Dairy-Free Vanilla Milkshake

dairy-free vanilla milkshake

By Amy Roskelley or Super Healthy Kids

Milkshakes are a childhood favorite food. But what happens if your kids can't tolerate dairy? For some children, milk products can be the source of some serious stomach upset, sinus problems, allergy responses, or other reactions.

At Super Healthy Kids, we're always looking for alternatives and modifications to kids favorite foods—and this vanilla milkshake hits the mark! All the kids that tested it—even the ones that can drink vanilla milkshakes—loved it!

vanilla milkshake

How to Ensure a Thick and Creamy Vegan Milkshake

We wanted our shake to be creamy, of course, so we started by adding cashews. Using the Blendtec Twister jar to blend our cashews with enough liquid to soften the nuts, we created the thick and creamy consistency that is so desirable in a shake. The more cashews you use, the creamier and thicker it will be. Just remember that you still want this to pass through a straw!

We thought 1 cup of cashews was the perfect thickness. Not only are the cashews perfect for our texture, but they’re also beneficial to kids. Cashews are a great source of fiber, protein, and minerals. To make our milkshake cold (as a milkshake should be), we blended in some ice.

vanilla milkshake

How to Flavor a Dairy-Free Milkshake

To give our healthy vanilla milkshake recipe that rich flavor, we went to the truest, richest source: real vanilla beans. You can also use vanilla extract, but there is such a deep, rich flavor that you can get from those beans! 

For sweetness, we used 2 tablespoons of honey. Honey is a great way to sweeten your food while getting some nutrients to boot. Regular sugars and refined corn syrups only give you calories and a sweet flavor. Honey gives you sweetness, but it also includes antioxidants and flavonoids that are beneficial to kids.

vanilla milkshake

To make our milkshake cold (as a milkshake should be), we blended in some ice. 

vanilla milkshake

Here’s our dairy-free milkshake recipe for you to try with your family at home!

For more healthy alternatives to kids favorite foods, visit Super Healthy Kids today!

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11 comments


  • Amy

    Hi Lisa,
    I haven’t tried it with cashew milk, but it seems mild enough in flavor that I think it would work great! The vanilla is more powerful than the cashews taste.

    Nicki- the nuts are really what gives this shake it’s thickness. For a nut-free milk shake, perhaps just a traditional milkshake would be the best option.

    Brooke- I’m afraid changing it for almonds might make it more like almond butter! ( or Peanut butter), It would still be delicious, but you wouldn’t taste the vanilla-ness of it.


  • Brooke

    could you swap cashews for almonds? My little man is allergic to cashews


  • Kelli Farley

    Hi Francine,
    If you are using a high-speed blender, it should blend up the cashews so that you can’t taste them.


  • nicki

    Any ideas for a nut-free alternative to cashews?


  • Lisa

    Can you substitute cashew milk? Or would that be too much cashew flavor?


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