Name: Arby's Jamocha Shake Copycat Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon instant coffee; ¼ cup hot water; 1 ½ cups premium vanilla ice cream; 2 tablespoons whole milk; 1 tablespoon Hershey’s Double Chocolate syrup

Arby’s has been serving its coffee-chocolate milkshake since 1964, long before coffee drinks became a mainstream treat. The Jamocha Shake combines vanilla ice cream, instant coffee, and chocolate syrup into a drink that lands somewhere between a creamy milkshake and a smooth iced mocha. Unlike overly sweet frozen drinks, it stays balanced with a subtle coffee note that keeps it from tasting like dessert. This easy copycat version comes together in about five minutes with just a handful of common ingredients.

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A coffee chocolate milkshake on a kitchen towel.

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The Jamocha Shake has been part of the Arby’s menu since the chain opened in 1964. Its name blends “java” and “mocha,” a nod to the drink’s two main flavors: coffee and chocolate. What sets it apart from most fast-food shakes is that it is not purely a dessert. It lands somewhere between a refreshing coffee drink and a light milkshake, which makes it work alongside a meal rather than after it.

That balance is also what keeps it interesting. A thick, heavily sweet shake competes with a sandwich, but the Jamocha is thin enough to sip throughout a meal without overwhelming the food. At home, you get the same result with full control over the coffee intensity.

What makes Arby’s Jamocha so good?

Believe it or not, decades before the craft coffee craze, Arby’s was serving up a coffee-flavored treat that would become one of its most iconic menu items. Introduced in 1964, the Jamocha Shake combines decadent vanilla ice cream, strong black coffee, rich chocolate syrup, and creamy milk into a drink that is somewhere between a milkshake and an iced mocha. It has a thinner consistency than a typical vanilla shake with a subtle coffee flavor that keeps it from being too sweet. Generations of Arby’s guests have loved it, and so will you.

Why you should try this recipe

This Jamocha Shake recipe is simple to make, delicious, and just a little nostalgic. The shake is thin enough to sip with casual food, but rich enough to enjoy as a satisfying snack on its own. Best of all, it uses only a few easy-to-find ingredients to recreate the restaurant experience at home.

Ingredients and their roles in the recipe

For a Jamocha milkshake, you’ll need:

Instant coffee – adds the robust coffee flavor.
Hot water – dissolves the instant coffee.
Premium vanilla ice cream – thickens the shake and provides the sweetness and vanilla flavor.
Whole milk – keeps the shake from becoming too thick to sip with a straw.
Hershey’s Double Chocolate syrup – supplies the chocolate flavor. Using Double Chocolate syrup balances out the bitterness of the instant coffee.

Instant coffee, milk, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate syrup.

How to make a homemade Jamocha shake

To prepare a Jamocha milkshake at home:

Dissolve the instant coffee in the hot water. Stir well. Reserve a tablespoon for the shake and save the rest in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
In the jar of a blender, combine a cup and a half of the vanilla ice cream, the whole milk, a tablespoon of prepared coffee, and the chocolate syrup.
Blend on the MILKSHAKE or a medium-low setting until smooth. Do not use the SMOOTHIE setting. If the blades get stuck, use a tamper if your blender has one, or stop the blender and scrape down the sides. Blending at a higher speed will create heat and melt the ice cream too much.

Making a chocolate and coffee milkshake.

What to serve this with

Now that you know the secret to the Jamocha Shake recipe, why not make an Arby’s-inspired menu for dinner? These classic Arby’s copycat recipes will bring the chain’s favorites to your dining room.

Arby’s Beef and Cheddar – This classic sandwich piles thin slices of warm roast beef on a soft roll spread with tangy Red Ranch Sauce. With a hearty helping of gooey Arby’s Cheese Sauce, an Arby’s Beef and Cheddar is the ultimate roast beef sandwich.

Arby’s Buffalo Chicken Sandwich – If you prefer chicken, Arby’s Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is what you want. This sandwich starts with a traditional buttermilk-battered chicken patty, tops it with homemade Buffalo Sauce, and serves it with shredded lettuce on a toasted bun.

Arby’s Chocolate Turnovers – Why not end your homemade Arby’s night with these decadent chocolate turnovers? The light puff pastry triangles are stuffed with chocolate, baked until golden brown, and finished with a drizzle of more chocolate right before serving.

A chocolate coffee milkshake with a straw on a kitchen towel.

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