Hot Plate: Pumpkin Cookie Butter Shake

To be totally honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of the pumpkin spice latte, but other pumpkin treats? Sign me up. From muffins to pastas to soups, this fall fruit of choice can be dressed up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But aside from the traditional pumpkin pie, how about dessert?

When I heard about the pumpkin cookie butter shake at P’unk Burger, I nearly lost it. First of all, is it even legal to mix cookie butter, pumpkin and ice cream? It’s like a supergroup of dessert stars — the ingredients can shine on their own, but together they could rule your tastebuds.

But would it be too much awesomeness? I decided to head down to South Philly’s P’unk Burger to find out.

One of the many restaurants and small businesses lining East Passyunk, it has a hip, rootsy vibe. With their bright green walls and modern decor, just being in the space makes you feel energized.

Now it was time to try the milkshake. Served in a mason jar, the treat is made with Little Baby’s vanilla ice cream (a Philly favorite) that is blended with Dutch shortbread biscuits (Speculoos) and pumpkin puree. Finally, it’s topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of more Speculoos for an added crunch.

The pumpkin and spice from the cookies wasn’t overpowering and added just enough of a fall feel to the milkshake itself, achieving optimal coziness. What made it even better was that I had the option of making my shake nondairy.

Next time, however, I would do without the whipped cream topping. For me, whipped cream looks nice for presentation purposes but on a milkshake, it’s too much creaminess. However, I’m sure there are people out there who would disagree with me, so whatever floats your boat.