There may be a chill in the air this fall, but there's no bad time for a milkshake... Especially if it's a Pumpkin Pie Milkshake with caramel drizzle and graham cracker rim! This seasonal milkshake is easy to make and will quickly become a family favorite.
(This recipe for Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes was originally published in September 2011, but was updated with new photos in 2018).
I always say I couldn't live on milkshakes alone. But that doesn't necessarily mean I don't want to try sometimes. Trust me, I do try. It just only works for so long before I actually start craving things like kale. Weird, right?
So, how am I justifying this most recent milkshake? Well, pumpkin is healthy, right? Plus, there's calcium, so there. And it's totally seasonal, which means you can only enjoy it for so long and you better get it in while you can. I am clearly the queen of logic and justification.
But really, it would have been weird if I didn't do this one. What do I love? Pumpkin. What else? Milkshakes. Thank you very much.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These pumpkin pie milkshakes with caramel drizzle are really easy to make, so there truly are no excuses not to give them a try. Unless you don't like pumpkin. And, in that case, goodbye (just kidding, I sometimes post about other ingredients, too... after autumn ends).
But there's SO much to love about them. Not only are they made with real pumpkin, but the caramel sauce is ridiculously simple to make. And the graham crackers mixed in take this from a regular pumpkin milkshake to a pumpkin PIE milkshake.
Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this pumpkin pie milkshake... Including the caramel sauce!
- Graham crackers
- Soft caramel candies (like Werther's Soft Caramels)
- Water
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whole milk
- Pumpkin puree
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
How to Make Easy Caramel Sauce
This milkshake does have an extra step of making a caramel sauce, but it's the easiest caramel sauce in the world. Also, you can totally just buy a jarred version from the store. Or if you have the time, you can make a from-scratch caramel.
Or you can skip it all together if you just want to get this milkshake into your mouth as quickly as possible.
I often make caramel sauce from scratch, but that seemed a little too time-consuming for this otherwise super simple milkshake. So instead, I unwrapped a few Werther's Original Soft Caramels and put them in a saucepan with a little water.
They melted into a delicious sauce.
I mean, how easy is that?? Homemade caramel sauce in an instant!
How to Make a Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
One of the things I love best about milkshakes is that they are so quick and easy to make. Throw everything in a blender and hit "blend." Pour into glass and consume.
While the caramels were melting, I put the ice cream, milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and three graham crackers into my blender.
If you'd rather use a little pumpkin pie spice, you can add that in instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg.
You can already tell how delicious this is going to be, right?
Puree until smooth.
Oh wait, don't forget to rim your glass with graham cracker crumbs. Again, you're welcome to skip this step, but I think it's worth crushing a couple graham crackers.
Pour the milkshakes into the glasses. And drizzle some of that caramel goodness on top.
I love that the color is so perfectly pumpkin. And guess what? The flavor is, too!
I found myself actually grateful for the chill in the air as I gulped one of these right down. Sure, a milkshake is perhaps best on a hot summer day, but when you make them in delicious fall flavors, they can take you right through autumn.
What am I even saying? I'm just as excited to make a holiday-style peppermint milkshake. Not to mention, eggnog, gingerbread, you get the point. Seasonal milkshakes make me SO happy.
I'm not going to lie... This milkshake tastes EXACTLY like pumpkin pie. Right down to the graham cracker crust and caramel drizzle on top. I think I'm in love. Even if I did have to drink it while snuggled under a fleece blanket.
These are the kinds of things that make the departure of summer worth it. That and tall Cole Haan boots with Nike soles and cardigans that feel like cashmere (but aren't because I can't afford that).
More Pumpkin Pie Dessert Recipes
If even more than pumpkin, you especially love pumpkin pie, try some of my other dessert recipes that are made to resemble the popular fall dessert:
- Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Pie Applesauce
- Pumpkin Pie Martini
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats (from Downshiftoglogy)
- Pumpkin Pie Hummus (from The Healthy Epicurean)
Here's to everything that makes fall worth it. Including the perfect excuse to get cuddled up on the couch with a good book, fuzzy socks, and a pumpkin pie milkshake.
