Pioneer Woman Chocolate Chip Caramel Ice Cream Sundae

This Pioneer Woman Chocolate Chip Caramel Ice Cream Sundae builds a warm chocolate chip cookie bar, then piles it with ice cream, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and a cherry. It is Ree’s take on a popular restaurant dessert. The cookie base bakes in under 20 minutes, so the whole thing comes together fast.

The base is not a regular cookie, it is a thick cookie bar baked in a pan and cut into squares. The clever part is a heaping teaspoon of instant coffee in the dough. You will not taste coffee, it just deepens and sharpens the chocolate flavor underneath.

The magic is in the contrast. You serve the cookie square warm, straight from the pan, with a cold scoop of ice cream melting on top. That hot-and-cold combination, plus drizzles of warmed fudge and caramel, is what makes it taste like the restaurant version instead of just a cookie with ice cream.

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Chip Caramel Ice Cream Sundae

Author: Hamdi Saidani Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 12 minutesServings:10 servings Best Season:Summer

Description

This Pioneer Woman Chocolate Chip Caramel Ice Cream Sundae tops a warm cookie bar with ice cream, fudge, and caramel. Ready in about 28 minutes, serves 12.

Ingredients

For the Cookie Base:

• 2 sticks butter, softened
  
• 1 cup brown sugar
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 2 1/4 cups flour
  
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) instant coffee granules
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  
• 8 oz chocolate chips or chocolate chunks (more to taste)

For the Sundae:

• Ice cream, flavor of your choice
  
• Hot fudge, for drizzling
  
• Caramel sauce, for drizzling
  
• Whipped cream
  
• Maraschino cherries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix.
   
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt.
   
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches, mixing gently after each. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
   
4. Thoroughly grease and flour a quarter sheet pan or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spread the dough evenly into the pan.
   
5. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until set, baking a little longer if needed. Let cool slightly in the pan.
   
6. To serve, warm the hot fudge and caramel sauces. Place a cookie square on a plate, top with a scoop of ice cream, then drizzle with both sauces.
   
7. Finish with whipped cream and a cherry.

FAQs

Can I make the cookie base ahead?

Yes. Bake it a day ahead, cool, and cover it in the pan. Rewarm squares in a low oven or for a few seconds in the microwave so they are soft when the ice cream goes on.

Can I leave out the instant coffee?

You can, the bars still taste good. But the coffee adds no coffee flavor of its own, it just makes the chocolate richer, so it is worth keeping if you have it.

Why did my cookie bars turn out hard?

They were likely overbaked. Pull them once the center is just set, since they firm up more as they cool in the pan. A slightly underdone middle stays chewy.

Can I turn these into individual cookies instead?

Yes. Scoop the dough onto a lined sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes for cookies. Use two as the base of each sundae, or sandwich the ice cream between them.

What do I serve it with?

It is a full dessert on its own, but a cold glass of milk or an Italian lemonade balances the sweetness. For a party, set out extra toppings so everyone builds their own.