know the pleasures of a glass of milk and a peanut butter sandwich, so it’s a natural that milk (or, well, ice cream) and peanut butter make a yummy cocktail or a refreshing smoothie.
For the best drinks, “soften” the ice. In other words, leave it out on the counter for a few minutes. That way, you’ll get a smoother drink without those pesky shards.
For these drinks, the ingredients are listed in the order in which you put them into the blender. That’s because of a common mistake home bartenders make with frozen drinks: they put the ice on the top, not on the bottom with the blades. In doing so, they inadvertently make chunky drinks with random ice chips. We recommend the method preferred by professional bartenders: put the ice in first and let the other ingredients weigh it down onto the blades, with the peanut butter most often coming last in the mix.
Don’t hesitate to let the blender run. The drink should be slushy and well combined—and that usually takes 30 seconds, maybe a minute, and sometimes even a little more.
Here’s a cocktail version of a candy we all love: a chocolate peanut butter cup—that is, if you topped it with raspberry jam.
MAKES 2 DRINKS
1 cup ice
2/3 cup chocolate ice cream
1/4 cup (2 ounces) raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) brandy
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons milk, preferably nonfat
1/4 cup creamy standard peanut butter
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender. Blend until smooth, making sure that the ice is completely crushed in the mix. Pour into 2 glasses and serve at once.
Omit the raspberry liqueur and brandy. Increase the ice cream to 3/4 cup and add 2 tablespoons raspberry jam with the peanut butter.
Substitute butter pecan, strawberry, or vanilla fudge swirl ice cream for the chocolate ice cream.
Substitute purchased ice cream caramel sauce for the chocolate syrup.
Substitute a coffee-flavored liqueur such as Kahlúa for the raspberry liqueur.
A traditional Brandy Alexander is made of brandy, crème de cacao, and cream, served in martini glasses. With ice cream and peanut butter, it’s pure bliss.
MAKES 2 MARTINI-STYLE DRINKS
1/2 cup ice
1 cup vanilla ice cream
3 tablespoons (11/2 ounces) brandy
3 tablespoons (11/2 ounces) white creme de cacao
3 tablespoons creamy standard peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender; blend until smooth, making sure the ice cream and ice are thoroughly incorporated into the drink. Pour into 2 martini glasses and serve at once.
Substitute butter pecan or chocolate ice cream for the vanilla ice cream.
Substitute bourbon, cognac, or Southern Comfort for the brandy.
Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the vanilla.
A White Russian is a vodka, Kahlúa, and cream cocktail. With peanut butter and vanilla ice cream, it’s a frozen indulgence worthy of your next party (or the Czar).
MAKES 2 DRINKS
1 cup ice
1/4 cup (2 ounces) coffee-flavored liqueur, such as Kahlúa
1/4 cup (2 ounces) vodka
2/3 cup vanilla ice cream
3 tablespoons creamy standard peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender; blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the canister as necessary to get the ice evenly pulverized. Pour into 2 glasses and serve at once.
Omit the coffee-flavored liqueur and the vodka; increase the ice cream to 3/4 cup and add 1/4 cup brewed, cooled espresso, 1/3 cup very strong coffee, or 2 tablespoons coffee syrup after the vodka.
Substitute banana, butter pecan, chocolate, or coffee ice cream for the vanilla ice cream. While it’s no longer a Russian if you take out the coffee-flavored liqueur, you can substitute a range of liqueurs. Our favorites include ginger-flavored liqueur such as The Original Canton, hazelnut-flavored liqueur such as Frangelico, or caramel schnapps.
This cocktail is as much dessert as an afternoon treat. Serve it when you want to kick back and take in the sunset.
MAKES 2 DRINKS
3/4 cup ice
1 cup vanilla ice cream
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) apple schnapps
1/4 cup creamy standard peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender; blend until smooth.
Pour into 2 tumblers and serve at once.
Increase the ice to 1 cup and add 1/4 cup milk and either 1/2 cup purchased apple pie filling or apple butter with the peanut butter.
Reduce the apple schnapps to 1/4 cup (2 ounces) and add 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) caramel or cinnamon schnapps, ginger-flavored liqueur such as The Original Canton, or hazelnut-flavored liqueur such as Frangelico.
This thick, malted, vanilla cocktail is perfect for a summer deck party—just have lots of ice on hand so you can make several rounds.
MAKES 2 DRINKS
1 cup ice
2/3 cup vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup (2 ounces) vanilla-flavored liqueur, such as Cuarente y Tres (Licor 43)
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) vodka
1/4 cup malted milk powder
1/4 cup creamy standard peanut butter
1/4 cup milk, preferably nonfat
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a blender; blend until smooth, making sure the ice cubes get thoroughly crushed up in the mix. Pour into 2 glasses and serve at once.
Almond Peanut Butter Avalanche Substitute an almond-flavored liqueur such as Amaretto for the vanilla-flavored liqueur; add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the milk.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Avalanche Substitute a chocolate-flavored liqueur such as Godiva for the vanilla-flavored liqueur.
