Brownie Mochatella Milkshake

A lot happens at 6:30am on a Sunday morning.

The K-9 alarm goes off, and not in one of those annoying beep, beep, beep ways. But a big white paw, gently scratching at my side of the bed.  Part of me wanting to roll over and ignore him, on my one day to sleep in.  But the other part, knowing that if I get out and get in quick, we'll each make our way back to our cozy spots for a few more hours of sleep.

As we both stumble down the dimly lit stairs, again, like clockwork, I hear the low rumble of a lone car slowly making its way down our street. Brakes gently squeaking. Window rolling down… as the sound of three Sunday newspapers hit the driveway. Plop. Plop. Plop.

But as I open the sliding glass door, I realize this isn’t a typical Sunday morning. But one of those days that you feel as though you’ve been given your own personal gift, gazing upon what must be the most beautiful morning sky you’ve ever seen. Purples, pinks and oranges so bright, that you rub your eyes wondering if you’re really just in a dream… and reminded of all that comes along with the changing of the seasons.

Day trips with the top down. Evening walks in shorts. Ice cream.

So this week, as I looked down the list of sale items, I couldn’t help but get excited as a few of my favorite things popped out. Nutella, ice cream, milk, even whipped cream was on sale… hmmm…. how about milkshakes? And to make them even more special, if you’re like me, you’ve got a couple of brownie mixes in the pantry from past sales. And when tucked away in the milkshake’s center, the chocolaty chunks add a bit of whimsy. Plus, some of this morning’s leftover coffee balances the sweetness with a deep, bold richness… for a more sophisticated treat.

Creamy, dreamy, and a delicious dessert for an (almost) Spring Sunday afternoon, or any time.

Brownie Mochatella Milkshakes

1-1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup coffee, chilled
½ cup Nutella (or your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread)
4 brownie squares, broken up into pieces
Whipped cream

For the first batch, of two, in a blender add half of the ice cream, milk, coffee, and nutella. Blend until combined and adjust ingredients based on taste and desired thickness. Fill two glasses each half full with milkshake, then a layer of the brownie chunks, and the rest of the milkshake. Top with whipped cream. Repeat for the second two milkshakes.

Serves 4
Cost per serving: 93 cents

*Note: all costs are approximate due to regional sale prices, amounts needed just for this specific recipe, and ingredients on hand. This recipe was created to utilize sale ingredients listed for the current week in Raleigh, NC stores.