Shaken, Not Stirred

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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Call it a mere craving, but such a word feels insufficient to describe the intense desire- No, urgent need– for a milkshake at times like these. Silly as it may sound, come midday when the mercury surges up past 100, not a single thing on this planet sounds more appealing. Forget cooking, “uncooking“, or even chopping; I just want to be fed, and I want something sweet and refreshing. A direct order coming straight from my id, there is no reasoning with this forceful thought, and absolutely no talking it down. This New England snow bunny here is positively melting in the summer sun.

That’s why I ultimately braved turning up the oven to 350 on such a sweltering day. Yes, there are many easier ways to make a simple milkshake that don’t involve the oven in the least bit, especially if you have some good ice cream on hand. But despite my raging subconscious impulses, it was still irresistible to take the more difficult route. And let me tell you, that small sacrifice was utterly worth it.

Cookies and creme, arguably one of my favorite ice cream flavors, was the only thing that would really fit the bill. You see, I was always that weird kid who loved making creamy powdered drink mixes because they never fully blended in and left lumps floating on top- Using a spoon, I ate my powdery shakes like a bowl of dessert cereal. Those bits and pieces add so much more than just sweetness and flavor to an otherwise smooth treat like this. It’s that texture that makes this creamy offering so irresistible, so crave-worthy, and so memorable. Finding cookies and creme shakes as a teen was a godsend, filling that need for a milkshake with a bit of crunch and chew without looking like a completely freak.

My version uses a homemade sheet of cookies, broken up into tiny pieces to fulfill that cookie-riddled effect. Best of all, no ice cream is needed for the shake, and thanks to the addition of chia seeds, it’s far and away healthier than the original inspiration. Just try to plan ahead and bake the cookies when it’s cooler- You’ll thank yourself when the craving strikes!

Yield: 1 Milkshake

Cookies ‘n Creme Milkshakes

Cookies ‘n Creme Milkshakes

Homemade cookie bits and a healthy chia blend make this milkshake a sweet, guilty-free pleasure.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookie Bits:

  • 1/2 Cup Teff Flour
  • 1/4 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 Cup Roasted Carob Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
  • Pinch Salt
  • Pinch Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Water

For Each Milkshake:

  • 1 Cup Almond Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Light Agave Nectar
  • 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 9 – 10 Ice Cubes
  • 1/4 Recipe Chocolate Cookie Bits (See Above)

Instructions

  1. For the cookie bits, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the teff flour, cocoa and carob powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add in the oil and water, and stir to combine. Once the liquids have been fully incorporated, you should have a fairly stiff, thick cookie dough. Transfer that dough to your prepared sheet, and use lightly moistened hands to press it out as thinly as possible. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until the top is dry and slightly crackled. Let cool completely before building your milkshake.
  3. This makes enough for 4 milkshakes.
  4. Take your almond milk, agave, chia seeds, and vanilla, and add them all into your blender. It helps to have a high-powered blender to make this, especially to grind down the ice cubes into a smooth texture, but you can probably get away without it. Turn the blender on low, just to combine everything, and let the mixture sit for about 15 – 30 minutes to allow the chia seeds to hydrate and form a gel.
  5. Once thickened, turn the blender on high, and thoroughly puree until entirely smooth, about 2 minutes for a Vitamix. Add in your ice cubes, and start on low, moving up to high once they’re mostly broken up, until creamy and the mixture looks like slightly melted ice cream. Break up 1/4 of the prepared cookie sheet, and blend just until it’s in small enough pieces to fit in a straw without blocking it. Serve immediately.

Notes

The shake portion can be multiplied to accommodate up to 4 if your blender has a large enough capacity.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 52mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Baking / Cooking

44 thoughts on “Shaken, Not Stirred”

  1. That milkshake looks like it was worth the extra time in the kitchen on such a hot day! When I am craving something to cool me off I usually end up with a smoothie.

  3. Yum, I agree with Kiersten, it sounds like it is worth the complexity and I’m curious about the chia seeds acting as a thickener. I’m very jealous of your vitamix and also curious about the cookie recipe – why the mix of carob & cocoa powders? Curious to see what it adds as I have carob powder on hand for when I make things for my dog, but don’t really use it for myself.

  4. I’ve got everything except the chia seeds. Have never heard of them but I read about them at the link and they sound really interesting. Do you add them for thickening the shake? I’ve got a vita mix so I’m all set in that regard!

  7. I thought I was the only one as a kid who liked clumps of dry bits in foods such as shakes, pancakes, oatmeal, etc. :-) Your milkshake looks yummy and your straw is super cute!

  9. Yum! This sounds good on such a hot day!
    I loved also your no bake article in VegNews. I would love to try them out and successful stay away from that hot oven.
    Stay cool!

  10. Hi Hannah
    thats a great looking milk shake!! You should meet my friend Stella at The Witchy Kitchen, you two cook a lot alike!
    all the best
    Dennis

  14. Ooo, can I have that milkshake minus the oven stuff… lol… Seriously; that DOES look good enough to turn on the oven. I love a good milkshake!

  15. I’m big on the cookies and creme texture as well! I love that you make your own cookies for this…all the better.

    It’s almost 100 today…and i feel a craving coming on!

  17. Oh my heavens this is an amazing idea! Even for an Australian who lives in a country where cookies ‘n’ cream products simply don’t exist. (Except for Oreo McFlurries but, well, ugh, and well, those are American, aren’t they?)

    Gosh, though, I’m trying to heat all my food right now because of Winter. Have you ever made a warm smoothie? (Hmm. Maybe that would just be soup.)

  18. I had a frozen berries shake the other day blended infront of me. Awesome it was. I bet yours too. Love being back checking your posts. Was so caught up with work, media interviews, classes and also writing for the newspaper. Love to be back . . . for now from the boys

  22. Yes, I feel the same right now! No cooking possible. Laying on the couch, sipping on a milkshake sounds like the right thing to do! But preheating the oven? That will ahve to wait ;)

  23. Eeeek! Now you’ve started my milkshake craving! You’re right – nothing else will do. This looks so delicious and the perfect thing to sip on during a sweltering summer day. Thanks for this!

  25. i love/d the dry clumps in drinks too! how funny. i recently bought chia seeds and have been experimenting with them – they are so neat! i like the idea of this “milkshake” :-)

  29. That looks SO GOOD! It’s perfect for this heat wave we’re having.
    Chia seeds, almond milk, and agave – how wonderful.

  34. Ooo I love that you used chia seeds to thicken this! And homemade cookies mm. Cookies & cream has always been one of my favourite ice cream flavours!

  37. This milkshake looks great, especially since its been so hot these days! I’ll have to give it a try. For a healthy choice I love to blend a little vanilla yogurt with peaches and a small amount of brown sugar, simple and delicious.

  38. I am so impressed, Hannah, but I shouldn’t be surprised by your wonderful creations anymore since you always set the bar so high :). This is one of my favorite flavors and I bet your homemade version just blows the storebought ones out of the water. YUM.

  39. This is my first time hearing of Teff flour. I’m so glad you introduced me:) This milkshake recipe sounds so nice. It’s super hot in Berlin at the moment and I’m really wishing I had a blender. Ice and water + fresh fruit will have to do for the moment!

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