Boozy Alcoholic Milkshake – Caramel Apple Milkshake

Brandied Caramel Apple Milkshake is a boozy alcoholic milkshake that makes for an amazingly delicious dessert in a glass.  Sweet vanilla ice cream mixed with apple butter and brandy makes this treat.  An alcoholic milkshake is the perfect way to celebrate all the upcoming summer holidays.  So, gather your friends and indulge in this boozy shake. 

As a child, milkshakes were a go to drink in my house.  As I’ve gotten older they have lost their luster to me.  But, then I discovered that I can make them more adult by adding some booze.  What’s more adult and fun than boozy milkshakes? 

Have you ever been to apple country in Ellijay Georgia or in Washington state?  We took a trip to Ellijay, Georgia to visit one of their orchards and it was an amazing experience. 

We got to pick our own apples fresh off the vine, I loved coming home with a bag of fresh fragrant apples that had a crisp taste.  Our favorite apple is the pink lady or sometimes it’s called Cripps pink. 

These apples are crispy and sweet but yet also tart.  I made my own homemade apple butter in the slow cooker with some of the apples we bought in Ellijay, Georgia and it was mind-blowingly delicious. 

There is nothing better than fresh apples. 

History of Brandy

Brandy is actually made by distilling wine. Did you know that brandy can range from 35 to 60% alcohol. Brandy is consumed typically as an after dinner digestif.

That’s why it works so well in this milkshake plus it tastes delicious.  Most of the time brandy is aged in wooden barrels known as casks.  Cognac is a well known form of brandy which is from southwestern France. 

Cognac the French liqueur originated from north of the Bordeaux region. The distillation method used to make Cognac was discovered in the 16th century by the Dutch. 

The Dutch were looking for a way to preserve their wine for transporting and exporting. 

The found that if they distilled their wine into eau de vie and then distilling the wine again, that it resulted in a fine rich liqueur which resulted in Cognac.  Eau de vie means water of life. 

I think that’s a very fitting name for Cognac.  I know on occasion it gives me life after a long day. 

Flavors of Brandy

Flavored brandy is usually made from fermented fruit juice and most commonly available in apple, apricot, cherry, and peach.

Feel free to switch them up or use more than one. Have some fun and experiment!

Some flavored brandies can be very sweet, almost like a liqueur but a real brandy is distilled directly from fruit and has no additional sugars added. 

I am just suggesting you watch your labels if you’re concerned about the amount of sugar you’re consuming.

I also look at it like this AMAZING ice cream filled, boozy, alcoholic milkshake is a sugar filled treat that everyone needs to have on their bucket list.

I am having trouble expressing in words just how tasty this caramel apple milkshake is. I am so excited to hear what you think.

I just know you’ll LOVE this milkshake as much as I do!

What is apple butter and why use it in boozy milkshakes

Apple butter is basically concentrated applesauce.  To make apple butter, fresh apples are usually slow cooked until they caramelize and then cooked down to a thick rich butter. 

Apple butter is sweet and usually flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  Some people just use apple pie spice to make apple butter. 

Apple butter is typically used as a spread similar to jam or jelly. In the southern United States it is commonly used on biscuits. 

We used apple butter in these milkshakes because of it’s sweet concentrated apple flavor.  It pairs so well with the vanilla ice cream, brandy and caramel sauce. A little cinnamon is a wonderful addition if you are a cinnamon lover like me.

It makes for a creamy apple flavored drink that will have your friends asking for seconds.  They will be amazed at how creamy and sweet this dessert is in a glass

I can hear you asking your next question all the way over here.  You want to know where to buy apple butter right?  I find the best place to purchase apple butter is from local farms or amish stands.

These places tend to sell apple butter year around. Though they make the apple butter during the fall when the apples are the freshest and taste oh so good.

If you don’t have a local farmers market or apple orchard to purchase from you can most likely find apple butter in your local grocer.  Apple butter would be located on the same aisle as the jams and jellies. 

Amazon is always an option too. There are so many varieties to choose from. I love this amish brand but there are few others that are terrific too.

Tips for making Alcoholic Milkshakes 

When making alcoholic milkshakes like this one.  Using a milkshake glass that is chilled will make it taste better. You know that old saying, you eat with your eyes first.

So, if you are going to make it you might as well use the milkshake glasses and make your milkshake really stand out. 

Want to get extra fancy with your milkshakes? Use homemade vanilla ice cream.  I used to love sitting on my grandparents back porch and listening to their homemade ice cream just churning away.

Every time I hear an ice cream machine churning it reminds of the summers at my grandparents house.  Homemade ice cream is the best tasting ice cream you will ever buy. 

If you do not use all the milkshakes at one time, because you have smaller glasses then simply place your blender bowl back into the freezer to keep your milkshakes from melting while you drink what you have. 

If you don’t have room in your freezer for the entire blender container, pour the remaining into an additional glass and then place into your freezer to keep cold. 

Want to make sure that your milkshake doesn’t melt too quickly?  Place your milkshake glasses in the freezer for about 30 minutes before serving your shakes up in them. 

Yes, they will be cold on your hands but you could put your milkshake glass into a holder to protect your hands.  

Can I make these boozy alcoholic milkshakes kid friendly

You sure can make these yummy milkshakes kid friendly.  In traditional mom life form it seems you can’t have anything good without your children wanting some also. 

