Love brownies? Love mint chip ice cream? You are going to really love these Mint Chip Brownie Ice Cream Squares!
Of course when you layer brownies, ice cream, chocolate fudge and whipped cream… there is really no way it’s going to be bad! =)
I think I can safely say I often make tasty things… but this is seriously the best thing I’ve made all summer!
Not only is this frozen pie delicious, this dessert is quite easy to make, can be made up to a couple days in advance, and both kids and adults LOVE it!
My mom used to make ice cream “cakes” in the summer and I’d almost forgotten how much I love this kind of dessert!
Certainly the combinations are almost limitless… in fact, don’t be surprised if I make another one or two before summer is over!
How to Make Mint Chip Brownie Ice Cream Squares
Mint Chip Brownie Ice Cream Squares
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 18 oz brownie box mix Choose a boxed mix designed for a 9"x9" pan. I used Ghirardelli Fudge Brownies.
Ice Cream Layer
- 1.5 quarts mint chip ice cream 1 carton
Chocolate Layer
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- -OR- use good quality hot fudge sauce 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Whipped Cream Layer
- 8 oz whipped topping 1 tub of Cool Whip
- -OR- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Garnish/Toppings
- Chopped Andes Mints mini chocolate chips, chocolate pearls, etc.
Instructions
Brownie Layer
- Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare brownies according to package, then spread batter into pan.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
- Cool Brownies.
Ice Cream Layer
- Allow a carton of ice cream to sit out at room temperature about 20 minutes, until soft enough to spread over the cooled brownies.
- Once the ice cream has been evenly spread, place the entire pan in the freezer to allow the ice cream to re-freeze.
Chocolate Layer
- Heat the cream in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot (watch it so it does not boil). Add chocolate chips to the hot cream and set aside (undisturbed) about 3 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. After 3 minutes, stir the chocolate until the cream and chocolate are fully combined.
- Set aside and allow to cool to about room temperature.
- Once cool, pour the chocolate over the ice cream layer, and spread evenly.
- -OR- Heat a jar of good quality hot fudge until just warm enough to spread, and spread on top of frozen ice cream layer.
- Return pan to freezer.
Whipped Cream Layer
- Thaw 1 small tub of Cool Whip at room temperature until spreadable,
- -OR- whip heavy cream, sugar and vanilla together in an electric mixer.
- Spread whipped topping over chilled chocolate layer.
Garnish
- Garnish the whipped cream layer with toppings of your choice. I used a bit of everything I had on hand... a few chopped Andes Mints, mini chocolate chips and chocolate pearls.
Prepare
- Return pan to freezer and FREEZE AT LEAST 3 HOURS before serving.
- The entire dessert can be made ahead, and kept in the freezer (covered) up to 3 days in advance.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe for Mint Chip Brownie Ice Cream Squares is kind-of the summer cousin to one of my favorite recipes, Fudge Mint Brownies.
Love cool summer treats? Be sure to follow along on Pinterest where I’ve been pinning lots of yummy Frozen Treats.
Looks delicious ! Do you think I could make this and freeze it for 10 days before it is served? Or would it be bad?
I’ve never left it quite that long (and not sure I would recommend it), but at the least, you’d want to make sure it’s wrapped really well to prevent freezer burn and also to keep out any odd odors from the freezer.
I have made this a million times in all different ice cream flavors, fudge, and toppings. It is by far the most favorite dessert with everyone!! So easy too!!
This looks fabulous!
I tried this recently for my sisters party. Started making at 12 in the afternoon and served it at 9pm. Even after it sat in the fridge for 3 hours the ice cream was soup! All of the other layers froze though. Any suggestions? I did use a glass dish instead of a pan…. I would love to know what went wrong so I could try it again!
Hi Lindsay,
So sorry you didn’t have success with this recipe. I’m a little confused about the time frame… if you started the dessert at 12 and served it a 9pm, how was it only in the freezer for 3 hours? The time it takes to re-freeze will vary a bit based on how soft your ice cream is when you add it on top of the brownie layer, and how cold your freezer is. A glass or metal dish should both work equally well.
How long can you freeze any leftovers?
You can freeze leftovers for 2 days (possibly more, but I’ve never had it last that long!) =) Keep any leftovers well covered, and make sure there are no odors in your freezer that could effect the dessert.
I’m making these for my daughters birthday! We are so excited! How long does it take for the ice cream layer to re-freeze?
Allow at LEAST 3 hours for the ice cream dessert to firm up. You can even make it a day ahead. The time it takes to re-freeze will vary a bit based on how soft your ice cream is when you add it on top of the brownie layer, and how cold your freezer is.
do we use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream for the top layer?
Kristy,
Generally in the U.S. the terms “heavy cream” and “heavy whipping cream” are used interchangeably. Most commonly I find “heavy whipping cream” in the grocery store. Use whichever you can find, they will both successfully produce whipped cream when beaten.
I’m adapting a Buche de Noel into an ice cream cake and am wondering how long the sponge cake will take to thaw once I take it out of the freezer….
Thanks for the inspiration. I made this with cherry chocolate ice cream. It was delicious, if I do say so myself. And quite a hit with the birthday girl!
I can’t find a 9×9 brownie mix…think I can use a 9×13 and just pour less into the pan?