Last updated: July 9, 2026
This Oreo milkshake recipe delivers a thick, creamy shake packed with real cookie flavor in under five minutes. The full recipe card is below, but read on first for tips, variations, and everything you need to get it exactly right.
What You Need to Make an Oreo Milkshake
The Cookies
Standard Oreo cookies are the foundation of this recipe. Use 6 to 8 whole cookies per serving, which strikes the right balance between strong cookie flavor and smooth drinkability.
Double Stuf Oreos work just as well and add a noticeable extra richness to the finished shake. Golden Oreos swap the classic chocolate wafer for a vanilla one, producing a lighter, butterscotch-adjacent flavor profile.
The Ice Cream
Vanilla ice cream is the traditional choice and lets the Oreo flavor come through cleanly. Use a high-butterfat brand like Haagen-Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s for the thickest, creamiest result.
Cookies and cream ice cream intensifies the Oreo flavor and is an excellent option when you want maximum cookie presence throughout the shake. Chocolate ice cream creates a deeper, fudgier shake that works particularly well with mint Oreos.
The Milk
Whole milk produces the best texture because its fat content emulsifies smoothly with the ice cream. Start with two tablespoons and add more gradually — it is much easier to thin a thick shake than to thicken a runny one.
Oat milk is the best non-dairy substitute here, as its natural sweetness complements the cookies without competing. Almond milk works too but produces a slightly thinner shake.
How to Make the Oreo Milkshake Step by Step
Chill Your Glass
Place your serving glass in the freezer for at least five minutes before blending. A cold glass slows melting and keeps the shake thick from the first sip to the last.
Frosted glasses are a small step that makes a noticeable difference, especially in warm weather or when serving to guests.
Blend the Base
Add the ice cream to the blender first, followed by the milk, then the whole Oreo cookies on top. This order matters: starting with ice cream at the bottom keeps the blades from spinning freely on milk alone, which would over-aerate the shake.
Blend on medium speed for 20 to 25 seconds. You want visible flecks of dark cookie throughout — that texture is part of the experience, and over-blending turns the shake gray and uniform.
Taste and Adjust
Stop the blender and taste before pouring. If the shake is too thick to drink through a straw, add milk one tablespoon at a time and pulse briefly.
If it feels too thin, add one or two more scoops of ice cream and blend again for five seconds. Getting the consistency right at this stage takes a few seconds and is worth doing.
Serve Immediately
Pour into the chilled glass and add toppings right before serving. Whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and a whole Oreo balanced on the rim are the classic presentation.
Crushed Oreos sprinkled over the whipped cream add texture on top and signal to guests exactly what they are about to taste.
Variations Worth Trying
Mint Oreo Milkshake
Swap standard Oreos for Mint Oreos and use vanilla ice cream. The result is a cool, refreshing shake that tastes like a frozen thin mint.
A drop of pure peppermint extract — not mint extract, which can taste medicinal — amplifies the mint flavor without overwhelming the cookie.
Peanut Butter Oreo Milkshake
Add two tablespoons of creamy peanut butter to the base recipe. The peanut butter thickens the shake and adds a savory note that balances the sweetness of the cookies beautifully.
Reese’s Oreos make this variation even easier, as the peanut butter filling is already baked into the cookie.
Oreo Cheesecake Milkshake
Blend in two ounces of softened cream cheese with the ice cream and cookies. This adds a tangy, dense quality that tastes remarkably close to a frozen cheesecake slice.
A tablespoon of sour cream can substitute for cream cheese in a pinch and produces a similar result with a slightly sharper tang.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
An Oreo milkshake does not store well once blended. The texture degrades within 20 minutes as the ice cream melts and the cookies soften further.
If you want to get ahead, pre-crush the cookies and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Pre-scoop the ice cream into a freezer-safe container so blending takes seconds when you are ready.
The History of the Oreo Milkshake
Oreo cookies were first introduced by Nabisco in 1912 in New York City, making them one of the longest-running cookie brands in American history. They became the bestselling cookie in the United States within years of their launch and have held that position for most of the decades since.
