Sweet Sundays: This week we have another delicious guest post from Hannah, author of My Sweet Vegan, and blogger at Bittersweet. For more of her cool summer treats, enjoy her ebook, A La Mode.

Call it a mere craving, but such a word feels insufficient to describe the intense desire- No, urgent need- for a milkshake at times like these. Cookies and creme, arguably one of my favorite ice cream flavors, was the only thing that would really fit the bill. You see, I was always that weird kid who loved making creamy powdered drink mixes because they never fully blended in and left lumps floating on top- Using a spoon, I ate my powdery shakes like a bowl of dessert cereal. Those bits and pieces add so much more than just sweetness and flavor to an otherwise smooth treat like this. It’s that texture that makes this creamy offering so irresistible, so crave-worthy, and so memorable. Finding cookies and creme shakes as a teen was a godsend, filling that need for a milkshake with a bit of crunch and chew without looking like a completely freak.

My version uses a homemade sheet of cookies, broken up into tiny pieces to fulfill that cookie-riddled effect. Best of all, no ice cream is needed for the shake, and thanks to the addition of chia seeds, it’s far and away healthier than the original inspiration. Just try to plan ahead and bake the cookies when it’s cooler- You’ll thank yourself when the craving strikes ...

Cookies ‘n Creme Milkshake

Recipes by Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan and the Sweet Vegan eBook Collection.

• 1 Cup Almond Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Light Agave Nectar
• 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 9 – 10 Ice Cubes
• 1/4 Recipe Chocolate Cookie Bits (See Recipe Below)

Take your almond milk, agave, chia seeds, and vanilla, and add them all into your blender. It helps to have a high-powered blender to make this, especially to grind down the ice cubes into a smooth texture, but you can probably get away without it. Turn the blender on low, just to combine everything, and let the mixture sit for about 15 – 30 minutes to allow the chia seeds to hydrate and form a gel.

Once thickened, turn the blender on high, and thoroughly puree until entirely smooth, about 2 minutes for a Vitamix. Add in your ice cubes, and start on low, moving up to high once they’re mostly broken up, until creamy and the mixture looks like slightly melted ice cream. Break up 1/4 of the prepared cookie sheet, and blend just until it’s in small enough pieces to fit in a straw without blocking it. Serve immediately.

Makes 1 shake; Can be multiplied to accommodate up to 4 if your blender has a large enough capacity.

Chocolate Cookie Bits:

• 1/2 Cup Teff Flour (can sub All-Purpose / Plain Flour if gluten-free is not a concern)
• 1/4 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Cup Roasted Carob Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• Pinch Salt
• Pinch Ground Cinnamon
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Water

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the teff flour, cocoa and carob powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add in the oil and water, and stir to combine. Once the liquids have been fully incorporated, you should have a fairly stiff, thick cookie dough. Transfer that dough to your prepared sheet, and use lightly moistened hands to press it out as thinly as possible. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until the top is dry and slightly crackled. Let cool completely before building your milkshake.

Makes enough for 4 milkshakes