A Classic Shake

• If simplicity is what you're after, whip up a black and white shake classic enough to be served at the counter of a '50s diner. Any type of chocolate milk can be substituted for plain milk -- experiment with chocolate almond, fat-free and full-fat milk. Bump up your shake one notch with malted milk powder. This addition, found in your grocery store's baking aisle, has been a popular addition to shakes for decades. It adds a depth and toasted nuttiness to any shake, so if you're aiming for old-fashioned flavor, add a heaping scoop of this powder to your blender.

Deep and Decadent Desserts

• When you crave deep chocolate flavor, add finely chopped dark chocolate and rich chocolate fudge sauce to the mixture of vanilla ice cream and chocolate milk. Or make a shake that is truly worthy of its name by layering together vanilla and chocolate shakes. Make two batches, one using vanilla ice cream, plain milk and vanilla extract, and a second using chocolate ice cream and chocolate milk. Slowly pour the shakes into a clear glass parfait glass, one flavor at a time, to create as many layers as you want. An even more ambitious shake includes three types of layers: vanilla, chocolate and a third layer made with strawberry ice cream and strawberry milk. Top the shake with white and dark chocolate shavings.

Shakes With Flavor

• Scan your grocery store's shelves for flavored chocolate bars if you want to add sugar or spice to your shake while making the most of your grocery budget. Pick bars that include coconut, chili powder or mint flavoring, or take a chance on a more unusual flavor combination -- a chopped bar of bacon-flavored chocolate might be just what your dream shake needs. A scoop of peanut butter, a drizzle of caramel sauce or some fresh strawberries will also complement a shake of ice cream and chocolate milk. Another option: add a few squirts of a flavored syrup like raspberry or peppermint.

For Grown-Ups Only

• There's no need to choose between dessert and an after-dinner cocktail when you can simply combine the two. Plenty of rich, warm liquors pair well with chocolate. Master pastry chef Jacques Torres tells Liquor.com that dark rum and cognac can be matched with chocolate bourbon and adds an oaky, caramel note to a vanilla and chocolate shake. In fact, any chocolate liqueur would be an appropriate addition. If you're feeling ambitious, combine the three classic after-dinner treats, dessert, cocktails and coffee, by drizzling coffee liqueur into a deep, dark chocolate shake.