I love a fun frozen chocolate drink, but after spending way too much money stopping at Dutch Bros and other drink shops, I finally decided I needed to figure out how to make my favorite frozen drinks at home.
There was definitely some trial and error involved.
I played around with the amount of ice, chocolate, milk, and flavored syrup until I finally landed on a combination that tastes almost spot on to the frozen chocolate drinks I was buying.
And that little experiment created another problem.
Now I have a pantry filled with Torani syrups.
Honestly, I don’t mind one bit. I use them for frozen drinks, Italian sodas, dirty sodas, and all kinds of other recipes and drinks. Having all those flavors around has actually become one of my favorite ways to make something fun when people come over.
Why I Started Making Frozen Chocolate Drinks at Home
We have people stop by our house pretty regularly. Usually at least once a week, and many weeks it’s quite a bit more than that.
When someone comes over, I like having something I can offer them.
If I have cookies in the freezer, I’ll pull those out. Otherwise, I’ll usually ask if they’d like me to make them a fun drink. Depending on what sounds good, I’ll make a frozen drink, an Italian soda, or a dirty soda.
People love choosing their flavors, and I love being able to make something a little more special for them.
These frozen chocolate drinks are especially easy because I almost always have everything I need in the pantry, fridge, and freezer.
Easy Frozen Chocolate Drink Recipe
Makes one 24-ounce blender cup
Ingredients
- 12 ounces ice
- 1/4 cup Nestlé Nesquik chocolate powder
- 3 to 6 tablespoons Torani flavored syrup, depending on your taste
- Milk, as needed
- Whipped cream, optional
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Using a 24-ounce Ninja blender cup, add ice to approximately the 12-ounce mark. If you like your frozen drink extra thick, you can add ice closer to the 16-ounce mark.
- Add the chocolate powder.
- Add 3 to 6 tablespoons of your favorite Torani syrup. I recommend starting with less because you can always add more after blending.
- Pour in milk until you reach the maximum liquid line on the blender cup.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and add a little more flavored syrup if needed.
- Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and sprinkles if you’d like.
Making drinks for a group? If you’re using a large 72-ounce blender pitcher, you can triple the recipe.
Our Favorite Frozen Drink Flavor Combinations
This is where these drinks get really fun.
Once you have the basic chocolate recipe, you can make all kinds of different drinks just by changing the flavored syrups. You can use one flavor or mix several together.
Here are a few combinations we really enjoy:
Coconut & Almond
Coconut and almond syrups make a creamy, nutty chocolate combination that’s simple but really good.
Crème de Menthe
If you love chocolate and mint together, try Crème de Menthe syrup with the chocolate base. Add whipped cream on top and you’ve got a pretty fantastic treat.
Cinnamon, Chocolate Macadamia Nut & White Chocolate
This one has a little bit of everything. Combine cinnamon, chocolate macadamia nut, and white chocolate syrups with the chocolate base for a rich frozen drink with lots of flavor.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Half the fun is pulling out a few bottles and seeing what you can come up with. If you need a little inspiration, Torani has a huge collection of drink recipes and flavor combinations you can browse.
Tips for Making the Best Frozen Chocolate Drink
Start with less syrup. Some flavors are much stronger than others. Start with about 3 tablespoons and add more after blending if you want a stronger flavor.
Adjust the ice to your preference. I usually start around the 12-ounce mark, but if you like a really thick frozen drink, use more.
You don’t need a pantry full of syrup. Pick two or three flavors you already know you like and start there.
Although, fair warning, that’s pretty much how my pantry full of Torani syrup started.
Make it look like a treat. Whipped cream and sprinkles aren’t necessary, but they’re fun, especially when you’re making drinks for kids or guests.
A Fun Treat to Make When Someone Stops By
One of my favorite things about this recipe isn’t really the drink itself.
It’s being able to ask someone, “What flavor do you want?”
There’s something fun about letting someone look through the syrups, choose a couple of flavors, and then making their own custom drink right there in the kitchen.
Add some whipped cream and sprinkles, and suddenly something incredibly simple feels like a special treat.
And considering I originally started making these because I was spending too much money at drink shops, I’d say my little experiment worked out pretty well.
Now I can make my favorite frozen chocolate drink at home, experiment with as many flavor combinations as I want, and have something fun to offer whenever someone walks through our door.
Making every house feel a little more like home.
