Chikoo Milkshake | Sapota Shake

What is Chikoo

Chikoo, Chiku, Chickoo, or Cheeku is a tropical fruit with many benefits. It's round in shape and brown in color. It is soft and mushy on the inside and is naturally sweet and malty to taste due to the natural sugar fructose (energy booster) and sucrose in it. It also has a grainy texture. It has seeds inside that need to be discarded before eating. You can also plant it and grow your own Chikoo tree.

The English name for this delicious fruit are many - Sapota, Manilkara zapota, Noseberry, Sapodilla Plum, Chico Sapote, etc. I always thought that it was an Indian fruit. However, I was surprised to discover that this fruit originates from Mexico and the Caribbean. Thanks to the Spaniards who brought this fruit to the Indian subcontinent. Today it has become almost like a native fruit to India that everyone loves. This fruit is easily available in India and is also one of the cheapest.

Benefits of eating Chikoo

Chickoo is rich in antioxidants. Its peel contains a good amount of fiber, and hence it is advisable to eat it unpeeled. Eating Chickoo regularly helps to remove toxins from our body, and is thus great for our skin and hair. Chickoo is known as a 'happy' food as it helps promote the production of collagen, and prevents the growth of deep wrinkles.

Best milkshake ever

Chikoo is a fruit that can be mixed with milk. Chikku milkshake or Sapota juice is a delicious and refreshing beverage made with sapodilla fruit. This is the best milkshake in the world! It has been my favorite...est Indian milkshake ever since I was a little girl! Every restaurant visit would end with us ordering a Chikoo milkshake (if they had it on their menu). I loved this shake mainly because of its taste and its super rich, thick, and creamy texture.

You can gauge my fondness for this fruit from the fact that I even nicknamed my younger brother 'Chikoo' because he looked all cute and chubby as a kid. Chikku juice also reminds me of my dad. Whenever we wanted to have a heart-to-heart conversation, we two would take off to the nearby juice stall (at Sadguru, in Chembur) and discuss life over a glass of Chickoo Milkshake! Best memory ever!

Basic Chikoo Milkshake

The most basic Chikoo milkshake recipe is to blend fruit with milk and sugar. It's then served with or without ice cream. This is how my mom would make it. Over the years, I have experimented with the flavors and have tweaked the Chikoo fruit juice recipe a bit to make it more indulgent.

I have added some additional ingredients to make this Indian milkshake even more flavorful. I feel the true identity of a good Sapota shake is the thick and creamy texture. It should not be very thin and runny. My homemade Chikku Juice recipe is all that and more!

Why make this

• Simple, quick, and easy to make
• The best way to consume Chikoo or sapota
• Can be made in 10 minutes using 7 basic ingredients
• Extremely flavorful, thick, and creamy milkshake recipe
• Get restaurant flavor at home
• Rich and decadent drink recipe
• This Chikoo milkshake recipe is without ice cream

Chikoo - If you have access to fresh Chikoo fruit then please get that. It tastes the best. But in the US, I find it difficult to get them fresh, so I use frozen Chikoo that is found in Indian grocery stores in the freezer section. The fresh fruit can be found in Mexican, Indian, & Caribbean grocery stores. Just make sure they are ripe. ready Chikoo pulp or Canned Chikoo can also be used. If you are using fresh Chikoo then peel, deseed, and chop them.

Chocolate - Cocoa or cacao powder gives this thick and creamy Chikoo fruit juice a chocolaty flavor.

Coffee - Adding instant coffee to recipes like this helps bring out the flavors of chocolate and Chikoo. I add instant coffee to Brownies as well for this very reason.

Whole milk and heavy cream give body and texture to the Chikoo milkshake. Use full-fat milk and cream to get the maximum creamy flavor. But you can also make it using low-fat milk and cream.

Sweetener - I have used regular white sugar in this milkshake recipe. But you can use any sweetener of your choice. Pitted dates or jaggery can also be used. Depending upon the sweetness of the sapota fruit, adjust the sugar quantity. you can also choose to make this sapota juice without sugar. You can also use vegan honey.

Vanilla extract is an optional ingredient but it's a good addition to the Chikoo milkshake. It gives the drink a nice aromatic flavor.

Apart from these ingredients, you will need a high-powered blender to make the Sapota juice.

1. Heat one-fourth cup of milk in a bowl.
2. Mix in coffee powder. Let the espresso shot cool down.

3. In a blender, add the remaining chilled milk and heavy cream. Add some ice cubes if the milk is not chilled.
4. Then add the chopped Chikoo. Use fresh or frozen Chickoo.

5. Add vanilla extract, cocoa powder, prepared espresso shot, and sugar.
6. Blitz it to make a smooth and creamy milkshake. There should be no fruit bits left behind. Blend it well.

Serving suggestions 🍽 

Pour this Indian milkshake into serving glasses. Refrigerate the glasses till you need to serve them. Sapota shake tastes best when served chilled. You can serve a Chickoo milkshake with some whipped cream or ice cream on top to make it look fancy. You can also add some toppings of your choice.

Enjoy this super creamy Chikoo milkshake any time of the day or night. You can also have it for breakfast. It will keep you energized the whole day. Make it for your kids as an evening beverage or as an after-school snack. It is also a perfect beverage to complement your weekend indulgent brunch. 

It's a dessert drink that can also be served at parties and get-togethers. I had once served it in shot glasses at our Diwali party! It was a HUGE hit! Enjoy this shake after a meal, as a midnight snack, or make this drink on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or date nights. It's also a preferred drink for summer!

Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon powder or cardamom powder to give the sapota shake a different flavor. For a richer flavor, you can add a scoop of vanilla, chocolate, or coffee ice cream in the blender when making it. You can also add a tablespoon of Bournvita, Boost, Milo, Nutella, or Nesquik instead of instant coffee, especially if making it for kids. Adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of the Chikoos.

The final texture of the Chikoo shake should be thick and creamy. Add more sapota fruit if needed to get the desired consistency. Freeze milk in ice cube trays and add them when making this milkshake! If you have some leftover Chikoo fruit, make this delicious eggless loaf bread cake or add it to Fruit Custard.

FAQs 📖