Love the Chick-fil-A peppermint milkshake, but you live too far away to get one? No worries--make your own delicious copycat version at home with just a few basic ingredients! This milkshake has a creamy texture and a refreshing mint flavor that you'll enjoy.
If you love milkshakes, try our copycat recipes for Chick-fil-A peach milkshake and Chick-fil-A cookies and cream milkshake.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's made with vanilla ice cream. Chick-fil-A uses their soft-serve IceDream in their shakes, but soft-serve is hard to find in a grocery store! We use a good-quality vanilla ice cream for a creamy texture and great flavor.
- It's made with real peppermint bark. Use store-bought or make your own. This adds a wonderful mini chocolate pieces and peppermint to the shake!
- It's easy to customize. Want to add Oreos for a cookie touch? Don't like peppermint extract? Want to make this dairy-free? It's easy to do when you make your own shake!
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need for this copycat Chick-fil-A peppermint milkshake recipe? You may already have these ingredients in your pantry or freezer! Let's talk about the key ingredients.
- Ice Cream: This is the most important ingredient in any shake, so make sure that you choose a good quality vanilla bean ice cream. (I like Blue Bunny.)
- Peppermint Extract: This is the key ingredient to make your shake taste minty. Be sure to use real extract, not imitation, and avoid using mint extract.
- Peppermint Bark: Chick-fil-A uses this ingredient to add chocolate chunks and extra flavor to the shake. You can use store-bought (affiliate) or make your own.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Want to add Oreos? Blend in 8 Oreos for a peppermint cookie taste like we do in our Chick-fil-A cookies and cream milkshake.
- Extra Chocolate: Add some chocolate syrup to the shake or as a garnish.
- Eggnog: Use eggnog instead of milk to thin the shake.
- Dairy Free/Vegan: Use vegan vanilla ice cream and peppermint bark made with vegan chocolate.
How to Make
- Place the bark in a sandwich bag and finely crush with a rolling pin. (image 1)
- Put the ice cream and milk into a blender and add the crushed bark. (image 2)
- Blend until smooth and well combined. (image 3)
- Add the peppermint extract. (image 4)
- Add red food coloring if desired, then blend again until everything is well combined. (image 5)
- Garnish with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Enjoy this festive drink right away with your family and friends! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
In 2023, this shake was released on Monday, November 13, and will most likely be available until January 6th, 2024, or while supplies last.
Yes, it's definitely delicious. It has a strong mint flavor with hints of vanilla from the ice cream. The texture is thick and creamy with flecks of chocolate throughout, and the optional whipped cream and cherry on top make it extra special.
Chick-fil-A has a lot of ingredients in this simple shake, but its basic ingredients are whole milk, sugar, cornstarch, mint flavor, peppermint flakes, and chocolate. The restaurant shake contains a lot of preservatives and additives, so if you make your own, you can make it healthier.
Yes, there definitely is chocolate in this shake. In fact, CFA adds real peppermint bark to the shake for color, flavor, and texture.
If you want to make milkshakes on demand, you can pre-measure all the ingredients and crush the peppermint bark in advance.
It's better to drink this milkshake right after making it, but if you need to make it ahead, pour it into an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze until ready to drink. Let it thaw slightly and stir until it reaches a drinkable consistency.
Serve
If you're looking for other frozen drinks, you'll definitely want to try our copycat recipes for Chick-fil-A frosted lemonade, Chick-fil-A frosted sunrise, and Chick-fil-A frosted coffee. Enjoy the flavors of this shake in pie form with this frozen peppermint pie.
Expert Tips
- Use good quality vanilla ice cream for the best flavor.
- Make sure to use pure peppermint extract for a minty taste.
- Finely crush the bark before blending.
- Is the shake too thin? Add more ice cream.
- Is the shake too thick? Add more milk.
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Recipe
Chick-fil-A Peppermint Milkshake Copycat
Ingredients
- 4 cups vanilla bean ice cream, about 12 large scoops
- ⅔ cup peppermint bark, crushed
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red gel food coloring, optional
- Whipped cream, for garnish
- Maraschino cherries, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the bark in a sandwich bag and finely crush it with a rolling pin or meat mallet.
- Scoop the ice cream into a blender and pour in the crushed bark, the milk, and the extract, then blend until smooth. Start on low speed until the mixture is combined, then turn it up to medium to crush the bark more finely. If desired, add more peppermint extract to taste.
- If you would like to add food coloring, blend in a little bit at a time. You need just enough to tint the shake a pale pink.
- Immediately pour the milkshake into tall glasses and garnish with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use a high quality vanilla ice cream for the best flavor.
- Finely crush the bark before blending.
- Is the shake too thin? Add more ice cream.
- Is the shake too thick? Add more milk.
- Want to make ahead or have leftovers? Seal the shake in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze, then let it thaw slightly and stir before drinking. Don't add the whipped cream and cherry until right before enjoying.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Rachel
Hello. Quick question..... Can you use peppermint syrup in place of peppermint extract?
Emma Fajcz
I wouldn't recommend using the syrup; the extract has a much stronger flavor and would taste better in the shake. If you try the syrup, let me know how it goes!
kk
can you do something instead of mint-like oreo candy cane or something
Emma
You can leave out the extract and bark if you like, but then it won't exactly be a peppermint milkshake. Feel free to crush up candy canes or Oreos and add that in place of the bark. I do have a cookies and cream milkshake recipe on our blog if you want to try it!
MOM TO 9
We've made other copycat ChickFila peppermint milk shakes before, but everyone agreed that this is the first one that TRULY tasted like the authentic CFA ones! It wasn't too heavy on the mint flavor and the crushed bark made all the difference. We made it just as written, minus the red food coloring, and it was a HUGE hit! Nice to know we can now make this special treat January thru October in our very own home! Thank you!
Emma
You're very welcome! We're thrilled that this shake was such a hit with your whole family! ❤
Alex
This is a wonderful drink. The coolness of the peppermint comes though nicely and is refreshing, and the small chocolate chunks throughout are lovely. Yum!
Emma
Thanks, Alex!
Beth
This is very minty. I love the cherry on top and the whipped cream. So chocolatey and delicious! I love this creamy milkshake.
Emma
That's wonderful, Beth!