Pink Strawberry Milkshake Sprinkles

The electric pink swirl against the glass caught my eye at that old fashioned soda fountain downtown, and something about the rainbow sprinkles made me feel seven years old again. I brought that feeling home, tweaked it until the strawberry flavor actually sang instead of hiding behind all that sugar. Now its the thing my nieces beg for whenever they visit, their mustache smiles proof that grown ups can still believe in magic too.

Last summer I made these for my daughters birthday party, setting up a little toppings bar with different sprinkles and extra whipped cream. Watching twelve year olds carefully arrange their sprinkle patterns like tiny artists was unexpectedly touching. The birthday girl still talks about how hers had the perfect ratio of strawberries to cream.

Ingredients

• Whole milk: Creates that perfectly silky, drinkable texture plant milks sometimes miss, though oat milk works surprisingly well if needed
• Vanilla ice cream: The base that makes everything creamy, so spring for a good brand with real vanilla specks
• Fresh strawberries: Frozen works in a pinch but fresh ones give that bright, just picked flavor that pops
• Granulated sugar: Lets you control the sweetness since strawberry natural sweetness varies by season
• Whipped cream: The cloud like crown that makes every sip feel like celebration
• Rainbow sprinkles: Not optional in my house, they are the whole personality of this shake

Instructions

Gather your strawberry squad:

Rinse those berries and pull off the green hulls, checking for any squishy spots that did not make the cut

Blend it all up:

Dump everything except toppings into the blender and let it rip on high for thirty seconds until it looks like spun pink silk

Taste and tweak:

Give it a quick sip and add another pinch of sugar if your strawberries were particularly tart this batch

Pour and crown:

Divide between two tall glasses and go absolutely wild with the whipped cream and sprinkles situation

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My friend Sarah swears she can taste the difference when I use local strawberries from the farmers market. Honestly, she might be right. There is something about those small, imperfect berries that transforms this from sweet drink into something that actually tastes like sunshine and dirt and summer afternoons.

Getting the Perfect Pink

Some strawberries are shy about their color, especially if they were frozen. A drop or two of natural red food coloring never hurt nobody, but honestly, that slightly paler pink looks more rustic and real. The kind that makes people ask, wait, did you actually use real strawberries.

Making It Dairy Free

My niece is dairy intolerant and was devastated when she thought she could not have these anymore. We experimented with coconut milk ice cream and oat milk, and honestly, the coconut version gives it this tropical twist that had all the adults stealing sips. The texture is slightly different but the joy is exactly the same.

Shake Up Your Toppings

Sprinkles are just the beginning of what you can pile on top of these creations. My kids go through phases, and honestly, half the fun is seeing what they come up with next.

• Crushed graham crackers for that strawberry shortcake vibe
• A drizzle of chocolate sauce because chocolate and strawberries are eternal
• Mini marshmallows for maximum birthday energy

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Hope these bring some bright pink joy to your kitchen and maybe even a little sprinkle covered mustache to your face.