The Oreo milkshake as a specific menu item became widely popular in American diners and fast food chains through the 1980s and 1990s, when blenders became standard kitchen equipment in both commercial and home kitchens. Dairy Queen and Steak ‘n Shake were among the first major chains to feature it as a permanent menu offering.
The recipe below captures the classic diner version — thick, intensely flavored, and unapologetically indulgent. Give it a try using the card below.
Oreo Milkshake Recipe
A thick, creamy Oreo milkshake made with just cookies, vanilla ice cream, and milk. Ready in 5 minutes and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
- 6-8 Oreo cookies (plus 1 extra for garnish)
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream
- 2 tablespoons whole milk (plus more as needed)
- Whipped cream for topping (optional)
- Chocolate sauce for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Place your serving glass in the freezer for 5 minutes to chill.
- Add the vanilla ice cream to the blender first, followed by the milk.
- Add the Oreo cookies on top of the ice cream.
- Blend on medium speed for 20-25 seconds until combined but still slightly chunky with visible cookie pieces.
- Taste and adjust consistency -- add milk one tablespoon at a time if too thick, or an extra scoop of ice cream if too thin.
- Pour into the chilled glass.
- Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and a whole Oreo on the rim if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
For the thickest shake, use ice cream straight from the freezer (not softened) and start with just 2 tablespoons of milk. Double Stuf Oreos add extra creaminess. Golden Oreos make a vanilla variation. Mint Oreos create a refreshing mint-chocolate version. For a dairy-free version, use coconut milk or oat milk ice cream and oat milk in place of whole milk.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1 large milkshakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 680Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gSodium: 380mgCarbohydrates: 96gFiber: 2gSugar: 72gProtein: 10g
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Oreos should go in an Oreo milkshake?
Six to eight whole Oreos per serving is the standard range for a well-balanced shake. Using fewer than six produces a milkshake that tastes more like plain vanilla than Oreo, while using more than ten can make the texture gritty and the flavor overly bitter from the cocoa in the wafer.
Start with six and taste after blending — if you want a stronger cookie flavor, add one or two more and blend briefly.
Can you make an Oreo milkshake without a blender?
Yes, though the result is slightly different. Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs inside a zip-lock bag using a rolling pin, then stir the crumbs vigorously into softened vanilla ice cream with a fork or hand mixer.
The texture will be more like a thick Oreo flurry than a traditional shake, but the flavor is nearly identical. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for five minutes before mixing to make the process easier.
What is the best ice cream brand for an Oreo milkshake?
Haagen-Dazs vanilla and Ben and Jerry’s vanilla are the two consistently highest-rated options for this recipe because of their high butterfat content, which produces a dense, rich shake that holds its texture for longer.
Budget ice creams with higher air content produce a thinner, icier shake that separates more quickly. For a cookies and cream variation, Ben and Jerry’s Cookies and Cream is the top choice.
Can you make an Oreo milkshake dairy-free?
Yes. Use a full-fat coconut milk ice cream or an oat milk-based ice cream, and replace the whole milk with oat milk. The result is slightly less rich than the dairy version but still thick and creamy.
Brands like So Delicious Coconut Milk Vanilla Bean and Oatly Oat Milk Vanilla work well. Avoid rice milk ice cream, as it lacks the fat content needed to produce a thick shake.
How do you make an Oreo milkshake thicker?
Use less milk — start with one tablespoon instead of two and add more only if needed. Make sure the ice cream is fully frozen and not partially melted before blending, as warmer ice cream produces a thinner result.
Chilling the blender jar in the freezer for five minutes before use also helps, as does serving in a pre-chilled glass. Adding an extra scoop of ice cream is the fastest fix if the shake is already too thin.
Make This Oreo Milkshake Tonight
This Oreo milkshake recipe is one of the easiest desserts you can make at home, requiring nothing more than a blender, three ingredients, and five minutes. Whether you stick with the classic version or try one of the variations above, the result is a thick, creamy shake that rivals anything from a diner or an ice cream shop.
