McDonald’s Grimace Shake Copycat Recipe
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With just 6 simple ingredients, this McDonald’s Grimace shake copycat recipe is easy to make and so tasty! Our simple instructions, tips, and photos will help you make this delicious purple milkshake at home!
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Have you noticed McDonald’s menu no longer includes the ever popular Grimace’s birthday treat, the iconic purple milkshake, named for McDonald’s giant purple mascot, Grimace?
If you are looking for an easy-to-follow shake recipe, then you have come to the right place! With just 6 simple ingredients and 5 steps, this McDonald’s Grimace Shake recipe is perfect for even the most basic chef!
And if you’re looking for other easy desserts, check out our Snickers cookies, dessert pizza, and Twix cookies!
Grimace Shake Recipe FAQs
What is the McDonald’s Grimace shake?
- The McDonald’s Grimace shake is a limited-time shake that was released in June 2023 along with the Grimace happy meal in honor of the fuzzy purple character’s birthday. It is recognizable by its vibrant purple color and tangy berries and cream flavor.
- Lucky for you, this quick recipe is just as good as the original and available when the item isn’t currently on McDonald’s menus.
What is the Grimace shake flavor?
- The Grimace shake is a mixture of berries and cream that produces a sweet but also tangy flavor. Some people on Tiktok say that they can taste the berries while others feel it is closer to a vanilla flavor. Either way, you will taste both in our recipe!
- Mcdonald’s says that their milkshake is flavored by “Grimace syrup”. Since we aren’t sure what exactly that is, we are using raspberries and blueberries to get that fruity flavor and bright hue.
How long does this recipe take to make?
- 5 minutes or less! There is no cooking involved. Only measuring and blending!
How many servings does this recipe make?
- This recipe makes 1-2 servings. You could either have 1 large shake or split it into 2 small shakes.
Ingredients
You only need 6 ingredients for this recipe!
- Vanilla ice cream – A lot of brands offer vanilla bean and homestyle vanilla. Both can work great, but I prefer the flavor of the vanilla bean for this tasty treat! Leave your vanilla ice cream out for about 10 minutes prior to making your Grimace shake for easier scooping!
- Milk – Whole milk will make this shake the creamiest. However, any type of milk will work. The milk functions in the smoothie to make it easier to blend, so any liquid will help with that.
- Raspberries and blueberries – I chose to use frozen berries for this recipe because they are available year-round. And, because the frozen fruit helped to make the shake extra thick and cold. If you prefer to use fresh raspberries and fresh blueberries, you can absolutely do that! I’m also gonna let you in on a little secret upfront, these berries will provide that beautiful purple coloring without any drops of purple food coloring (red and blue mixed together)!
- Whipped cream – I mean c’mon, who doesn’t love a dollop of whipped cream on top of their shake?? This is an optional ingredient, but I totally recommend it! It makes this purple shake taste and look a lot more like the McDonald’s version.
- Rainbow sprinkles – Rainbow sprinkles are great for adding a pop of color and a satisfying texture to the shake. Add a teaspoon or so of sprinkles to bring the fun! Here’s one that has no artificial food colorings in it!
- Optional: red and blue food coloring – So I definitely bought food dye thinking the shake might need a little bit of help getting a little deeper purple color. I didn’t end up needing them, but they are nice to have on hand if you want to intensify the shake’s magenta pigment. I don’t know about you but I’ve been avoiding artificial food coloring as much as possible. I’ve switched to a natural food coloring when I do need it. I think the color was gorgeous without any coloring, but it’s a personal preference so use the food coloring if you want a little deeper purple color!
Materials
In order to make this grimace shake recipe, there are a few kitchen items and appliances you will need.
Here are the kitchen items you will need!
- A blender
- Measuring cups
- Ice cream scoop
- Spoon
- Serving cup
- Optional: straw
Step-by-step instructions to Make a Grimace Milkshake
Here are the easy steps for making this Grimace shake recipe!
- Get out all of your ingredients – This shake takes 5 minutes or less to make, so it helps if you already have everything out when you’re ready to get started.
- Add ingredients to the blender – Add 1 cup vanilla ice cream, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, and 1/4 cup of milk to your blender.
- Blend – Mix the ingredients into the blender until smooth. Add food coloring if you wish.
- Pour the shake into a glass – If you have a clear glass or plastic shake cup, those will allow you to see the fun shake color and look most similar to the version at Mcdonald’s.
- Top and serve – Top with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. Serve with a straw and enjoy!!
If you have leftovers (the chances are very slim, haha), just store it in an airtight container in the freezer.
Other Topping Ideas
Want to customize your Grimace shake? Here are some fun toppings you could try out!
- Fresh Berries
- Coconut Shavings
- Nuts
- Fruity Pebbles Cereal
- Pop Rocks
- Fudge
- Caramel Syrup
- Crushed Oreos
- Graham Crackers
- Chocolate Chips
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Fruity Boba Bubbles
If you try out a new combination of toppings, share about it in the comments! And what are your thoughts on a McDonald’s copycat Shamrock shake? Should we recreate that too?
Grimace Shake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Scoop
- 1 Blender
- Measuring Cups
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Glass
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
- 1/2 cup Frozen Raspberries
- 1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries
- 1/4 cup Milk
- Whipped Cream
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Get out all of your ingredients – This shake takes 5 minutes or less to make, so it helps if you already have everything out when you’re ready to get started.
- Add ingredients to the blender – Add 1 cup vanilla ice cream, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, and 1/4 cup of milk to your blender.
- Blend – Mix the ingredients into the blender until smooth. Add food coloring if you wish.
- Pour the shake into a glass – If you have a clear glass or plastic shake cup, those will allow you to see the fun shake color and look most similar to the version at McDonald’s.
- Top and serve – Top with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. Serve with a straw and enjoy!!
grimace shake