10 Strange Milkshake Flavors To Try This Summer & 10 Classics That Always Hit
Flavor Experiments Meet Timeless Comforts
Milkshakes come in every flavor imaginable—some pack wild, unexpected punches, while others wrap you in the cozy taste of nostalgia. It’s not always easy to choose between bold new blends and the timeless classics, especially when summer heat makes them all so tempting. This season is your excuse to sip on both types of flavors, as this piece explores them all. We're starting things off with the weird but totally worth-it flavors.
1. Foie Gras Milkshake
Liquid nitrogen and foie gras aren’t typical milkshake ingredients, but that’s exactly why Flip Burger Boutique in Georgia drew crowds. The shake’s rich, velvety texture and buttery-sweet flavor turned skeptics into believers.
10 Disgusting Fast Food Milkshake FAILS by BabbleTop
2. Black Licorice Milkshake
Black licorice takes center stage in this briny milkshake that’s anything but ordinary. The deep, slightly salty notes clash and blend with sweetness in a way that’s oddly satisfying. For some, it’s a creamy throwback to classic candy jars, and for others, it’s pure debate in a cup.
Homemade Milkshake Review Mondays: Icelandic Black Liquorice by LH Deluxe
3. Buffalo Chicken Milkshake
Spicy chicken and vanilla ice cream don’t usually share a plate, let alone a blender. But that’s exactly the thrill behind buffalo chicken milkshakes, now making bold appearances on U.S. menus. It’s fiery and built for anyone who thinks dessert should come with a dare.
People Try "30 Rock's" Buffalo Chicken Shake by BuzzFeedVideo
4. Matcha Green Tea Milkshake
In Japan, milkshakes made with matcha are a summertime staple, valued for their vibrant green color and refreshing, bittersweet taste. Dessert baristas sometimes mix it with sweet red bean paste for additional texture and traditional Japanese flair.
Matcha Green Tea Milkshake recipe | One Hungry Mama by Stacie Billis
5. Horchata Milkshake
Turn a street-side horchata into a milkshake, and you get the creamy, cinnamon-kissed hybrid Mexicans sip during summer siestas. The blend of cinnamon, vanilla, and rice milk creates a sweet, spiced shake that’s as comforting as it is cooling.
Horchata Milkshake by Tastemade
6. Avocado Milkshake (Vitamina De Abacate)
Brazil flips the avocado script by blending it into dessert. Smooth and rich with healthy fats, the ‘vitamina de abacate,’ as Brazilians call it, is deeply filling. After you have it chilled, guacamole will never seem quite the same.
Avocado Milkshake | Uma Vitamina De Leite Com Abacate by Hook Eat Up
7. Tender Coconut Milkshake
Southern India’s summer heat calls for something gentle yet powerful. Tender coconut shakes blend coconut water, soft malai, and honey into a silky cooler that hydrates as much as it delights. You can find it on tropical juice bar menus in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Houston. Beach towns also offer coconut milkshakes with a local twist.
8. Sea Salt Caramel Apple Pie Milkshake
The sweet-and-salty shake, sometimes topped with spiced apple bites, brings together contrasting flavors and textures for a unique twist. Modern versions are often marketed as “premium” and offered for a limited time at restaurants for maximum buzz.
Salted Caramel Milkshake | Caramel Shake by Tasty Cluster
9. Açaí Berry Milkshake
The açaí berry is the soul of Brazil’s coolest milkshake. It’s also a go-to for health-focused Americans, as the guarana infusion makes it more energizing than indulgent. So, for locals, it’s breakfast, but for everyone else, it’s an antioxidant-packed way to surprise your taste buds.
Acai Milkshake Recipe by Gratefood Co
10. Peanut Butter Pretzel Shake
A spoonful of peanut butter meets a fistful of pretzels, and the result is equal parts sweet and salty chaos. Crunchy pretzels fill every sip, keeping things playful and loud. This milkshake is an unapologetic dessert and snack combo, which is exactly why it works.
After these bold experiments, it’s time to check out 10 classic milkshake flavors that are still finding new ways to surprise us.
1. Chocolate Milkshake
Walk into any classic diner and chances are, a chocolate milkshake’s already spinning in the blender. Its flavor—decadent and endlessly adaptable—has anchored dessert menus for over a century. Even today, rich cocoa, whole milk, and premium ice cream keep it in high demand.
2. Vanilla Milkshake
Before milkshakes meant sprinkles and syrups, they started with vanilla. What began as a boozy tonic in the early 1900s evolved into the creamy canvas behind countless combinations. The best versions rely on pure vanilla extract and high-fat ice cream.
Vanilla Milkshake Recipe by The Baking Bomb
3. Strawberry Milkshake
In 2025, strawberry became the world’s most popular fruit-flavored shake (as per Tastewise’s trend analytics). Bursting with real fruit or puree, this pink favorite delivers refreshing balance without overpowering sweetness. With the “original three” status, it’s forever linked to America’s diner tradition.
4. Oreo Cookies ‘N Cream Shake
Blending crushed Oreos into vanilla ice cream might sound basic now, but in the 1980s, it felt like magic. This flavor took off thanks to national chains and hasn’t slowed down. It’s the crunch and that familiar cookie snap that continues to win everyone over.
5. Salted Caramel Shake
The salty-sweet trend found its crown jewel in this shake. By layering sea salt over buttery caramel, it delivers contrast that makes the sweetness pop. Once labeled a gourmet experiment, it’s now a modern menu mainstay.
6. Banana Milkshake
Banana shakes once stood shoulder to shoulder with strawberry and chocolate at soda fountains—and their appeal still runs deep. Bananas' creamy texture and natural sweetness make them easy to blend. Some pair them with peanut butter or chocolate, while others keep it classic with pure banana bliss.
7. Mint Milkshake
The pastel green hue and occasional chocolate-chip twist give mint milkshakes a visual flair and palate-cleansing coolness. Today, this flavor brightens up St. Patrick's Day celebrations, summer menus, and even fast food specials like the iconic Shamrock Shake.
Mint Madness Milkshakes by Splenda
8. Coffee Fusion Milkshake
If you’re craving a shake, dessert, and a caffeine kick, too, this creamy creation is made for you. It blends espresso shots with vanilla ice cream for a bold, energizing treat. Even today, coffee milkshakes are a favorite among college students and café regulars.
Perfect Coffee Milkshake by Simply Bake
9. Neapolitan Milkshake
Why settle for one flavor when you can layer three? The Neapolitan shake stripes chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry into a single glass. It’s a visual standout at family parties that taps into everyone’s favorite and brings them together—literally.
Neopolitan Milkshake by TheWhyteElephant
10. Brownie Milkshake
A love letter to indulgence, the brownie milkshake is where dessert and drink collide in the most decadent way. It’s a diner favorite and a bakery bonus—often topped with whipped cream, drizzled chocolate, and yes, another brownie for good measure.
