Who’s up for a milkshake swim?
I found myself with a fridge full of strawberries that were nearing the end of their lives, and I wanted to turn them into something worth eating. Granola and yogurt felt too boring, and baking a whole dessert seemed unnecessary when the stars of the show were the strawberries themselves.
Roasting them was the obvious choice. I adore roasted strawberries—their concentrated, caramelized sweetness is incredible—so I decided to make a milkshake that felt a little extra: syrupy roasted berries swirled through creamy ice cream, plus big chunks for texture.
I didn’t blend the roasted strawberries into the ice cream. Instead I layered them through the shake—bottom, middle and top—so you get streaks of syrup and pieces to spoon up. Yes, you’ll probably need a spoon, but that’s part of the fun when you’re piling sugared pistachio brittle on a drink. Why stop there?
This shake is deliberately over-the-top: roasted strawberry sauce, big vanilla ice cream flavor, crunchy brittle, and optional frosting or whipped cream on top. It’s indulgent, playful, and completely worth the little effort it requires.
I topped mine with leftover cream cheese frosting. Yes, leftover frosting. I know that’s a little wild, but it was ridiculously good. If you don’t have frosting, whipped cream or coconut cream work beautifully—or skip it entirely and just scatter extra pistachios and brittle on top.
This recipe is a bit of a two-for-one: you can make just the chocolate pistachio brittle to keep on hand, or make both brittle and the roasted strawberry milkshakes for a really special treat. The brittle stores well, so you can prepare it ahead of time and use shards whenever you want to dress up desserts or drinks.
These kinds of projects are sometimes indulgent in the best way—the small, unnecessary things that make a moment feel special. I do them for myself and for my family, especially now that time with my little one feels both precious and fleeting. Making something pretty or elaborate, even for one serving, can make an ordinary hour feel celebratory.
Want to keep it simple? Roast the strawberries, blend ice cream with a splash of milk and vanilla, and swirl the roasted berries through. Want to go all-out? Make the pistachio brittle, pour on a layer of chocolate ganache, break it into shards and crown the shakes with frosting or whipped cream and brittle. You can spike the shakes with a little rum or liqueur if you like—mini adult milkshake shooters would be amazing.
Roasted Strawberry Milkshakes with Chocolate Pistachio Brittle
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Ingredients
- 2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups vanilla bean ice cream, or your favorite flavor
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- chocolate pistachio brittle (see below)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoon water
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, plus more for topping
- 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 ounces high-quality chocolate, chopped (milk or dark)
Instructions
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Shakes
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Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss the sliced strawberries with olive oil, sugar, and salt, then spread them out and roast until syrupy and caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. While the strawberries roast, prepare the pistachio brittle.
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Blend the ice cream, milk and vanilla until smooth. You can blend in some roasted strawberries, but I prefer to layer the roasted berries through the glass—bottom, middle and top—so you get streaks of syrup and pieces to spoon. Top with whipped cream or leftover frosting, sprinkle extra pistachios, and add brittle pieces. Enjoy immediately.
Chocolate Pistachio Brittle
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Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Set aside.
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Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer and bring to 190°F. Stir in two-thirds of the pistachios, butter and vanilla, and continue to cook, stirring often, until it reaches 300°F. Remove from heat, stir in baking soda (it will bubble), then pour immediately onto the prepared parchment and spread thin. Let cool completely.
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Heat the heavy cream until just bubbling. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over it; let sit 30 seconds, then stir until smooth. Spread the ganache over the cooled brittle and sprinkle with the remaining pistachios. Allow the chocolate to firm, then break into pieces and use to top the milkshakes.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
I appreciate you so much!
I’ll gladly add another straw.