6 Dutch Bros Shakes, Ranked

When you think of Dutch Bros, endlessly customizable coffee drinks, energy-packed Rebel slushies, and a vast secret menu probably come to mind first. But the brand also offers a lineup of non-caffeinated frozen treats that often fly under the radar: its shakes. Going in, I expected a traditional, creamy milkshake — but what you actually get is a slush-style drink crafted with the same attention to texture and flavor balance that makes Dutch Bros' beverages so popular.

These shakes come in a 20-ounce size ($5.95) or a 10-ounce kid size ($3.55), which hints at its intended audience: underage passengers who also want a treat while mom or dad grabs their afternoon pick-me-up coffee. These shakes feel like a clever introduction to the Dutch Bros world — a sweet, playful "training ground" designed to cultivate future brand loyalty — but they also work for anyone who doesn't do caffeine.

Although the shakes all share the same icy base, the syrups set them apart, transforming a simple frozen slush into flavors ranging from nostalgic cotton candy to classic chocolate or plain vanilla. Despite their fun, dessert-like appeal, I discovered these drinks are not universally loved — at least not by my four kids who helped me rank the shakes. In our taste testing, the top-rated shake earned 10 points, while the lowest scored only four points (out of zero to 15 points, but more on methodology at the end of the article). Still, these shakes remain enjoyable, balancing playful flavors with the refreshing bite of an icy slushie.

Although one might expect the evocative flavor of birthday cake to be equally as popular as a shake, the Birthday Cake was hands down all of my testers' least favorite flavor. Along with cotton candy, it is one of the more niche flavors, delivering sweet, Funfetti cake-batter-inspired syrup flavor blended into Dutch Bros' signature icy base; It's complete with colorful sprinkles on top, but it quickly becomes overly sweet and one-dimensional.

The icy base does its job in keeping the drink refreshing, but the syrup can taste artificial to some, especially as the shake warms and sadly melts into "a watery sugar and chemicals soup," as one of my taste testers called it.

This shake is best for kids or dessert lovers looking for a novelty flavor that looks and feels like a small celebration in a cup. However, with a low four out of 15 score, it's clear that it doesn't appeal to most tasters or earn repeat orders. Consider it a "fun to try once" type of drink rather than a reliable crowd pleaser.

The Chocolate Shake leans on a classic chocolate syrup blended into the icy base. The result is a frozen treat that tastes more like a chocolate slush than a traditional milkshake. The first sip is sweet and recognizable, with a mild cocoa flavor that lands safely in kid-friendly territory. Not too bitter, and also, not too sweet. However, the chocolate notes feel more like powdered hot cocoa mix than a rich, velvety fudge or malted shake. 

Several tasters described it as a little chalky or like watered-down chocolate milk, largely due to the icy texture, which prevents the flavor from developing the creaminess you typically expect from a chocolate shake. Because the base is light and icy rather than creamy, the chocolate never quite coats the palate or delivers the satisfying depth that chocolate lovers typically crave. Don't get me wrong, this shake is not unpleasant — just simple, thin, and lacking richness. Most tasters agreed they wouldn't order it again, though no one disliked it enough to avoid finishing their sample.

This shake works well for chocolate lovers who enjoy a lighter chocolate-flavored treat without heaviness, rather than the true chocolate decadence a connoisseur might expect. With only five out of 15 points, it's not a standout for repeat orders, but it's a safe, familiar option if you want something predictable.

Also scoring just five out of 15 points, the Strawberry shake brings a burst of fruity sweetness that aims for that classic strawberry-dessert vibe. The flavor lands somewhere between strawberry ice cream syrup and a strawberry slushie, offering a bright, cheerful taste that's immediately recognizable and kid-friendly. At first sip, the strawberry notes come through clearly, with a candy-like edge that sparks nostalgia for pink milk, strawberry-coated Pocky biscuit sticks, or classic strawberry ice cream topping.

The drink stays light and refreshing, making it easier to sip than heavier shakes. However, that same icy texture means the strawberry flavor never fully rounds out into a fruity smoothie-style strawberry experience. Several tasters felt the strawberry syrup tasted mildly artificial and overly sweet, especially after the first few sips. The initially fun fruitiness can quickly shift into flavor fatigue, with some of my kids saying they wished it had a touch of tartness or real fruit chunks to balance or break up the sweetness.

This shake appeals most to those who enjoy candy-style fruit flavors rather than natural strawberry taste. While it's a familiar, approachable option — especially for kids who like pink, fruity treats — it didn't inspire many "I'd order this again" votes. Overall, it's a pleasant, but not repeat-worthy choice. Because I personally enjoyed it a bit more than the chocolate shake, I ranked it higher even though it scored the same number of overall points.

