hot fudge brownie sundaes with samoa cookies and caramel sauce

Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes are the ultimate summer treat! This dessert is made up of a layer of rich, fudgy brownies, a layer of easy homemade hot fudge and crushed samoa cookies, and served with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. 

this recipe

UGH. I mean, come on. How can you say no to that?! I know this isn’t your typical ice cream sundae – but I’m being a bit loosey goosey with that term here. An ice cream sundae involves ice cream, hot fudge, and toppings – and sometimes, a rich fudgy brownie. So I think this certainly qualifies! And, not only do we have hot fudge, we have caramel sauce to push the whole thing right over the top. 

Let’s break down this glorious dessert situation!

How to Make Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes

First, whip up a super simple, no-mixer-required brownie batter. Second, try not to dive into said brownie batter headfirst. Oops. 

While the brownies are baking, whip up a batch of my super-easy 10-minute Homemade Hot Fudge – it’s SO dreamy and decadent. 

Once the brownies have cooled (cool them completely or not, depending on how gooey or sturdy you want them to be), pour on the hot fudge! Again, try not to dive in headfirst. 

Add a layer of crushed Samoa cookies. Now, I know you’re thinking “It’s not girl scout cookie season, lady!” but hear me out – there are a couple of great options out there for off-brand versions of the Samoa cookie. ALDI has a great one, and Keebler does too. 

Chill the pan of hot fudge brownies (or not, depending on how sturdy or melty you want this situation to be) and, when ready to serve, top with a scoop of caramel ice cream (or vanilla, or whatever suits your fancy) and a drizzle of my incredible Homemade Caramel Sauce. 

You can, of course, sub in store-bought options for any of these components if you don’t want to/don’t have the time to make them all at home. However, I challenge you to pick at least ONE thing to make at home – it will be SO delicious and so worth it. 

DIG IN. Wow wow wow. The ultimate dessert has arrived! I think, this may even be appropriate in seasons other than summer. I’ll conduct some very, ahem, scientific research on it and report back! ?

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Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes with Samoa Cookies and Caramel Sauce

Made up of a layer of rich, fudgy brownie, a layer of easy homemade hot fudge and crushed samoa cookies, and served with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce.

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Course: Dessert, Dessert Bars

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: Hot Fudge Sundae Recipe, Homemade Hot Fudge Sundae, Brownie Ice Cream Sundae,

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 26 minutes

Brownie Cool Time: 1 hour

Servings: 16 squares

Author: Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Brownies

• 3/4 cup salted butter
• 12 ounces good quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or bars, chopped
• 1 cup + 2 TBSP granulated or cane sugar
• 1/3 cup + 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 TBSP cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

• 1 cup good quality dark chocolate chips or bars, chopped
• 1 cup good quality milk chocolate chips or bars, chopped
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 can evaporated milk (12 ounces)
• 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 TBSP salted butter
• 1 package samoa cookies Or any kind of cookies you prefer, Oreos could work here

Homemade Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 TBSP salted butter, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup + 1 TBSP heavy cream
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tub caramel ice cream or other flavor of your choice

Instructions

• Make the Brownies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.

  In a large mixing bowl, melt the chocolate and butter, in 30 second intervals, stirring between each. Let cool a few minutes. Whisk in the sugars, then the eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa, and salt and whisk until combined. Batter will be thick.

  Pour batter into pan and bake for 26-28 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs. The edges will look more done than the center - that's normal.

  Let brownies cool while you make the other elements, for about an hour at least.

  You could also make the brownies up to 3 days ahead. Let cool completely at room temp, then cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to finish.
• Make the Hot Fudge: Add chocolate, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Continue heating it and stirring it until it reaches a low boil. Once it gets there, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the tablespoon of butter.

  Let the hot fudge cool for about 30-40 minutes to thicken up.
• Make the Homemade Caramel Sauce: Instructions, full recipe, and tips are in this blog post. Let the caramel cool for about 30 minute to thicken up, then store in the fridge until ready to use.

  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between, to re-melt it after it's been refrigerated.
• Assemble: Spread the Hot Fudge on the brownies, and add the crushed samoa cookies. If making ahead, cover this tightly with foil and refrigerate until ready to serve. If serving very soon after assembling, leave out at room temp.

  If you leave this out at room temp, the hot fudge will be more melty - if that doesn't bother you leave it out. If you want everything to hold up more, cover the pan of brownies and refrigerate for a few hours.
• Serve + Store: Cut into slices. Serve in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle some caramel over the top. YUM!

  Store leftover brownies, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to a week. Store leftover caramel, in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• Make Ahead Tips: I've already mentioned some throughout the directions here, but every element of this - the brownies, hot fudge, and caramel - can all be made ahead. The brownies can be made up to 3 days ahead and cooled, covered, and refrigerated until ready to use. The hot fudge can be made up to 5 days in advance, and kept in the fridge until ready to use. The caramel can be made up to a week in advance, and kept in the fridge until ready to use.

Notes

NOTE: If you don't have the time or energy to make every component of this at home, you can sub in any elements with their store-bought counterparts - boxed brownies, store-bought hot fudge, and store-bought caramel. However, I do challenge you to make at least one element at home - it will be SO utterly delicious - you won't regret it!

NOTE: Off-brands of the girl scout Samoa cookies can be found year-round at ALDI or in major grocery stores under the Keebler brand. You can use any cookies - doesn't have to be Samoa cookies. I think Oreos would work well here, too. You can, of course, change the ice cream flavor as well!

NOTE: This post is not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned! If it was, there would be my usual disclaimer at the beginning of the post. 🙂 

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