It’s Milkshake Week! Otherwise known as a very good week indeed. Julie of The Little Kitchen and Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil have a week full of milkshakes (and giveaways!) planned, so when they asked if I wanted join in the fun by posting a milkshake recipe of my very own, well, I couldn’t possibly decline. Because, hello: what a perfect reason to test milkshake recipes!

Milkshakes are generally something I don’t allow myself to indulge in much, but darned if I didn’t embrace this excuse. I tried a couple of different kinds of milkshakes, but this big, shareable Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake was the stand-out.

Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake

Super creamy chai goodness in milkshake form – what could be better?

What really seals the deal with this recipe is an intriguing “what is that?” heat that sort of creeps up on you and then is instantly cooled off by the creamy dairy. This super-secret mystery ingredient? Here’s a hint.

Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake

Oh, I can’t keep a secret for long. It’s cayenne pepper! Yep, I add cayenne pepper to the mix, and I’ve gotta say I think it takes this milkshake recipe from good to sensational.

It’s a pretty simple recipe overall. It’s essentially just infused milk and ice cream, and I made it even lazier by starting with chai tea and not even making it from scratch. Let me just say that I have tried and tried (and tried!) to make chai tea myself with the right blend of black tea and spices, but the perfect combo eludes me. So here, I start with already-spiced chai tea bags and amp ’em up with ground ginger, cinnamon, and – yep – cayenne.

Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake

After the concentrated chai-flavored milk cools off, just whir it up with vanilla ice cream and, voila!  Chai milkshake goodness.

Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake

This recipe makes one large milkshake. Either indulge proper, split it in two, or plop in two straws for a shareable shake.

Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake

Chai carumba!

Yeah, I just said that.

Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake. Don't skimp on the secret ingredient!
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Spicy Vanilla Chai Milkshake

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 1 large milkshake
Warm chai spices and cool vanilla ice cream are made for each other. Don't skimp on the secret ingredient!
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 black chai tea bags
  • 1 4- inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pint 2 cups vanilla ice cream
  • Ground cinnamon for topping

Instructions

  • Pour milk into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in ginger and cayenne. Add the tea bags and cinnamon stick, dunking to submerge. Heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming and just below a simmer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Stir in vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature. Remove cinnamon stick.
  • Add ice cream to the pitcher of a blender and pour chai milk mixture over the top. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large glass and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Serve.

Be sure to visit these other blogs for more fabulous Milkshake Week recipes!

milkshake-week

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