What makes fall worth it to you?
Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
Ingredients
- 5 graham crackers, divded
- 8 soft caramel candies (I used Werther's Soft Caramels)
- 1 Tbsp water
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Crush two graham crackers (either in a blender, food processor, or in a ziplock bag) and place crumbs on a small plate. Brush the rims of two glasses with water, honey, or simple syrup and roll in the graham cracker crumbs to coat rims.
- Place caramels and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the caramels melt into a sauce while occasionally stirring.
- While caramels are melting, place ice cream, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the 3 remaining graham crackers into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour milkshakes into graham cracker rimmed glasses. Drizzle caramel over the top of the milkshakes.
Notes
- If you don't want to make the caramel sauce, you can buy a store-bought version or skip the caramel altogether.
View Web Story for this recipe.
Simply Life says
oh you are so good -i'm going to dream about this tonight...
Nisrine M. says
What a yummy, beautiful shake. A great way to welcome fall.
Megan says
That looks amazing... and I'm sure it tastes even better! Love the presentation.
Erica says
I want extra graham on my glass please:)!! This looks ridiculous amazing. Pumpkin, squash and apples make fall worth while!!
Chris says
Everyone should stop what they are doing and make this immediately. So good!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
This milkshake looks amazing! It actually looks dangerously good.
Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living says
I want one of these rightthissecond! Anything with pumpkin is a-okay in my book, and a milkshake is perfect for these warm days we've been having. I love every single thing about fall, but pumpkin is one of my absolute favorite aspects!
Katie says
mmm looks delicious! so glad it's pumpkin time again!!
Michelle says
Holy yum. I wish you made deliveries with this milkshake!
Kathy says
Um. YUM. Seriously. That looks amazing. And it looks like the perfect way to use up the rest of a can of pumpkin after baking with it. You are a genius madam!
Evelyn says
This looks yummy-licious...lowfat too right?? Thank you and Happy Autumn!
Michelle Collins says
Some vanilla vodka in these on a Friday would be perfect! 😉
Daisy says
you are the milkshake queen! (i feel like i've said that before.) and you are right, it totally would have been weird if you didn’t whip out this combo!
Heather I. says
Of course they're healthy!! Bookmarking this recipe right now. And, those striped straws are awesome.
To Kiss the Cook says
I love that we're friends. I think I would probably be friends with Michelle Collins too, if her comment is any indication 🙂
Victoria says
This looks amazing!!! Pumpkin is my one true love, I gotta try it!
em says
umm, i want one of these RIGHT now. almost friday cocktail worthy...ya think we could add a little somethin' somethin'?! 😉
so excited for fall and pumpkin everything!
[email protected] says
Amazing. Caramel Baileys might be a nice addition 🙂
Sharon says
This drink looks absolutely fantastic...There must be some kind of pumpkin vodka out there?? If not, then I guess the Bailey's would do!
Beautiful photography, Sues...great job!!
joan says
Definitely printing this!!
Emily @ A Cambridge Story says
oh wow. what a great idea! I'm thinking of making pumpkin ice cream this weekend 😉
Jessa says
This looks amazing. Definitely trying this soon! Yum!
sarah k. @ the pajama chef says
wow!
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit says
Fall is in the air, but temperatures are still milkshake friendly here! A nice cool pumpkin pie treat would have been very welcome today. Looks delicious! 🙂
rachelsdigestif says
This looks absolutely incredible! I'm so happy pumpkin season is here...I will have to make these for me and my pumpkin-obsessed roommate!
Susan says
I have to divert my eyes! This looks way too good 🙂
Sinea says
Amazing idea! I'm sharing this in Friday's "Pumpkin Bread" post on my site as a great pumpkin recipe link!
Paula says
be still my, er, stomach! Can't wait to try this! I LOVE pumpkin and buy the pumpkin coffee creamer when I can find it and put it on my oatmeal! Hope you don't mind if I share this link on my blog!
Morgan says
Thank you so much for putting this on here! It looks delicious!!!