Copycat Dairy Queen Peanut Buster Parfait Sundae

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• All the nostalgia of a classic Peanut Buster Parfait, no soft-serve machine required.
• Warm, glossy hot fudge meets cool vanilla and salted roasted peanuts for perfect sweet–salty crunch.
• Make-ahead fudge means dessert is ready in minutes whenever the craving hits.
• Showstopper presentation in a clear sundae glass with easy, repeatable layers.

Grocery List

• Produce: Optional fresh mint for garnish
• Dairy: Heavy cream, unsalted butter, vanilla ice cream, whole milk
• Pantry: Light corn syrup, dark brown sugar, Dutch-process cocoa powder, semisweet chocolate, kosher salt, vanilla extract, salted roasted peanuts, flaky sea salt (optional)

Full Ingredients

Warm Hot Fudge

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (160 g) light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup (65 g) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (25 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or chips)
• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Soft-Serve–Style Vanilla

• 1 quart (946 ml) good-quality vanilla ice cream
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) whole milk
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) light corn syrup (adds soft-serve gloss; optional)
• Pinch of kosher salt (optional, balances sweetness)

Assembly & Garnish

• 1 cup (140 g) salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (Spanish peanuts for the most authentic flavor)
• Flaky sea salt, a pinch per parfait (optional but excellent)
• 4 tall clear sundae glasses (10–12 oz), chilled

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Simmer the hot fudge base

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, light corn syrup, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Set over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking often to dissolve the cocoa and sugar. Maintain a steady simmer for 4–5 minutes, or until slightly thickened and glossy. For precision, cook to 220–224°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Step 2: Finish the fudge and keep it warm

Remove the saucepan from heat. Add the chopped semisweet chocolate and butter; let sit 1 minute, then whisk until silky and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Keep the fudge warm (120–130°F) so it pours in ribbons without melting the ice cream too quickly. Tip: Set the covered saucepan on the lowest warming burner or place the pot over a pan of very hot water.

Step 3: Soften and whip the ice cream to soft-serve texture

Scoop the vanilla ice cream into a large, chilled mixing bowl and let it stand at room temperature for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are soft. Add the whole milk, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer on low–medium speed, beat 45–60 seconds until the ice cream turns fluffy and ribbon-y, like soft-serve. Scrape into a large piping bag fitted with a wide round or star tip (or use a zip-top bag and snip a 3/4-inch opening). Freeze the bag for 5 minutes to re-firm slightly.

Step 4: Prep peanuts and chill the glasses

Coarsely chop the salted roasted peanuts. Chill the sundae glasses in the freezer for 15 minutes; cold glass slows melting and keeps layers crisp.

Step 5: Build the base layer

Spoon 2 tablespoons warm hot fudge into the bottom of each chilled glass. Pipe a generous swirl of vanilla (about 1/3 cup). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon peanuts over the ice cream so they cling to the edges and nestle into the swirl.

Step 6: Repeat strata and finish

Repeat the sequence—2 tablespoons fudge, another swirl of ice cream (about 1/3 cup), and 1 tablespoon peanuts. Finish with a last 2 tablespoons of fudge cascading down the sides. Use additional peanuts on top if you like, and add a small pinch of flaky sea salt for a perfect sweet–salty pop.

Step 7: Serve while the fudge is warm

Serve immediately with long-handled spoons. The contrast of warm, glossy fudge and cool, creamy vanilla with crunchy, salted peanuts is the whole magic.

Pro Tips

• Use Dutch-process cocoa for deep color and a classic hot-fudge shop flavor.
• Ideal fudge temperature for layering is 120–130°F: warm and pourable, not scorching.
• Chill glasses and keep your ice cream piping bag in the freezer between parfaits to slow melting.
• No piping bag? Snip the corner off a zip-top bag for neat, soft-serve-like swirls.
• For the most authentic flavor, choose salted roasted Spanish peanuts (skins on).

Variations

• Turtle Parfait: Swap peanuts for toasted pecans and add a ribbon of warm caramel between the fudge layers.
• Chocolate–Peanut Butter: Whisk 2–3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter into the hot fudge off heat for a nutty twist.
• Brownie Crunch: Add 1/4 cup bite-size brownie chunks per parfait between layers for extra decadence.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Hot fudge can be refrigerated in a jar up to 2 weeks or frozen up to 2 months. Rewarm gently in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of cream or milk until glossy. Peanuts keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 weeks. The whipped “soft-serve” texture is best made and used fresh, but you can pre-pipe swirls onto a parchment-lined sheet and freeze 1 hour; transfer to a container for up to 1 week, then set in the glass and top with warm fudge when serving. Fully assembled parfaits should be eaten right away.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 930 calories; 56 g fat (29 g saturated); 95 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 5 g fiber; 72 g sugars; 420 mg sodium. Values will vary based on brands and portion sizes.