Dairy Queen Buster Bars are a heavenly mix of creamy vanilla ice cream, peanuts, and luscious chocolate fudge. This copycat recipe is made in 15 minutes and will keep you coming back for more.
Copycat Dairy Queen Buster Bars
Our Dairy Queen Copycat Buster Bars recipe is a homemade version of the famous DQ frozen dessert, complete with its classic vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce, roasted peanuts, and chocolate shell coating.
It is so quick and easy to assemble: simply place peanuts in a plastic cup, add an ice cream layer, pipe chocolate fudge topping around the edge, and repeat.
Once frozen, these homemade Buster Bars are covered in a hard chocolate coating, just like the original DQ ice cream dessert – it tastes just like the real deal, but even better!
Why We Love This Homemade Dairy Queen Buster Bar Recipe
- Quick and easy to make.
- Uses only 4 ingredients.
- Copycat recipes are fun to replicate at home.
- Delicious dessert that tastes just like the original frozen treat.
- Prepared in layers like a DQ Peanut Buster Parfait, but this DQ Buster Bar dessert is frozen on a stick.
- Perfect for pool parties, BBQs, potlucks, or summer snacks.
DQ Copycat Buster Bars Ingredients
- Salted peanuts
- Vanilla bean ice cream
- Hot fudge sauce: I used Smucker’s brand but feel free to use your favorite.
- Magic Shell chocolate flavored topping: I used Smucker’s brand but feel free to use your favorite or make your own.
- Clear plastic disposable cups – We used these cups. You will want between 8.5-9.0 ounce cups.
Substitutions and Additions
- No Nuts: To make a nut-free Buster Bar, you can substitute chocolate chips, toffee bits, crushed pretzels, or even mini M&M’s for the peanuts.
- Make Your Own Magic Shell: Instead of using a store-bought chocolate topping, you can make your own homemade chocolate magic shell.
How to Make DQ Copycat Buster Bars
- Create Your Cups: Place peanuts into the bottom of each cup. Add ice cream and pipe hot fudge around the edge. Repeat the layers and finish with peanuts on top. Insert a popsicle stick in the center of each cup.
Pro Tip: Push down each ice cream layer with the back of a spoon to even it. - Freeze: Place in the freezer for 2 hours to harden.
- Unmold: Dip each cup in cool water for about 10 seconds and unmold the bars by pulling up the popsicle stick. Return the buster bars to the freezer for 2 hours or up to overnight.
Pro Tip: Do not use warm or hot water and don’t let any water get in the cup. - Coat In Chocolate: Dip each frozen bar in the Magic shell to coat and allow excess to drip back into the bowl. Allow the coated bars to fully set and harden.
- Serve: Serve and enjoy!
Tips For Making The Best Copycat Buster Bars
- The most important tip for this recipe is to ensure that you are organized. Read the entire recipe and instructions before beginning so you are aware of the steps.
- Don’t overfill the cups or you will need too much Magic Shell to cover them. They will not be smooth and could end up with parts not being fully coated.
- Keep the ice cream as cold as possible during assembly. Melted ice cream will cause problems in later steps and will not firm up properly in general.
- Be sure that the bars are fully hardened before dipping or melted ice cream will drip into the Magic Shell and prevent a smooth finish.
How to Store DQ Copycat Buster Bars
- To Store: Store any leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 10 days.
More Easy Ice Cream Dessert Recipes
Other Easy Copycat Recipes
- Harry Potter Butterbeer Recipe
- Copycat Andes Mints
- Copycat Sonic Slushes
- Copycat Starbucks Puppuccino
- Copycat Wendy’s Chocolate Frosty
- Disney Cookie Fries
Copycat Buster Bars
Serves — 6
DQ Copycat Buster Bars: combine vanilla ice cream, peanuts, hot fudge, and magic shell for a perfect summer treat.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Freeze Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup salted peanuts
- 1½ quart container vanilla bean ice cream
- 1 jar hot fudge sauce (Smuckers)
- 14.5 ounces (2 7.25-ounces) bottles Magic Shell chocolate flavored topping (Smuckers)
Instructions
- Have all ingredients ready for the assembly process. Take out the ice cream once all other ingredients and supplies are set up.
- Line up the cups and place 1 teaspoon of peanuts in the bottom of each one.
- Layer the peanuts with 2 small scoops of ice cream. Push down with the back of a spoon to make a fairly even layer.
- Place a few tablespoons of hot fudge in a ziplock (with the corner cut out) or piping bag. Pipe hot fudge around the edge of the ice cream.
- Layer with another teaspoon of peanuts.
- Add 2 more small scoops of ice cream over the peanuts. Flatten with the back of a spoon.
- Pipe another round of hot fudge.
- Sprinkle on a final teaspoon of peanuts.
- Carefully place a popsicle stick in the center of each cup.
- Transfer the cups to a quarter sheet pan lined with wax paper. Place in the freezer for 2 hours to harden.
- Prepare a deep bowl with cool water. (DO NOT USE WARM OR HOT WATER)
- Remove cups from the freezer. Carefully dip one cup at a time in the bowl for about 10 seconds (Don’t let any water get in the cup). Carefully unmold the Buster Bar by gently pulling up the popsicle stick.
- Set the unmolded Buster Bar on the sheet pan and repeat the process with the remaining cups. Return cups to the freezer to harden for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Once bars are frozen solid, pour 2 bottles of Magic Shell into a medium-deep bowl (A 4-cup measuring cup works great for this step. (Be sure to shake Magic Shell very well).
- Working with one bar at a time and keeping the remaining bars in the freezer, dip the bar in the Magic shell until fully coated and allow excess to drip back into the bowl.
- Set the coated bar back on the freezer tray to fully set while dipping the remaining bars.
- Once the Magic shell has hardened the Buster Bars are ready to enjoy!
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 10 days.
- The most important tip for this recipe is to ensure that you are organized. Read the entire recipe and instructions before beginning so you are aware of the steps.
- Don’t overfill the cups or you will need too much Magic Shell to cover them. They will not be smooth and could end up with parts not being fully coated.
- Keep the ice cream as cold as possible during assembly. Melted ice cream will cause problems in later steps and will not firm up properly in general.
- Be sure that the bars are fully hardened before dipping or melted ice cream will drip into the Magic Shell and prevent a smooth finish.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 824kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 497mg | Potassium: 792mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 997IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 1mg
What type and size cups are you using?
Hi Lisa – we used these https://amzn.to/3VmJLQt
You can get 8.5-9.0 ounce cups.
Can’t wait to make these. Will use chocolate ice cream. Not a fan of vanilla
Hi Jenn on the DQ copy cat ice cream treat can you suggest something to replace the peanuts.
Deb you can try cashews, almonds, pecans, pretzels, dried fruit