Homemade Buster Bar Ice Cream Dessert

Homemade Buster Bar Ice Cream Dessert is one of those desserts you can’t get enough of! It’s loaded with peanuts, vanilla ice cream, an Oreo crust, and a chocolatey-fudgy topping. It’s perfect on a hot summer day…or really any day because ice cream isn’t limited to summer enjoyment 😊 It’s a dessert I would recommend for a dinner party or birthday party. It has something for everyone, is filling, and will feed a crowd.

The recipe can be found here.

Start by softening the ice cream so it’s easier to work with. Do this by placing the quart of ice cream on the counter for 15-20 minutes to soften while you prepare the other ingredients.

Add the Oreos to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a mixing bowl and add 1 stick of melted butter. Stir to combine. The mixture will resemble wet sand. Press this mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish, evenly covering the bottom. Place the baking dish in the freezer to allow the crust to firm up while you move on to the next step.

Once the ice cream has softened, spoon it over the Oreo crust and spread into an even layer. You can use the entire quart of ice cream or scale it back a little based on how deep your pan is. I used the entire quart and thought it was almost too much ice cream, but you are catering to your family and friends and know what they would enjoy most out of this dessert….so use an amount you feel is appropriate.

Cover the ice cream with peanuts and place the baking dish in the freezer for the ice cream to set. You can use Spanish peanuts, salted peanuts, a mixture of nuts, etc.

While the ice cream is setting up, work on the fudge topping. Add the remaining stick of butter and chocolate chips to a saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly so the chocolate doesn’t start to burn. Once melted, add the powdered sugar and evaporated milk, and stir to combine.

Bring the mixture to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture will thicken and become this lovely hot fudge sauce. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Once cool, pour over the top of the peanuts and spread to the edges. Place the baking dish back in the freezer to allow the chocolate to set. You want to freeze until the entire dessert is firm so give it at least 2 hours before serving. Otherwise, you will have a mess on your hands!

When you are ready to serve, let the dessert soften on the counter for 5-10 minutes. This will help you slice into bars easier. Slice into bars (whatever size you want, no judgment here) and serve. Any leftovers should obviously be stored in the freezer! Enjoy!