If your Decembers are anything like ours, they're jam packed with parties and projects. From holiday get togethers to annual traditions, December seems to be wall to wall with events, and very light on the free time.

While we may be very busy this time of year that's no excuse for getting lax on your contributions to these wonderfully festive events. Whether you're throwing a party of your own, or you're bringing a dish to a friend's or relative's shindig, we've got an awesome recipe for an adult and children's dessert beverage (or sweet aperitif) that's sure to win over the masses. The best part, it only takes minutes to assemble.

I'm talking about the delectable and delightful spiced milkshake shooters with an optional shot of chocolate liqueur.

We served them at a party just last weekend and one of the guests remarked, "This is what you expect the pumpkin spiced latte to taste like but it never does!"

Ingredients

• Light vanilla bean ice cream
• Skim milk
• Spices to Taste (i.e. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ground Cloves, Ground Ginger, and/or Pumpkin Pie Spice)

Directions

Let ice cream soften slightly, and spoon desired amount into a small pitcher. Add milk to thin ice cream, and stir until smooth. Add spices to taste, and stir until combined. 

For an adult version, add a small amount of liqueur to the bottom of a decorative shot glass. In this case, I used Godiva liqueur. Fill the remainder of the glass with the milkshake, and serve immediately.

While we lean towards the pumpkin spice, cinnamon and nutmeg version, the cinnamon and gingerbread version is equally as festive. Regardless of your decision and preference, we're sure your concoction will be the hit of the party. This goes doubly true if your party happens to be just you and one or two loved ones. Nobody said you need a house full of people to call it a party.

If you give this a shot (pun intended) be sure to let us know how it goes. And if you make any modifications that work particularly well, we'd love to hear your twist so we can give it a try. Happy holidays!