excellent options.
If you are looking for a dairy-free whipped topping, you can also whip cold coconut cream to make a whipped topping.
You can use any type of milk for these pumpkin milkshakes. Whole milk will give you the creamiest milkshake consistency, but skim, 1% or even plant-based alternatives will work just fine.
I don't recommend it. For best taste and freshness, make them when you're ready to enjoy them.
The good news is that they blend up quickly and will be ready in no time!
No! If it isn't your thing, just omit it altogether.
Feel free to use your own preferred sweetener to this milkshake.
Simple Pumpkin Milkshake
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 quart vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, and ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- milk, the amount will depend on consistency you like for your shake
- whipped cream optional, but really good on top!
Instructions
- Add vanilla ice cream to the blender. I used almost the whole container of my ice cream, but this will depend on how big your blender is.
- Now, add in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup, and start with a ½ cup of milk to start. Blend and add more milk and maple syrup as needed. I don't think it needs much more sweetener with the maple syrup, but you may want more.
- Now, you can use big steins like we did, or normal-sized cups. If you use the big steins, you will get 3 from this batch, smaller cups will get you 6 milkshakes.
- If you want to go all out, top with whipped cream and even a drizzle of caramel sauce. I left that out this time.
Rita says
I loved the recipe and loved more the milkshake! 😍 Easy and so delicious! 😍
admin says
Thank you so much for letting me know Rita!! It is one of our favorites too!