This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
There are ice cream sandwiches, and then there are these.
These are the “it’s summer, schools out, let’s eat all the ice cream sandwiches our stomachs can fill up on”. Yeah, these are those sandwiches! I only wish I had them back when I was getting out of school. Instead, I got shaving cream in the face.
Did you guys ever have shaving cream fights on the last day of school or is that just an Ohio thing?
So, soft pretzels, peanut butter and butterscotch are one of the most perfect combos. So summery, yet so indulgent.
When I thought about the idea of using a buttery, slightly warm soft pretzels as vessel for holding ice cream I wasn’t sure how it would work. I was worried it would be too much bread and not enough ice cream, but making mini soft pretzels solved that issue.
After that, they just all came together.
The pretzels needed to be paired with peanut butter, and then obviously there needed to be chocolate involved, and then that’s when the peanut butter cups came into play. As for the butterscotch? Well, I just had a jar of it lying around and thought well that would go well with the pretzels, so why the heck not. It was a good decision.
I know it may seem like there are a lot of steps involved, but the ice cream is beyond easy and takes ten minutes tops to prepare. If you really want to simplify, you can buy both the mini pretzel slider buns and the hot fudge sauce, BUT, I am begging you to just make your own. Both are so easy and the end results trump store-bought every single time. Just sayin.
No-Churn Caramel Peanut Butter Cup Soft Pretzel Ice Cream Sammies w/Hot Fudge Sauce.
Ingredients
No Churn Caramel Peanut Butter Cup
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup butterscotch sauce, or caramel
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped Reese's
Pretzels (or use Pretzel Slider Buns)
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, (1 packet)
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
- 4 1/2 cups to 5 all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups baking soda
- 1 whole egg, beaten
- coarse sea salt
Hot Fudge Sauce (or use store bought)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
- 3 ounces good bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
No Churn Caramel Peanut Butter Cup
- Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand held mixer, whip the heavy creamy until stiff peaks form.
- Using a rubber spoon stir the sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch sauce, warmed peanut butter and vanilla extract until no steaks remain.
- Fold in the chopped Reese's. Pour the ice cream into the prepared baking dish, cover and freeze overnight.
Pretzels
- combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the salt and 4 1/2 cups flour to the mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands. Coat a large bowl with canola oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size. This will take about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. To shape into pretzels, take the right side and cross over to the left. Cross right to left again and flip up. Slowly add the baking soda to the boiling water. Boil the pretzels in the water solution, 2 at a time for 30 seconds, splashing the tops with the warmed water using a spoon. Remove with a large flat slotted spatula or a spider. Place 8 pretzels on each baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with sea salt. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown. Remove pretzels from oven and let cool slightly
Hot Fudge Sauce (or use store bought)
- Stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar, honey, cream, salt and half of the chopped milk chocolate. Place in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted. Cook mixture at a low boil, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, add remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla and stir until smooth. Any leftover sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat over low heat, stirring or in the microwave.
To Assemble
- Slice the warm pretzels in half.
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer and slice into squares or use a circle cookie cutter and cut them into circles. Place the ice cream on the bottom half of the cut pretzel. Drizzle the ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Place the top of the pretzel back on top of the ice cream. Drizzle with butterscotch or caramel if desired - EAT RIGHT AWAY!! Mmm!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Now let’s eat some ice cream sammies already. It’s Friday after all!
omg, you just made my Friday with these!! Holy cow! you made the pretzels and the ice cream. . I LOVE this! I can just taste the deliciousness going on here. . so good!!!
Thank you so much! Hope you have a great weekend!
Yes on the shaving cream fights! And we also TP-ed out school each year on the last day of school. I know — our school was weird. 😉
These look stunning! Love the salty and sweet. 🙂
Yes, we TP-ed too! So fun! Although, one year some kid did a teachers house…it didn’t end that awesome for him!
Thanks so much, Ali!
OMG these are delish. I’ve actually never had a pretzel bun before. Thanks for sharing this amazing summer treat with us 😉
Thanks so much, Olivia!!
wow never before herad of pretzel ice cream sammies!! These look just adorable!
Thanks Ami!
I had ice cream on warm brioche recently and it was amazing. I can only imagine how incredible caramel+peanut butter cup ice cream would be on warm pretzels! Gah. I’m dying to bite into once of those sandwiches!
Whoa! Brioche sounds awesome!
Thanks Beth!
I didn’t realize that was salt on top 😀 I ADORE sweet and salty anything. These really look killer, and love the chunks of PB cups! And as for shaving cream in school, on the last day we would use it to clean our desks, not to fight :/ That sounds bomb though! Happy Friday 🙂 Thanks for an awesome Summer treat recipe!
Thanks so much! Have a great weekend!
These must be pinned! Wow!
THANKS LIZ!! Have a great weekend!
OH MY! I like the way you think!
Thanks Elaine!!
whoa – amazing – my mouth is watering and I haven’t eaten breakfast yet!
Can’t wait to try these Tieghan!
Thank you so much, Kathy! Have a great weekend!
Stop it.
Can I freeze this in glass tuperware? Seriously, cause I may make it this morning to have for dessert tonight,
Those pretzels. UGH You’re killing me, smalls!!
THANKS!! 🙂
Hope you have a great weekend, Julia!!
These are like pretzel ice cream cream puffs gone WILD…I love the little pretzel rolls on their own but filled with ice cream oh how I wish it was my last day of school.
Thanks so much!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Your first line said it all! There are ice cream sandwiches then there are there. Spot on! These look outrageous!
Thanks Bri! 🙂
have a great weekend!
There is so much goodness going on in these!! AHHH!! I’m totally squealing.
Thanks Katrina! 🙂
Have a great weekend!
You were NOT lying when you said that you had sweets covered today! OMG these are amazing. I’ve actually never had a pretzel bun (apparently I live under a rock!) But I must try these! Pinned 🙂
You have to try pretzel buns!!! You will love them! 🙂
Thanks Taylor and have a great weekend!
Not an Ohio thing on the east side, haha. But I’ve heard of shaving cream fights 😀
Those ice cream sandwiches put all other ice cream sandwiches to shame! Love all the components.
Thanks Liz!!