This post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes.
What is it about sweet summer that always brings back my favorite childhood memories? For whatever reason, the summer season inspires me to recreate the foods I enjoyed as a kid. Chicken fingers by the pool, my Nonnie’s ice cream cake, simple lemon butter pasta, and today? Homemade ice cream bars…but all done up with a few layers of my favorite sweets…crinkle top brownies, rich vanilla ice cream, creamy peanut butter, and chocolate. These are a LAYERED ice cream bar, and they’re every bit as delicious as they sound.
A very simple tip.
With any ice cream recipe, be sure you plan in advance. While ice cream is delicious, it takes time to freeze, so plan accordingly. And guys, don’t skimp on the freezing times. Trust me, I’ve tried to “shorten” it many many times. It never ends well. So be sure to plan ahead when making these. For best results, start baking the day before you’d like to enjoy the bars.
The Details.
Start with the ice cream. Find your favorite vanilla ice cream, spread it out into a baking pan, and freeze. You’ll add the ice cream to the brownies in a just bit… On to the brownies! Of course, I always use my favorite crinkle top brownies recipe. It’s simply the very best brownie recipe. The key to this recipe is all in the butter. I love using Land O Lakes® Salted Butter. You may not know this, but the variety of butter you use can really make a difference, especially when baking. I love the rich buttery flavor and hints of salt in Land O Lakes® Salted Butter. It creams wonderfully into a batter and always turns out the best pan of crinkle top brownies. Since I wanted a slightly thinner brownie base, I baked the brownies in a Jelly Roll pan. If you don’t own a Jelly Roll pan, use a 9×13 inch baking dish, but note your brownie layer will be a little thicker. Once you’ve baked the brownies, let them cool, then it’s time to layer everything together. First, add the vanilla ice cream to the top of the brownie. Next, trim the edges of the brownie, but be sure to reserve those crumbs. We’re going to use them for topping the bars. Now freeze for thirty or so minutes, then add a thick layer of creamy peanut butter. Freeze again. Once frozen, cut the brownies into bars. You can make giant ice cream bars, normal-size bars, or minis. I mixed and matched mine, but will say that the mini-bars are the easiest to work with. They’re also the least messy to eat. Insert a popsicle stick into each bar. Freeze again.
Dip, dunk, eat…enjoy.
Next, make the “magic shell.” Mix melted chocolate with coconut oil until smooth. You now have a “magic shell.” Dip each bar in the magic shell, then sprinkle the reserved brownie crumbs on top. You can now eat…or keep in the freezer to enjoy later. And trust me, you should always have these stashed away in the freezer. They are a very delicious summer ice cream bar to enjoy on those extra-hot days when nothing but frozen sounds good. Ice cream bars all summer long. So very delicious…enjoy!
Looking for other ice cream desserts? Here are a few of my go-to’s. Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pretzel Cake No Churn Minted White Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream Browned Butter Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Toast “Crumbs” Lastly, if you make these peanut butter brownie ice cream bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