The Cotton Candy shake is one of the most whimsical flavors on the Dutch Bros lineup, leaning into bold blue raspberry flavor and white chocolate syrup layered over the brand's signature icy base. From the first sip, it delivers a burst of carnival nostalgia — think slush meets neon blue county fair cotton candy flavor. The flavor opens with a bright, almost fizzy sweetness that instantly signals "blue raspberry," followed by a softer vanilla-sugar finish. It's playful, colorful, and undeniably fun, especially for anyone who gravitates toward candy-inspired desserts.

However, that same sweetness is also its biggest drawback. The icy texture does nothing to mellow the sugar rush. The flavor remains high-pitched and one-note, and several tasters found that halfway through the drink, the candy flavor became cloying rather than refreshing. It starts strong, but doesn't evolve or balance itself out over time.

The Cotton Candy Shake scored seven out of 15, reflecting a mix of delighted first reactions and declining enjoyment the longer we drank. It's best suited for kids, teens, or anyone ordering for the novelty factor — ideal as a drink that's fun to try once or twice. For most people, it might be more of a memorable treat than a repeat favorite.

For lovers of white chocolate like me, the White Chocolate shake arrives with high expectations. I imagined a flavor reminiscent of Toblerone White or rich, creamy white chocolate candies, but the reality is a bit more understated. Blended over the icy base, the white chocolate syrup delivers a sweet, lightly buttery taste that is closer to a mild vanilla than the full-bodied white chocolate flavor I was hoping for. The expected decadence and candy-bar richness are absent, leaving a simpler, smoother taste profile.

Despite not fully delivering on the white chocolate promise, the shake is still pleasant and easy to drink. The icy base keeps it refreshing, and the light sweetness avoids the cloying intensity of other novelty flavors. While it may lack depth for true white chocolate lovers, it still provides a dessert-like treat that feels familiar and enjoyable.

This shake is best for those who enjoy plain, uncomplicated sweetness rather than novelty or candy-forward flavors. Scoring eight out of 15 points, the White Chocolate shake shows moderate appeal — it's enjoyable, but not as exciting as a favorite dessert. In the end, it's a reliable choice for someone seeking a smooth, lightly sweet frozen drink, even if it doesn't fully satisfy white chocolate cravings.

Perhaps surprisingly, the top contender consistently ranked the highest is the good ol' plain Vanilla Shake. It shares many qualities with White Chocolate (in fact, some of my tasters couldn't tell them apart), built on the same icy base with a single, simple syrup-forward flavor. What sets the vanilla apart is its uncomplicated, universally appealing taste. The smooth, sweet vanilla syrup provides a mild, familiar flavor that is immediately comforting and nostalgic, making it easy to sip from start to finish. There's nothing artificial or overpowering, and the icy texture enhances refreshment without interfering with the flavor.

Vanilla's appeal lies in its pure simplicity. While it doesn't have any novelty to it, its balance and consistency make it the most enjoyable shake overall. All the tasters found it approachable, and it earned the highest score on our tasting with 10 out of 15 points. Even so, some tasters noted that the icy base prevents it from feeling like a traditional creamy milkshake, keeping the flavor experience on the lighter side.

For anyone seeking a safe, familiar, and reliably satisfying frozen treat, the Vanilla Shake at Dutch Bros is a top pick and a safe bet. Its straightforward, smooth vanilla flavor is why it stands out as the most repeatable option on the menu.

To get a sense of how these shakes perform in real life, I enlisted my kids (ages 10, 13, 15, and 19) to help conduct a taste test of every single shake on the menu board at my local Dutch Bros drive-thru (additional flavors are mentioned online). All five tasters got a four-ounce sample to try from the same shake. We focused on three evaluation criteria: sweetness, flavor development, and overall enjoyment. Tasters were encouraged to make notes on their immediate impression, lingering taste, and the drink's "repeat appeal."

We used a simple, three-point rating system to quantify preferences: three points meant we loved the drink and would definitely order it again. Two points meant it was good, but we wouldn't necessarily buy this shake on a regular basis. It was enjoyable in the moment, but not a repeat favorite. One point meant that something about the flavor, texture, or sweetness made it unenjoyable. If anyone really hated something, no points were given. 

Once each taster provided their individual scores, we tallied up the results to determine a consensus ranking for each drink. This means the highest possible score was 15, and the lowest was zero. This system allowed us to balance subjective tastes while highlighting drinks that had broad appeal across multiple palates. The goal was not just to rank flavors from worst to best, but to offer an honest guide that reflects real-world preferences and helps readers decide which Dutch Bros shakes are worth trying for yourself.