Copycat Costco Caramel Brownie Sundae Recipe
Rather than rushing to the nearest Costco in search of the newest seasonal ice cream treat, you can make your own version at home with our copycat Costco caramel brownie sundae recipe. It's creamy, chocolatey, rich, and decadent, and making it at home is easy and fun.
According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, whether or not you're one of those people who head to Costco for the rotisserie chicken and the cheap hot dog combo, trying the new sundae flavor feels like a must. When the best Costco finds are there today and gone tomorrow, and are only available in select locations, trying this new sundae in-store may prove to be harder than you thought.
That's where this copycat Costco caramel brownie sundae recipe comes in. With a few simple ingredients and less than ten minutes of work, our recipe makes the Costco price tag feel like highway robbery. And the best part is, you can choose your favorite ice cream, brownies, and caramel sauce — and you can make this sundae year-round, anywhere you live, no Costco trip needed.
Gather the ingredients for this Costco caramel brownie sundae
To make this rich dessert, you'll need heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar for the whipped topping, your favorite caramel sauce, a batch of store-bought brownies, and a good, whole cream vanilla ice cream.
Step 1: Whip the topping
Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.
Step 2: Flavor the whipped topping
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue to whip it to medium peaks.
Step 3: Create a caramel drizzle
Drizzle the caramel sauce down the inside of tall glasses.
Step 4: Arrange the brownie bites
Add the brownie pieces to the bottom of the glasses, reserving some for garnish.
Step 5: Layer the ice cream
Add some ice cream to the glasses.
Step 6: Add more caramel sauce
Drizzle with more caramel sauce.
Step 7: Repeat the layers
Add another layer of ice cream with more caramel drizzle.
Step 8: Garnish the sundae
Finish with the whipped cream, a few brownie pieces on top, and a final caramel drizzle.
Step 9: Serve the sundae immediately
Serve immediately.
What can I serve with this caramel brownie sundae?
Copycat Costco Caramel Brownie Sundae Recipe
Our copycat Costco Caramel Brownie Sundae, with ice cream, brownies, and caramel sauce, is chocolatey and decadent, and making it at home is easy and fun.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup caramel sauce, divided
- 1 batch store-bought brownies, cut into bite-sized pieces, divided
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream, divided
Directions
- Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue to whip it to medium peaks.
- Drizzle the caramel sauce down the inside of tall glasses.
- Add the brownie pieces to the bottom of the glasses, reserving some for garnish.
- Add some ice cream to the glasses
- Drizzle with more caramel sauce.
- Add another layer of ice cream with more caramel drizzle.
- Finish with the whipped cream, a few brownie pieces on top, and a final caramel drizzle.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 281 |
| Total Fat | 15.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9.3 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.4 g |
| Cholesterol | 50.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 35.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 33.3 g |
| Sodium | 184.6 mg |
| Protein | 2.7 g |
What other ways can you dress up this ice cream sundae?
We followed the exact Costco formula of vanilla ice cream, miniature brownie chunks, and plenty of caramel sauce to go with every spoonful. But if you want to take this decadent treat even further, we may have a few ideas.
Adding some crunch is always welcome in any sundae, and this ice cream mountain is no exception. Toasted pecans, walnuts, or even Oreos or sugared almonds would add a perfect bite to the dish, working with the already-nutty flavor of the caramel sauce. Just add them as a last garnish, or layer them in between the ice cream scoops for maximum impact.
Another favorite trick of ours is to add a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce both in between the layers and on top of the sundae. This sauce would echo the chocolate flavor of the brownies, blending with the caramel sauce to give the dish a gooey turtle-sundae flavor. It would also make this treat feel like another big box store dessert that shoppers absolutely love — Walmart's Turtle French Style Creamy Cheesecake Mousse.
What is the origin of the ice cream sundae?
You may not have known it, but the ice cream sundae is a proud American creation with an illustrious history. Author Michael Turback claims that the first ice cream sundae came from Ithaca, New York. It was a cherry sundae, and its first appearance was noted in the local newspaper on April 5, 1892.
But other sources say the concoction goes back even further. In other versions, the first ice cream sundae was made in Wisconsin in 1881, when a pharmacist named Ed Berner was asked to make his newly invented ice cream soda on a Sunday. But because soda was seen as sinful, the state prohibited Berner from serving it on the day of the lord — and the entrepreneurial shopkeeper served vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup on top and called it a "sundae."
After that, in 1906 Clarence Clifton Brown proceeded to serve the first-ever hot fudge sundae, a precursor to Costco's new caramel brownie sundae, in his ice cream parlor in Los Angeles. The treat immediately became a favorite with celebrities and local children alike, and the rest is history, or at least melted ice cream.