A delicious guide to frozen drinks
So, what is the difference between a milkshake, a malt, a frappe, or maybe even a concrete?
Geography, tradition, and local lingo all play a role in how frozen drinks are made and what they’re called. Let’s break it down one strawful (or spoonful) at a time.
Milkshakes
Perhaps the most iconic of the bunch, the milkshake is typically a blend of ice cream and milk, blended until smooth and sippable. It’s simple and sweet. The ice cream usually forms the base flavor of the drink, and then other flavorings are involved, from syrups to extracts to fresh fruit.
Malts
A malt is essentially a milkshake with a scoop of malted milk powder thrown in. Malted milk powder is an old-fashioned flavoring that combines malted barley, wheat flour (caution to the gluten-free crowd), and evaporated milk. It gives the drink that distinct toasted, almost nutty flavor that transports you mentally to a 1950s diner or drive-in.
Frappes
“Frappe” might mean different things to different people, depending on where they’re from. In New England, particularly Massachusetts, a frappe is what most of us would call a milkshake. In Massachusetts, you will hear this drink called “frap” (rhymes with “nap”).
There is also a genre of frappes associated with coffee-blended drinks, popularized by chains like Starbucks. Think icy, blended lattes, often topped with whipped cream. These are pronounced “frap-pays.”
Frosteds
When McDonald’s and other fast food chains started calling shakes “shakes,” the world followed suit, and the word “frosted” went out of fashion. A frosted float, explains Lexington Candy Shop co-owner John Philis, is a milkshake with an extra scoop of ice cream floating on top.
Concretes
This is essentially frozen custard blended with mix-ins like candy, cookies, or fruit, but no milk is added. It’s more of a scoopable treat than a slurpable one.
Floats
Ice cream floats are the fizzy cousins of shakes. A scoop of ice cream (usually vanilla) is plopped into a glass of soda (usually root beer or cola, occasionally orange soda or a lemon-lime like Sprite) to create a frothy, sweet, bubbly concoction. Floats can be nostalgic for some folks.
Ice cream sodas
Like floats, ice cream sodas are not made in a blender—but the difference lies in the fizzy base. Philis says his are made by combining the syrup of your choice with seltzer. Then add a scoop of ice cream. He says usually the syrup and the ice cream are the same flavor, but people also like to mix and match.
Smoothies
Smoothies are traditionally made with fruit, yogurt, juice, and sometimes ice. Sometimes, the fruit is frozen before it is blended into the drink. Smoothies are designed to feel virtuous, but they can still pack plenty of sugar, calories, and richness—depending on the ingredients.
