Copycat Wendy's Chocolate Frosty Recipe

There's something very distinct about a Wendy's Frosty that sets it apart from other fast food ice creams and milkshakes. It's partially because of the texture, which is somewhere between a standard milkshake and soft-serve ice cream; but it's also partly because of the flavor, which is uniquely malty. Malt, in this case, refers to malted milk powder, which at one time was used widely to make malts that tasted creamier, milkier, and a little nuttier than milkshakes made simply with milk and ice cream. Despite the malty flavor, Wendy's Frostys aren't really malts — but they aren't really milkshakes either, putting them in a category of their own.

Though nothing is ever exactly the same at home as it is in the restaurant, with Wendy's Frostys, you can get pretty close. The secret is in using chocolate powder typically used for chocolate milk, like Nesquik. This, combined with vanilla ice cream and just a splash of milk, creates a copycat Wendy's chocolate Frosty that tastes almost exactly like the original; meaning you can have that magical dipping combo of fries and a milkshake at home, anytime you please (dangerous, we know).

You'll only need three ingredients for this recipe, so make sure to choose them wisely: Pick up a high-quality creamy vanilla ice cream, and look for containers that are labelled as "old-fashioned vanilla" or even "vanilla bean" for the best, most accurate flavor. Next, grab some milk — you'll only need a splash, so the quality matters a little less here. We recommend whole milk for the most creamy results, but 2% works well, too. Finally, grab a container of Nesquik chocolate powder, which can be found near the hot chocolate mixes and coffees (not in the baking aisle near cocoa, which is used differently).

Combine the ice cream, milk, and Nesquik in a blender.

Blend until smooth, scraping the sides as needed, for about 10 seconds.

Pour into a glass to serve.

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Needing only 3 ingredients and 3 steps to make, Frostys are easy to build. There is, however, 1 tricky thing about making Frostys: They melt quickly. Depending on the type of ice cream you use, your Frosty can even melt while still in the blender, making it hard to enjoy as the thick, spoonable, fry-dippable milkshake it's meant to be. If your ice cream seems to start melting immediately upon meeting room temperature, skip the milk, only adding it if the consistency seems too thick. You can also pulse the ingredients — instead of fully blending — so that the blades don't heat up the cold ingredients, pulsing gently until just combined. If these still don't work and your Frosty is hopelessly liquidy, don't give up. It can be fixed.

To fix a liquid Frosty, transfer the mixture to a freezable container (like a deli cup), leaving about ½-inch of space from the top, and seal. Freeze for 6 to 8 hours, or until the mixture is solid, then remove from the freezer and either blend gently or stir, allowing the ice cream to melt a bit to achieve the creamy consistency. This isn't perfect — the Frosty will be more icy than it is when made fresh, but it's a good way to fix melted Frosty (or prep some in advance).

The chocolate Frosty was on the original Wendy's menu when the restaurant opened in 1969 and remained the only Frosty flavor until — believe it or not — 2006, when the vanilla Frosty was introduced as a permanent menu item. Nearly 20 years later, Wendy's offers unique and seasonal flavors all over the world, including flavors like Thin Mint and Key lime pie. Though nothing beats the flavor of the classic chocolate, you can add flavoring to the base to create your own Frostys at home.

To make a vanilla Frosty that has the same subtle malt flavor without the chocolate powder, swap the Nesquik for malted milk powder and follow the recipe as written. Then, to make berry or citrus-flavored Frosty's, add frozen fruit or a dash of juice to the vanilla base. To make flavors like Thin Mint, Moose Tracks, or chocolate-covered pretzel, work with the chocolate base and add mint extract, caramel, chocolate syrup, or crushed pretzels.

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