Cold Drink

17 Malts, Shakes, Floats, and Sundaes to Turn Your Kitchen Into a Soda Shop This Summer

Plus, old-school soda fountain drinks that deserve a comeback.
A banana split specaloos malt and cherry lime ricky with straws and an ice cream scoop.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert

You don’t need to wear a jaunty paper cap to make a malted milkshake for your sweetheart (or your kids)—or to whip up any of these classic soda fountain drinks and newfangled specialties inspired by the delights of the soda shop. This summer, it’s time to build your best-ever banana split, complete with glossy (but no-fuss) homemade hot fudge and homemade sundae cherries. Try forgotten gems like the Razzle Dazzle and the Maple Frostbite, and discover how easy (and fun!) it is to make classic egg creams—plus not-so-classic mocha egg creams. Scroll down to get all of our latest recipes and declare your own Soda Shop Summer.

  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    3/17

    Fresh Strawberry Milkshake

    The very best strawberry milkshakes start with lightly sweetened ripe, sweet berries, a glug of milk, and your favorite vanilla ice cream. But there’s one other crucial ingredient: a pinch of salt, which rounds out the flavor and helps those berries pop.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    4/17

    Razzle Dazzle

    Here’s a soda fountain classic that you might never have heard of, which appeared in one of the key texts of soda fountain culture circa 1905. Made with pineapple, raspberry, and vinegar, it’s a refreshing nonalcoholic concoction that definitely deserve a comeback.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    5/17

    Root Beer Float

    Two ingredients, two minutes of prep time. The root beer float is a shortcut to summertime bliss that dates back to the 1890s. And yes, it might be time to invest in a set of reusable straws and tall glasses.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    6/17

    Summer Jam Floats

    Pack summery fruit flavor into an ice cream float by smearing the glass with your favorite jam.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    7/17

    Microwave Hot Fudge Sauce

    If you have a microwave at home, you can take the absolute quickest path to chocolaty sundaes.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    8/17

    Trampoline Frappé

    Soda jerks served crushes, phosphates, fizzes, and sodas—plus frappés, which are basically fancy slushies served on ice that was meant to resemble a flurry of snow. (Pebble ice or crushed ice works fine here.) This modern strawberry-basil frappé gets well-rounded flavor from fresh pineapple juice and fragrant Peychaud’s bitters.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    9/17

    Chocolate Malt

    Malt lovers know that a chocolate milkshake can never compete with the toasty flavor of a malted one. Top with whipped cream and chocolate-covered malt balls or a dusting of cocoa powder if you like.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    10/17

    Mocha Egg Cream

    We introduced the classic egg cream to a little instant coffee, and the resulting flavor was a slam dunk.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    11/17

    Banana Milkshake

    There’s no need to bake banana bread just because you have some ripe bananas on the counter. Whip up one of these creamy milkshakes instead for sweet satisfaction in just a few minutes.

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  • Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo
    12/17

    Lime Rickey

    This iconic vintage drink is one of the most refreshing sodas around. Made with just fresh lime, simple syrup, club soda, and warmly spiced Angostura bitters, it’s exactly what you’ll want to sip at an afternoon barbecue this summer.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    13/17

    Easy Homemade Maraschino Cherries

    These DIY sundae cherries don’t require that you catch the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sour cherry season. They’re made with frozen sweet cherries, simple syrup, and a little almond extract, no maraschino liqueur required.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    14/17

    Cherry Lime Rickey Float

    The syrup from those cherries is a crucial ingredient in this float-ified cherry lime rickey.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    15/17

    Quick-and-Easy Hot Fudge Sauce

    Drizzle this glossy hot fudge over your favorite ice cream—or use it to make an egg cream at home.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    16/17

    Maple Frostbite

    Maple and vanilla shine in this forgotten fizzy drink, which we like to balance with a little fresh lemon juice.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    17/17

    Classic Banana Split

    We couldn’t make a list of soda fountain drinks and other ice cream counter favorites without including a classic sundae. To make a great version at home, dress up a trio of ice creams with homemade hot fudge, DIY sundae cherries, crunchy chopped peanuts, and pillowy whipped cream.

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