Omit the vanilla-flavored liqueur and the vodka; increase the ice cream to 3/4 cup and add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract with it.
Egg creams are a New York classic—but not with peanut butter…until now. Any New Yorker knows there’s no egg or cream in an egg cream. Rather, it’s a chocolate milk drink made fizzy with seltzer.
MAKES 1 DRINK
2 tablespoons creamy standard peanut butter
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1/2 cup milk, preferably low-fat or nonfat
1 cup seltzer
Stir the peanut butter and chocolate syrup in the bottom of a 16-ounce tumbler with a long-handled iced-tea spoon until smooth. Stir in the milk until smooth. Add the seltzer, stirring constantly, until the drink develops a fizzy head. Serve at once.
Peanut Butter Coffee Egg Cream Substitute coffee syrup for the chocolate syrup.
Peanut Butter Vanilla Egg Cream Substitute vanilla syrup for the chocolate syrup.
Talk about the ultimate malt! Try this with your next burger and fries—and put off the diet for one more day.
MAKES 2 DRINKS
1 cup ice
1 cup chocolate ice cream
3/4 cup milk, preferably nonfat
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1/4 cup creamy standard peanut butter
1/4 cup malted milk powder
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender; blend until smooth, scraping down the canister once or twice to make sure everything has blended evenly. Pour into 2 glasses and serve at once.
Peanut Butter Strawberry Malt Substitute strawberry ice cream for the chocolate ice cream; omit the chocolate syrup and add 2 tablespoons strawberry jam in its stead.
Peanut Butter Banana and Chocolate Malt Substitute banana nectar for the milk.
Decrease the milk to 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup (2 ounces) vodka and 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) dark crème de cacao with the chocolate syrup.
Who doesn’t love those frozen coffee drinks that have become all the rage? They’re cool, refreshing, and best on summer days.
MAKES 2 DRINKS
1/2 cup ice
11/2 tablespoons powdered nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup milk, preferably low-fat or nonfat
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1/3 cup brewed espresso, cooled (see Note)
2 tablespoons creamy standard peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender; blend until smooth.
Pour into 2 glasses and serve at once.
NOTE: If you don’t have an espresso maker, make the espresso for this cocktail from 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder dissolved in 1/3 cup water.
Increase the peanut butter to 3 tablespoons and add 3 tablespoons (11/2 ounces) vodka or rum with the espresso.
Alhassi is an East Indian yogurt drink, often served before a meal or midway through to cool you down from all the spicy food. It’s also great as a breakfast smoothie before a busy day.
MAKES 1 LARGE DRINK
1/2 cup ice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons yogurt, preferably nonfat
1/4 cup orange juice
1 medium mango, peeled, the fruit cut away from the pit and roughly chopped (see Note)
2 tablespoons creamy standard peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey (see page 10)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender; blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Pour into a large tumbler and serve at once.
NOTE: The sap from a mango can cause a skin rash in some people. Even the dried residue on the skin can burn those sensitive. Wear rubber gloves to peel mangoes if you’ve noticed any sensitivity.
Substitute apple, pineapple, or white grape juice for the orange juice.
Substitute 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple or 1 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained, for the mango.
Add a scoop of unflavored unsweetened protein powder with the peanut butter.
Because peanut butter is rich, we feel that the best malted milk is made with nonfat milk. Don’t skimp on the malted milk powder; its taste matches beautifully with peanut butter.
MAKES 2 DRINKS
2 cups milk, preferably nonfat
6 tablespoons malted milk powder
1/4 cup creamy standard peanut butter
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the canister as necessary. Pour into 2 glasses and serve.
Reduce the milk to 1 cup and add 1 cup chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry ice cream.
Omit the brown sugar and add 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream sauce, chocolate sauce, raspberry jam, or strawberry jam in its stead.
Talk about something to perk you up after a workout! This easy smoothie will take the edge off any lingering hunger—thanks to peanut butter, of course.
MAKES 1 LARGE DRINK
1 ripe banana, peeled and cut into 4 segments
2 tablespoons creamy standard peanut butter
1 teaspoon honey (see page 10)
2/3 cup yogurt, preferably nonfat
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place the ingredients in a blender in the order listed. Blend until smooth, pour into a large glass, and drink at once.
Substitute 4 large strawberries for the banana.
Substitute 1/3 cup raspberries for the banana.
Omit the honey and vary the smoothie in hundreds of ways by using flavored yogurts such as blueberry, strawberry, or vanilla.
Serve this Polynesian smoothie before any barbecue—or from the tiki bar at your next retro party.
MAKES 2 DRINKS
1 cup ice
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup (4 ounces) coconut rum
1/3 cup mango nectar
1 ripe banana, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup creamy standard peanut butter
Place the ingredients in the order listed in a large blender; blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the canister as necessary to get the ice evenly pulverized. Pour into 2 glasses and serve at once.
Substitute light coconut milk for the coconut rum.
Substitute coconut ice cream or pineapple sherbet for the vanilla ice cream.
Substitute pineapple juice for the mango nectar.