A bourbon and salted caramel milkshake may not technically be a cocktail, but that feels like a distinction without much consequence. Somewhere between dessert and nightcap, it makes a convincing argument that the two never needed to be separate in the first place.
Bourbon fits naturally with vanilla ice cream in a milkshake. Its notes of oak, caramel, and vanilla blend into the ice cream, while a little whiskey warmth cuts through the cold richness. The bourbon remains easy to taste, but it becomes softer and rounder than it would be on its own. This is less about adding a boozy kick and more about giving the milkshake another layer of flavor.
Salted caramel takes that idea even further. The caramel echoes the sweeter side of the bourbon, while the salt tempers the sweetness and adds a sharp accent. Against the vanilla ice cream, these flavors come together into something rich and deeply comforting, with enough brightness to keep each sip interesting.
There is very little technique involved: add vanilla ice cream, milk, salted caramel, and bourbon to a blender, then let it do the work. What comes out is thick, smooth, and deeply indulgent; a milkshake for anyone who has ever finished dessert and thought it could have use a pour of whiskey.