This milkshake will be no different. 

As soon as they hear the blender your kids will begging for their own share of this drink.  To make this kid friendly all you need to do is leave out the booze. 

Simply omit the brandy when you mixing up your shakes and you will have a sweet and creamy kid friendly dessert. We sometimes add some apple juice or apple cider for them just for continuity sake if you know what I mean! 

If you top their shakes just like yours the kids will think that their drinks are just as fun and adult as yours. 

They will never know you pulled off a swap on them. 

For the kids shakes you can even add some sprinkles to make it more colorful and fun for them to drink.  Or toss on some chocolate syrup on top of the caramel. 

If you want to get really extra you can add chocolate into the blender with the apple butter and the ice cream.  Then you have a very decadent treat that the kids are bound to love. 

What’s the best store bought vanilla ice cream to use

Looking for a sweet and tasty store bought ice cream? I personally find that Blue Blue vanilla has the richest taste. Any vanilla ice cream will work.  Pick your favorite ice cream and use your milkshake mixer to blend it up. 

If you are purchasing store brand ice cream I recommend trying to find a store brand that is considered a “premium”.  I personally find that the ice cream in those gallon pails just doesn’t taste nearly as good as a better premium brand does. 

Don’t get me wrong you can use the ice cream pails it will work just fine.  I just think a higher quality ice cream will get you are better taste in this boozy milkshakes. 

Do I need a milkshake mixer 

I’ve found that making homemade milkshakes is so much easier when I use a milkshake mixer.  Using a milkshake mixer really gets you the creamiest milkshakes you have ever drank. 

You don’t have to use a milkshake mixer to make these delicious shakes.  A simple hand blender will also work.  I’ve always been a big fan of using what you have instead of buying something just for one recipe. 

What’s the best caramel sauce to use

You have so many caramel sauce options.  You can make a caramel sauce from scratch.  Or you could take the easy way out and use a bottled caramel sauce. 

I have some inside my fridge right now.

My favorite bottled caramel sauce is Torani caramel sauce.  Make sure to buy caramel sauce and not the caramel syrup.  Torani sauce is found on the coffee aisle at your local grocery store and in the big box stores.

If you can’t find Torani sauce, Smucker’s sells a caramel topping for ice cream that would be amazing on top of these shakes. If you are using the Smucker’s caramel topping drizzle it on the top with a spoon. 

Smucker’s topping can be found at your local grocery store near the ice cream toppings and ice cream cones. 

If you can’t find the Torani caramel sauce or the Smuckers caramel topping.  Check your local grocery store to see if they sell the Hershey’s squeeze about caramel syrup near the hot chocolate and Hershey’s chocolate or strawberry syrup. 

Can you see all of the possibilities with this milkshake?

It will work and still taste great.  It also will mix into your milkshake really well if you want to add some of one or two. 

Ways to change boozy alcoholic milkshakes up

This boozy milkshake is so easy to change up.  You can mix about a teaspoon of caramel in with your ice cream in the blender or milkshake mixer to make your shake even more flavorful.  The caramel flavor will be bursting from your delicious sweet treat. 

Jazz up the top of your boozy alcoholic milkshake by adding whipped cream.  You can use canned whipped cream if you want to save on time.  If you are feeling feisty though, why not whip up a batch of homemade whipped cream. 

All you need is heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract.  Give your arms a workout and try whipping it by hand! Be warned though it takes a while! 

Want to get extra fancy? Sprinkle some sea salt on the top of your milkshake for an Brandied salted apple caramel milkshake.  Goodness, now if that’s not a mouthful to say. 

It doesn’t matter how hard it is to say it will be delicious no matter what. 

Can I make this into a Baileys Milkshake

Baileys Irish Cream works great in this recipe. If you want to use Baileys.  You will just replace the brandy with the Baileys, maybe add some Irish whiskey too and add chocolate syrup or use chocolate ice cream instead. 

Talk about a tasty, refreshing change!

No apple butter or caramel sauce.

Bailey’s is smooth and delicious and makes this milkshake even creamier than it already is. 

There is no such thing as too creamy when it comes to Baileys milkshakes and oh so delicious desserts. 

Did you know that Baileys Irish Cream is a mixture of cocoa, cream, and Irish whiskey?  It also includes a closely guard blend of secret flavorings. 

The added cream really makes this Irish whiskey a drink that you crave and enjoy with a dessert.  It makes for a great night cap after a long day. 

Boozy Alcoholic Milkshakes Ingredients – Caramel Apple Flavored 

• 4 cups vanilla ice cream
• ⅔ cup apple butter
• 4 ounces or ½ cup brandy, more or less to taste (for non-alcoholic or for children use apple juice or apple cider)
• 3-4 tablespoons caramel sauce
• ground cinnamon, if desired
• whipped cream and caramel to decorate

Boozy Alcoholic Milkshakes Directions – Caramel Apple Flavored 

First, allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature to soften slightly, about 15 minutes. You don’t want to break a spoon trying to scoop hard as a rock ice cream! 

Next, process all ingredients in the blender until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of the blender jar as needed. 

Lastly, pour into chilled pint glasses, garnish and then serve.  

For a traditional milkshake look, use milkshake glasses with handles that have been chilled for about 30 minutes.  If you don’t have milkshake glasses on hand, use pint sized mason jars that you chill in the freezer before filling and serving. 

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