Keep this chocolate cookie crunch and this butterfinger candy in the freezer all summer long for your summer dessert needs.
Really, when I need to make a dessert that needs to be transported, I have a hard time. To me, dessert means ice cream and sorbet.
And when it’s time to be creative and think of a new dessert, it means new ways to serve all things that are cold and refreshing.
Last summer, it was this Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake. The year before, it was these Rice Krispie/Fruity Pebble Treat Logs. Yet another time it was this Chocolate Bar Ice Cream that’s been very popular over the last few years (a summer Shalosh Seudos special). Back in 2022, it was this Kanafe Ice Cream that was inspired by the Halva Ice Cream with Silan and Pistachios. But we can’t forget the most prepared ice cream dessert of them all, the Raspberry Crumb Bar Ice Cream featured in Dinner Done, but shared here served in individual servings. When I think “dessert” my mind almost automatically goes to these because they’re simply so effortless and so good.
But there’s always time for new. This one was created to have something fun to serve the kids. But, of course, adults love it too. When entertaining, I like to prepare individual servings in little cups (with lids) ahead of time, so that the kids can just take a dessert without needing to be served. It’s neat and self-contained.
There’s just two components here. The Cookie Crunch Streusel and the Butterfinger Shards.
To make the Cookie Crunch Streusel, simply mix 3 cups of crushed cookie crumbs (use a good processor to crunch your Oreos or other chocolate sandwich cookies) with ½ cup of oil, melted butter, or a combination.
Mix to form crumbs and bake for 10 minutes. Now you have a great chocolate streusel.
The Butterfinger Shards are a little trickier, but definitely worthwhile. It’s basically equal proportions of candy corn to peanut butter (i.e. 8 oz = 1 cup).
They need to be melted together, but the candy corn takes a bit longer. So, chop up the candy corn and microwave it for 30-60 seconds to give it a head start.
Then add the peanut butter and continue to melt in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. It’s ok if there are still bits of candy corn in there.
Use a spatula to immediately smooth out the mixture on a piece of parchment paper, as smooth as possible.
Freeze and cut or break into shards. It will be a little chewy.
To plate the dessert, add some crumbs on the bottom,
top with ice cream,
and add Butterfinger Shards on top!
Chocolate Crunch Butterfinger Ice Cream
Ingredients
- scoops of ice cream (vanilla or desired flavor)
Cookie Crunch Streusel:
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ stick butter, melted (or use oil for whole thing to keep pareve)
- 3 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
Butterfinger Shards:
- 1 (8.5 oz) bag candy corn
- 1 cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Prepare the chocolate cookie streusel. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or just grease a 9 x 13 pan). In a bowl, combine butter (if using), oil, and crushed cookie crumbs. Spread on prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the butterfinger shards. Chop up candy corn as finely as you can, although if you only manage to cut each candy corn into two or three pieces, it’s fine. Place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Add peanut butter and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. You may only need one or two intervals. It’s ok if there are still unmelted pieces of candy corn left in the mixture.
- Immediately spread peanut butter mixture on a piece of parchment paper; smooth to a thin layer using an offset spatula. Place in freezer until more firm and breakable (it may still be chewy when you want to assemble the sundaes, but it will still continue to get firmer and crunchier as it stays in the freezer). Cut or break into shards.
- You can also go with a different presentation vs. individual. Like a log with layers of crunch and shards of butterfinger on top.
- For individual servings, add some chocolate crumbs to a bowl. Top with a scoop of ice cream and a couple of pieces of butterfinger on top.
You can keep both these components ready in the freezer all summer long for all your last minute dessert needs.
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