Easy Pretzel and Chocolate Covered Ice Cream Bars

A lot of ice cream gets made at Fat and Happy and there is nothing sadder than old, wasted ice cream. The problem being that ice cream is difficult to share. Between lugging around the ice cream, the bowls, the scooper, the napkins and the spoons and then getting all that back, it's a dang hassle.

Solution: ice cream bars. Not only are they portable, but using pretzels in place of popsicle sticks makes these little puppies green too!

Of course, I'm a proponent of making homemade ice cream, but not everybody has that option. The best part about this recipe (aside from eating it) is that you can use store bought ice cream and still come out a hero!

All you need is ice cream (check out the Fat and Happy Ice Cream archive for amazing, interesting ice cream flavors), pretzels, chocolate and small dixie cups. There are a couple of easy steps involved, so start the night before or the morning of.

No more more wasted ice cream. Your friends, kids, guest, coworkers, doormen and mail carriers will go ape over these Fat and Happy, completely edible, ice cream treats and will dive in the moment you hand it to them. Even if it is 7am. Trust me.
 

Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: I used gluten free pretzels and they worked fantastic; feel free to use your favorite brand. For the cups, I used Dixie bath cups (3 oz), it made the perfect size treat!

Chocolate and Pretzel Covered Ice Cream Bar
with a Pretzel Stick

I'm leaving these ingredient amounts vague because it depends on how many bars you make and the size of your bars. Just crush some pretzels and chocolate and roll; crush more if you need it. If you have too much, place the extra in a zip lock bag and keep for another time or use.


Pretzel sticks

 Milk or dark chocolate (could use chips)
Vanilla ice cream, softened
Small paper or plastic cups (3oz)

Set a flat pan in your freezer. Spoon softened ice cream into the cups. As you fill each one tap it on the counter to help the ice cream settle into the cup. Place each filled cup onto the pan in the freezer. Add in the pretzels sticks once the ice cream is hard enough the hold the sticks upright, check about every 30 minutes.

Crush a plateful of pretzels. I find it easiest to place a few cups of pretzels in a zip lock bag and rolling over them with my rolling pin (try using a can of soup if you don't have a rolling pin.)  Pour onto a large dinner plate.

Chop a cup of the chocolate into small pieces and add to the pretzel plate.

Once the bars are frozen solid, remove the frozen cups from the freezer a couple at a time. Let them defrost for a few minutes, then one by one begin to push the ice cream bars out of the cup. Try not to pull on the pretzel stick as it may come out of the ice cream. Instead, warm the cup by holding it in your hand, push the bottom of the cup and lightly squeeze at the same time. The ice cream bars should pop right out.

Let the ice cream bar then become just slightly melty on the outside. Then roll in the crushed pretzel and chocolate mixture. Nothing will stick if you roll the bar while it is still solid. Set each rolled bar back on the pan in the freezer immediately.

Serve when the ice cream bars are all rolled and have solidified around the pretzels and chocolate.