Ice cream and summer go hand in hand at our house and this summer we will be making a lot of root beer whirl’s at our house. Root beer whirls are one of those childhood food memories for me. You may know it by the name root beer freeze but since our local drive in my hometown called them a root beer whirl so do I. This drive in made them out of their homemade root beer which was delicious and it always came in a big frosty glass mug too! This is the same drive in that made that yummy Blue Moon Ice Cream.
In order to duplicate that homemade root beer flavor I have a little secret ingredient in my root beer whirl. Most people make them out of root beer and ice cream but that never has quite enough root beer flavor for me.
The secret ingredient? Root beer extract. It’s the stuff you make homemade root beer out of. I use it in the extract form (don’t add any water to it) and only added in just a bit (1/2 tsp) It gives that root beer whirl just the right flavor I remember from my childhood! Of course, a good quality root beer also helps.
Root beer extract is available on the baking aisle with all the other extracts. I found mine at Albertsons. I did find that not all grocery stores carry it. But keep looking if the first store you check doesn’t have it. It is so worth it! Makes a huge difference in the flavor of your root beer whirl.
Whether you call it a root beer freeze or a root beer whirl all you need is some ice cream. I use vanilla bean (thus the little black flecks in my root beer whirl). Some good quality root beer and some root beer extract. Just blend it all up for a delicious summertime treat!
Originally shared at Skip to My Lou.
For some other frosty summer time treats try these:
Lime Sherbet Freeze – Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Floats – Old Fashioned Ice Cream Soda.
- 3 C vanilla ice cream
- 1 C root beer
- 1/2 tsp root beer extract
- Put all ingredients in blender and mix.
Enjoy!
Leigh Anne
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I’ll take two to go, please! 🙂
I’ve never thought of adding root beer extract. That probably pumps the flavor way up. Maybe we’ll make these for the 4th of July. That seems appropriate.
Thanks for sharing the little “root beer extract” tip! I am a big root beer float lover and can’t wait to try the root beer whirl! Now I just need to find the extract! Ü
I have found it at Safeway or bought it on Amazon.