Here’s how to make a date shake, the creamy classic Palm Springs drink! All you need are Medjool dates, milk, vanilla ice cream, and a blender.
Ever tried a date shake? When I first went to Palm Springs, I become obsessed with this delicious combination of creamy vanilla ice cream and Medjool dates. On my latest trip to Palm Springs, it was all anyone could talk about!
Take one sip and you’ll see that creamy vanilla ice cream is the ideal pairing for the caramel flavor of dates. It’s especially refreshing in the heat of the desert sun, but delicious anytime you make it! Here’s how to make a date shake.
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Awesome recipe. It was amazing. I also added a little bit of chocolate ice cream for a chocolate date shake and it did not disappoint 10/10!” -Zephyr
What’s A Date Shake?
A date shake is a milkshake made with dates, and it’s the unofficial drink of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley in California. You can order one at many restaurants and in roadside stands in the area. The dates are a local product grown on date palm trees, originally imported from the Middle East but now a fixture in the region.
Many sources credit California date farmer Russ Nicholl for inventing the date shake in 1928. He combined the dates from his farm with a vanilla milkshake, and it became a hit with the locals. By the late 1930s, the trend had spread across the West coast.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For my spin on a date shake, I went with classic ingredients and an easy method to make it simple to blend up at home. For this date shake recipe, you’ll need:
- Medjool dates: This type of date is required here; it’s large and soft, with a caramel flavor. See my notes below.
- Milk: Use your favorite type of milk, dairy or non-dairy.
- Vanilla ice cream: Use your favorite brand. Non-dairy ice cream is also easy to find, or try my homemade vegan ice cream.
- Nutmeg or cinnamon: This adds just the right nuance to the flavor.
How To Make a Date Shake
The date shake is a simple concept: but every restaurant and roadside stand in the Coachella Valley has their own spin on it. When I visited Palm Springs, I tried as many as I could, from a super-sweet shake topped with whipped cream and cookies to a vegan date shake made with soy ice cream. Some restaurants use a pre-made date paste, and others blend the fruit right into the shake, which is what I do here.
All you need to do is let the Medjool dates soak with half the milk for 10 minutes, which softens them and infuses their flavor into the liquid. Then blend it up with more milk, vanilla ice cream, and nutmeg or cinnamon!
Why Medjool Dates Are Special
Medjool dates are the best choice for a date shake, if you can find them. They’re very large, soft dates with an intense caramel sweet flavor. This type of date has become popular for use in energy bars, sweetening desserts, and stuffed. Medjool dates are grown in the Coachella Valley: they were originally imported in the 1900s by the USDA who determined California’s climate was ideally suited for date palms.
If you can’t find Medjools, deglet noor dates can work too. Deglet noor dates are also grown in the Coachella Valley. But this type of date is much harder in texture and not as sweet. You can also use the smaller and less sweet deglet noor dates, but we prefer the caramel toffee stickiness of the Medjool date here.
How To Get The Texture Right
Here are my tips for the best texture here:
- Let the dates sit in half the milk for 10 minutes to soften them.
- For a classic flecked shake with little bits of dates, pulse the soaked dates and milk into a paste, then add the ice cream and milk and pulse just until combined.
- For a smooth shake, blend the dates and milk on high for several seconds first until smooth.
- For a thicker shake, hold back a tablespoon or two of milk.
Variations And Flavor Twists
Here are a few ways I like to mix it up:
- Healthy date shake: I developed a healthier spin on this drink: the date smoothie! This drink blends banana and Greek yogurt into the mix, instead of vanilla ice cream. Go to Creamy Date Smoothie.
- Chocolate date shake: Swap half the vanilla ice cream for chocolate, as one reader suggested. My healthy chocolate milkshake also uses dates.
- Banana date shake: Add half a frozen banana and go light on the ice crema.
- Vegan date shake: Use soy or oat ice cream with oat milk!
- Espresso date shake: I love this idea: add shot of cooled espresso really brings out the flavor, like my frozen coffee or coffee smoothie.
Head to the recipe below and let us know if love this date shake recipe as much as we do. We’d love to know if you’ve visited Palm Springs (or if you’re a native) and what fond memories you have of sipping date shakes.
For me, it’s sitting by the pool dangling my feet in the water and sipping down that creamy goodness!
Dietary Notes
This date shake recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Date Shake (California Style!)
Here’s how to make a date shake: a milkshake made with dates! This classic Palm Springs drink is easy to whip up at home.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 large or 2 small 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ½ cup Medjool dates*, pitted
- ½ cup milk, divided (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream (vegan, if desired)
- ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Soak the dates in ¼ cup of the milk for 10 minutes.
- Add dates along with the milk to blender. Blend for several seconds until integrated into a paste but the dates are still chunky.
- Add the remaining milk, ice cream and nutmeg or cinnamon. Pulse until just smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Notes
*You can also use the smaller and less sweet deglet noor dates, but we prefer the caramel toffee stickiness of the Medjool date here.
I love date shakes. I make them with medjool dates, banana, pecans, nonfat greek yogurt.* (full fat is fine), ice and blend in the vitamix blender till smooth-enough, and YUM.
*i prefer Fage or Ciobani
I love date shakes. I make them with medjool dates, banana, pecans, nonfat greek yogurt.* (full fat is fine), ice and blend in the vitamix blender till smooth-enough, and YUM.
*i prefer Faye or
Awesome recipe. It was amazing. Helpful tip: make sure to thoroughly blend the milk and dates before you combine the rest of the ingredients. Otherwise, it will be a little chunky. I also added a little bit of chocolate ice cream for a chocolate date shake and it did not disappoint 10/10
We like the chunky style, but so glad you enjoyed!
Loved it!
Let us know if you have any questions!