Homemade Cookie Dough Blizzard with Hot Fudge

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultra-thick, spoon-standing texture that mimics drive-thru soft-serve at home.
• Safe, egg-free chocolate chip cookie dough with real butter and brown sugar.
• Glossy hot fudge ribbons add dramatic swirls and deep chocolate flavor.
• Approachable technique with options for store-bought shortcuts.

Grocery List

• Produce: None
• Dairy: Whole milk, heavy cream, unsalted butter
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, light corn syrup, nonfat milk powder, mini chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract, fine salt, optional xanthan gum

Full Ingredients

Vanilla Soft-Serve Base

• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (80 g) light corn syrup
• 3 tbsp (20 g) nonfat milk powder
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Optional for extra body: 1/8 tsp xanthan gum

Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, heat-treated (see Step 1)
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) milk or cream, as needed
• 3/4 cup (120 g) mini chocolate chips

Hot Fudge Ribbon

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tbsp (12 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 oz (85 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp (40 g) light corn syrup
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
• Pinch fine salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Shortcut: use 3/4 cup (180 ml) good-quality store-bought hot fudge, warmed

For Assembly

• Chilled cups or bowls, chilled mixing bowl and spatula

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat-treat the flour for safe cookie dough

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour on a small baking sheet. Bake for 5–7 minutes, stirring once, until the flour registers at least 165°F (74°C) in the center. Cool completely to room temperature to avoid melting the butter later. Tip: You can microwave in a bowl in 15–20 second bursts, stirring, until the same temperature is reached.

Step 2: Make and chill the cookie dough chunks

Cream 6 tbsp (85 g) softened butter with 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar and 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar until light and smooth, 1–2 minutes. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp salt. Add the cooled, heat-treated flour and stir; drizzle in 2–3 tbsp milk just until the dough comes together and is soft but not sticky. Fold in 3/4 cup (120 g) mini chips. Pinch or scoop into 1/2-inch pieces, spread on a parchment-lined plate, and freeze 20 minutes to firm.

Step 3: Build and chill the soft-serve base

In a medium saucepan, whisk together 2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup, 3 tbsp milk powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Warm over medium heat, whisking, until the mixture reaches 170°F (77°C) and the sugars fully dissolve, 3–5 minutes; do not boil. Remove from heat. If using xanthan, sprinkle it in while blending with an immersion blender for 15 seconds to avoid clumps. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla. Chill: set the pan over an ice bath for 15 minutes, then refrigerate until 39°F (4°C), about 2 hours.

Step 4: Churn to spoon-standing thickness

Pour the cold base into your ice cream maker and churn until thick and fluffy, 18–22 minutes, resembling soft-serve. For extra firmness, transfer to a shallow container and freeze for 10–15 minutes until the texture can hold an upright spoon without slumping.

Step 5: Make the hot fudge (or warm store-bought)

In a small saucepan, whisk 1/2 cup cream, 2 tbsp cocoa, 2 tbsp corn syrup, and 2 tbsp sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat; add 3 oz chopped semisweet chocolate, 1 tbsp butter, and a pinch of salt. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until glossy. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla. Cool until warm but not hot, 95–105°F (35–40°C), so it forms ribbons without melting the ice cream.

Step 6: Fold in the goodies, Blizzard style

Transfer the thick soft-serve to a chilled mixing bowl. Scatter in the frozen cookie dough pieces. Drizzle over 1/2–3/4 cup warm fudge. Using a sturdy spatula, fold with broad strokes 6–8 times just until streaky ribbons form and dough is evenly distributed. Do not overmix; you want distinct swirls and pockets.

Step 7: Serve immediately

Spoon into chilled cups or bowls. Add an extra spoonful of fudge and a few cookie dough pieces on top. The mixture should hold an upright spoon. Serve at once for peak texture.

Pro Tips

• Chill everything: the base, the mixing bowl, the spatula, and the serving cups. Cold tools keep the swirl defined.
• Use mini chips in the dough for better distribution and cleaner bites.
• Warm fudge only to about 100°F; hotter fudge will melt the soft-serve instead of rippling through it.
• For ultra-smooth body, do not skip the milk powder and corn syrup; they add milk solids and reduce iciness.
• No ice cream maker? Freeze the base in a shallow pan until firm around edges (2–3 hours), cube it, and blend in a high-powered blender just until thick, then fold in dough and fudge by hand.

Variations

• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough: Swap half the butter in the dough for creamy peanut butter; ribbon with warm peanut butter plus fudge.
• Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and heat-treat as directed.
• Brownie Fudge: Replace half the cookie dough with chewy brownie chunks and double the fudge swirl.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cookie dough chunks: freeze up to 2 months in an airtight bag. Hot fudge: refrigerate up to 2 weeks; rewarm gently to 95–105°F. Soft-serve base: keep refrigerated up to 48 hours before churning. Assembled Blizzards are best immediately; if you must hold, freeze up to 1 hour, then let sit at room temperature 5 minutes before serving to regain that spoon-standing texture.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per serving (1 of 6): 930 calories; 56 g fat; 101 g carbohydrates; 10 g protein; 290 mg sodium. Values will vary with exact fudge amount and portion size.