Frozen Brownie Sundae
We’re on the cusp of a holiday weekend which means one thing: food! Well, for us this year, it means carrying and unpacking a never-ending mountain of boxes (yay new house!), but for pretty much the rest of the country, this weekend is the unofficial start to summer. It’s time for the grills to get fired up, for pools to open and to enjoy some serious relaxation outside on the deck or patio. No holiday picnic is complete without a great lineup of food, which of course includes dessert! We have no idea how it’s taken us a year to make this brownie sundae, because we wanted to dig into it the moment we saw it on Emily’s site nearly a year ago. Layers of brownies, vanilla ice cream, peanuts and fudge topping is pretty impossible to resist. Now that we've made an entire pan of it, we're going to need to share some before we devour it all!
For the brownie layers, you can use the recipe we've linked to below (our favorite thin, fudgy brownie recipe) or you can use a box mix, but if you do, be sure that it’s one that makes enough for a 9×13-inch pan (some only make enough batter for a square pan). Once your brownies are cool, top them with a layer of your favorite vanilla ice cream, lots of salted peanuts, and then cap it all off with a from-scratch fudge topping. Whipped cream and cherry are not optional in our world, but you can leave them off if you prefer.
This tastes like a cross between a Peanut Buster Parfait (or a Buster Bar) and a frozen Snickers. Which is to say, if you like peanuts, chocolate and ice cream, you’re going to LOVE this dessert.
What are you cooking up for Memorial Day weekend?
One year ago: Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Two years ago: Rhubarb Pie-Tartlets
Three years ago: Blackberry Pie Bars
Four years ago: Greek Celebration Bread (Christopsomos)
Five years ago: Lighter Chicken Parmesan
Frozen Brownie Sundae
Yield: 16 to 20 servings A layer of fudgy brownies topped with vanilla ice cream, peanuts and hot fudge topping, served straight from the freezer.- 1 brownie recipe for a 9x13-inch pan
- ½ gallon (1.89 l) vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1½ cups (219 g) salted peanuts
For the Topping:
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (256 ml) evaporated milk
- ⅔ cup (120 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Prepare the brownies as directed and allow to cool completely.
- Spread the vanilla ice cream over the cooled brownies, then sprinkle the peanuts evenly over the ice cream. Place in the freezer until the ice cream is completely firm, at least 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the topping. Combine the powdered sugar, evaporated milk, chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- When ready, pour the chocolate topping evenly over the ice cream and peanuts. Return to the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until firm. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutritional values are based on one serving
- Yield: 16 to 20 servings
- Prep: 30 minutes
- Total: 6 hours
Ingredients
- 1 brownie recipe for a 9x13-inch pan
- ½ gallon ( 1.89 l ) vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1½ cups ( 219 g ) salted peanuts
For the Topping:
- 2 cups ( 240 g ) powdered sugar
- 1 cup ( 256 ml ) evaporated milk
- ⅔ cup ( 120 g ) semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup ( 113.5 g ) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
- Prepare the brownies as directed and allow to cool completely.
- Spread the vanilla ice cream over the cooled brownies, then sprinkle the peanuts evenly over the ice cream. Place in the freezer until the ice cream is completely firm, at least 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the topping. Combine the powdered sugar, evaporated milk, chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- When ready, pour the chocolate topping evenly over the ice cream and peanuts. Return to the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until firm. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
