Hello sweet friends! Before I get to this incredible Crunchy Ice Cream Dessert, I wanted to point out that I updated the sidebar picture links with lots of fun 4th of July recipes! Do you have big plans for the 4th? I wish we could be in Utah this year…the 4th of July there is always SO fun. For one thing, it isn’t humid (that is a bit of trial for me here) but mostly it is all the family we have there! Its so FUN to be together with aunts, uncles and cousins for reunions, small town parades, homemade ice cream, sparklers for the little ones and backyard fireworks! I LOVE it all! But… we are here in Tennessee with no family and we must make the best of it. Thankfully, we do have wonderful friends that feel like family! We have been hosting a backyard swim party the last few years and although it is always very hot and humid we still have a great time! What are y’all doing for Independence Day this year?
Now on to this wonderful dessert I am sharing today…one of my sweet Grandma’s famous recipes that was a staple at Sunday Family dinners in the summer. When I was little, I could not wait for dinner to be over and dessert to be served. I thought it was the best dessert I had EVER had! It was the perfect summer treat with the creamy ice cream sandwiched between sweet crunchy layers. The top and bottom layer is made from a combination of butter, rice Crispy cereal, pecans (or nuts of your choice), coconut and brown sugar baked to golden brown in the oven. I love that you can make this dessert ahead of time and store it in the freezer until you are ready to serve. You can serve this with hot fudge sauce, caramel or fresh berries but my favorite way is actually plain. I think it stands on its own as a fabulous dessert! Trust me, your family and friends will love this treat!
My favorite nut to use is pecans but salty roasted almonds are wonderful too. I think macadamia nuts would be incredible or even peanuts! YUM! I made this last week when we had friends over for a backyard BBQ or ‘cookout’ as they say here in the South. Even though I have lived here for 9 years this summer, I still want to say BBQ like we did out west. Old habits and phrases die hard, I guess:)
This recipe is easy to double–just use a 9×13 pan. Also to make it gluten free–simply check the ice cream and Rice Krispies you use. Malto Meal brand is GF–not Kellogs.
Enjoy!!
What is your favorite Summer time dessert?? I would love to know!
Some of our favorite summer ice cream desserts:
Ben and Jerry’s Strawberry Ice Cream
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Crunchy Ice Cream Dessert
Ingredients
This recipe can easily be doubled –use a 9×13 pan instead
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown works–I prefer brown)
- 2 cups Rice Krispies
- 1 cups pecans, chopped (or try almonds, peanuts, macadamia)
- 1 cups shredded coconut
- 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
Chocolate Sauce:
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Mix together and spread on cookie baking sheet.
- Bake in oven for 10 minutes, watch it so as not to let it burn, Stir if needed.
- Cool and then place 1/2 of the mixture in a 9×9 pan.
- Cover with vanilla ice cream and then top with remaining baked mixture,
- Freeze until ready to serve.
Sauce:
- Put sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir often until melted. Can also use a microwave on 50% power. Cook for a minute and stir and then put repeat in microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring after until sauce comes together.
In the picture above I did not use this sauce–we had magic shell on hand and used that!
Recipe Source: My Grandma Ruth Rice Aunt Michelle Rice
Hi Debbie,
I am so happy that your family loved it as much as mine does! And I love that you first had it at your Grandma’s too. I am going to have to try it with crushed fresh raspberries–yummmm!! Thanks for reaching out! xo
My story with this recipe is so very similar to yours! I first tried it at my grandma’s kitchen table and my aunt Lana shared it with us. It was served with fresh, crushed raspberries from grandma’s garden. Yesterday I called three different women in my family to find this recipe. They sent me to yours! Tonight I shared it with my husbands family (very picky people who only every want brownies and ice cream) and it was a crowd pleaser!
Just great dessert for hot summer days. Looks so tasty!!!
No I have not tried different flavors because I love vanilla, but I think chocolate would be great! Or butter pecan or probably several different flavors! Let me know if you do try another flavor!
Have you tried this with different flavors of ice cream? Just curious if the flavors would work ok with something besides vanilla (though I love vanilla!).