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Cold Beverages

What is a thin milkshake?

Quick answer

A thin milkshake is one made with relatively more milk and less ice cream, so it is pourable and drinkable through a regular straw. There is no official definition. One gelato expert suggests a two-to-one ice cream to milk ratio for a standard shake, so a thin one uses more milk than that. It is usually lighter in calories, but it depends on the recipe.

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In this article
  1. What is a thin milkshake?
  2. How is it different from a thick milkshake?
  3. How do you make a thin milkshake?
  4. Is a thin milkshake lower in calories?
  5. How do you thicken or thin it?
  6. Other kinds of milkshake

What is a thin milkshake?

A thin milkshake is a shake that is mostly milk, with less ice cream or syrup than a thick, spoonable one. It pours easily and drinks through a regular straw. There is no official standard, and in some places the word milkshake itself means a milk-based drink while a thick shake is the ice cream kind, so naming varies.

How is it different from a thick milkshake?

Thin Thick
Ice cream to milk Less ice cream, more milk About 2:1 per one expert
Texture Pourable Spoonable
Straw Regular Wide or spoon

A gelato maker quoted by a food site recommends two parts ice cream to one part milk for a standard milkshake and warns that too much milk makes a shake watery. A thin shake deliberately goes past that, so expect a lighter body and flavor.

How do you make a thin milkshake?

  • Blend one scoop of ice cream with about a cup of cold milk, and add flavoring such as syrup or fruit.
  • Blend until smooth; taste and add more milk if you want it thinner.
  • Serve right away over a few ice cubes if you like it very cold, remembering ice dilutes flavor.

These amounts are a starting point, not a rule; change one thing at a time.

Is a thin milkshake lower in calories?

Often, since ice cream usually has more sugar and fat than milk, but it depends on the milk, ice cream and size. For a restaurant shake, check the menu or label rather than guessing.

How do you thicken or thin it?

  • Too thin: add more ice cream or frozen fruit.
  • Too thick: add a splash of milk.

The expert says to adjust only the ratio; no stabilizers are needed with good ingredients.

Other kinds of milkshake

Plant-based shakes use frozen banana and oat, almond, soy or coconut milk. They can be made thin or thick with the same ratio rule.

People also ask

What makes a milkshake thin?

More milk and less ice cream.

Is a thin milkshake healthier?

Often lower in calories since milk has less sugar and fat than ice cream, but check the recipe or label.

How do I thicken a thin milkshake?

Add ice cream or frozen fruit and blend briefly.

General information only, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or are pregnant, ask your doctor before changing what you drink.

Sources

  1. The Takeout: For The Thickest Milkshakes, Always Go For This Expert Ice Cream To Milk Ratio, read 5 Nov 2026
  2. World of Vegan: Vegan Milkshakes, read 5 Nov 2026
Written by Drinks Type Editorial Team · Published Apr 14, 2025 · Updated Nov 5, 2026
About · How we verify this · Editorial policy · Corrections

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