Frozen Nutella Mudslide Cocktail Recipe

Is there anything better than a milkshake on a hot summer day? The answer is actually yes — a boozy milkshake made up of vodka, coffee liqueur, and Irish cream. Without ice cream, this is a cocktail referred to simply as a "Mudslide" for its shaken, muddy composition. You might have noticed its similarity to another dark and creamy cocktail, the White Russian; the Mudslide was invented as a substitute when requested at a bar that didn't carry heavy cream. Swapping the cream for Bailey's Irish cream liqueur, a new, slightly different drink was made, and soon became a favorite for frozen drinks, too.

In this recipe developed with Michelle McGlinn, the classic Mudslide is blended with vanilla ice cream, ice, and Nutella to create a boozy, thick, creamy milkshake cocktail. It's perfect in the summertime, but also delicious for year-round ice cream lovers, with decadent, cozy flavors perfect for long winter nights. And the garnishes are the best part: Whipped cream, cocoa powder, and tubular wafer cookies make this a delicious dessert. We told you this was better than the average milkshake.

You could line the glass with premade chocolate syrup, if you have it on hand, but since we are using Nutella in the milkshake, it's super easy to add a little more nutty flavor by making it homemade. To make the drizzling sauce, you'll just need Nutella and milk. For the cocktail, you'll need a little more Nutella, your favorite vanilla ice cream, ice cubes, vodka, Irish cream liqueur, and coffee liqueur. While any brand will work, the most common brands to use here are Bailey's Irish cream and Kahlua. For toppings, grab some whipped cream, cocoa powder, and Pirouette cookies.

You'll find that the Nutella sauce comes together easily — so easily that you'll be wondering why you haven't made it for sundaes before. Pour a little milk into a bowl and microwave until warm, but not hot (30 seconds should be perfect). Whisk in the Nutella. The mixture will turn grayish-brown, then slowly thicken into a dark cocoa-colored syrup. Once the mixture is the consistency of a sauce, set it aside or pour it into a squeeze bottle.

Making blended cocktails is easy because the blender does most of the work. Add the ice cream, spirits, ice, and Nutella to a blender and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Depending on your blender, you may need to pulse a few times to break up the ice, and depending on the size of your ice cubes, you may need to blend a few minutes longer to get a smooth consistency. If your drink is thin and soupy, add a few more scoops of ice cream and a few more ice cubes to thicken. To avoid a liquidy drink, try to work quickly to prevent melting.

Serve a frozen cocktail as you would a sundae or milkshake: do it up with sauces and toppings. We squeezed Nutella sauce into our glass before pouring the cocktail in and topping, but you can also drizzle the sauce on top, coating it over the whipped cream. We went for a super-chocolatey topping of cocoa powder and Pirouettes, but you can go fruity with banana slices (channeling a banana float), or classic, with a striped straw and a cherry. You could also get creative, crumbling a sweet cereal or crushed Oreos over top.

Frozen cocktails like these are a meal in themselves — a dessert, of course, not your breakfast (not that we're stopping you). If you'd like to serve this alongside other desserts, we suggest pairing it with lighter, less chocolatey treats like strawberries, angel food cake, or fried desserts like sopapillas. And sorry, no saving for later; these milkshakes are best served freshly blended.