Caramel Crumble Milkshake with Toasted Blondie Bits

This caramel crumble milkshake combines a thick vanilla ice cream base with caramel and butterscotch sauces. Homemade blondie pieces are baked, toasted, and stirred in after blending, so you get buttery bites throughout instead of fine crumbs.

It’s inspired by Chick-fil-A’s seasonal Caramel Crumble Milkshake, made at home with vanilla ice cream in place of Icedream. Prepare the blondie crumbles ahead and the milkshakes take about 5 minutes to blend and serve.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Butter and brown sugar: Melted unsalted butter and packed brown sugar give the blondie pieces their buttery caramel flavor.

All-purpose flour: Weigh the flour when possible. Otherwise, spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top.

Egg, baking powder, salt, and vanilla: The egg holds the blondie together, while baking powder gives it a little lift. Salt balances the sweetness, and vanilla is used in both the blondie and the milkshake.

Vanilla ice cream and whole milk: Use firmly frozen ice cream and cold milk for the thickest shake. Start with the listed amount of milk and add more only if the blender cannot move the mixture.

Caramel and butterscotch sauces: Use pourable ice cream toppings instead of thin coffee syrups. Caramel adds the deeper cooked-sugar flavor, while butterscotch supplies the buttery flavor found in the original milkshake.

Whipped cream and cherries: These toppings are optional. You can also finish the shakes with homemade maple whipped cream.

The exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

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How to Make the Milkshakes

1. Bake the blondie

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 × 5-inch (23 × 13 cm) loaf pan.

Whisk ½ cup melted unsalted butter with ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar. Let the mixture cool until lukewarm, then whisk in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Adding the egg while the butter is still hot can begin cooking it.

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Fold in 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick but spreadable.

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Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the center looks set.

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A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.

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2. Toast the blondie pieces

Let the blondie cool for about 15 minutes, until you can handle it. Break it into small pieces and spread them in one layer on a foil-lined metal baking sheet.

Broil at least 6 inches below the element, following your oven’s instructions. Watch the tray continuously and check every 30 seconds. Turn the pieces as needed. Take them out when the edges are golden brown; smaller crumbs may need removing first.

Do not use parchment under the broiler.

Let the pieces cool completely. Measure ½ cup for the milkshakes and set the rest aside for topping or another batch.

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3. Blend the milkshake

Pour ½ cup cold whole milk into the blender first. Add 3 cups vanilla ice cream, ¼ cup caramel sauce, 2 tablespoons butterscotch sauce, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

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Blend just until the mixture is smooth and thick. If it stops moving, turn off the blender before scraping down the sides. Add more milk only 1 tablespoon at a time if the blender still cannot move the mixture.

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4. Add the crumbles

Stir ½ cup completely cooled blondie pieces into the milkshake by hand. Adding them after blending keeps them as small bites instead of breaking them into fine crumbs.

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Divide the milkshake between two glasses. Top with whipped cream, extra blondie crumbles, and a cherry if you like. Serve immediately with a spoon or wide straw.

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Tips for Success

• Set everything out before blending. Have the glasses, toppings, spoon, and wide straws ready so the finished shake doesn’t sit and melt.
• Keep the shake ingredients cold. Use firmly frozen ice cream and cold milk. Let refrigerated sauces become pourable, but never add them while warm.
• Add the milk first. This helps the blender move the ice cream without requiring extra liquid.
• Adjust the milkshake before adding the crumbles. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time if it is too thick, or briefly blend in another scoop of frozen ice cream if it is too thin.
• Stir the crumbles in by hand. Blending them into the base turns the pieces into fine crumbs.
• Skip the ice cubes. They dilute the caramel and butterscotch flavors as they melt.
• Serve immediately. The blondie pieces soften after sitting in the milkshake.

If Something Goes Wrong

The blender stalls or the shake is too thick: Turn off the blender before scraping down the sides. Add cold milk 1 tablespoon at a time, blending briefly after each addition. Stop as soon as the mixture moves smoothly.

The milkshake is too thin: The ice cream may have softened too much, or too much milk was added. Briefly blend in another scoop of firmly frozen ice cream. Fix the consistency before stirring in the blondie pieces.

The blondie is dry: Too much flour or extra baking time can dry it out. Weigh the flour or spoon and level it, and remove the blondie when a toothpick shows moist crumbs without wet batter.

The pieces are browning unevenly: The smaller pieces will toast faster. Watch the tray continuously, turn the pieces as needed, and remove finished pieces before the rest.

Some pieces burned: Discard anything blackened. Burned crumbles can give the whole milkshake a bitter flavor.

The blondie pieces became soft in the shake: This is normal as they absorb liquid. Stir them in just before serving and reserve a few dry toasted pieces for the topping.

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Make Ahead and Storage

Let the toasted blondie crumbles cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Sealing them while warm traps moisture and softens their toasted edges.

Store the crumbles at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 1 month and thaw the amount you need before using.

Make the milkshake immediately before serving. A prepared shake loses its thick texture in the refrigerator, and the blondie pieces continue to soften. Use extra crumbles for another batch or sprinkle them over ice cream.

You Might Also Like

For another caramel dessert, try Twix cookies with caramel and toffee or caramel pumpkin cookies.

Want something salty alongside the shakes? These homemade pretzel bites would fit a movie-night snack.