Copycat Dairy Queen Buster Bars
A homemade version of Dairy Queen’s buster bars! With ice cream, hot fudge, and magic shell! These copycat Dairy Queen Buster Bars are made in paper cups!
When we go out to eat, I’m the person who likes to order the same thing. I know! This probably goes against your typical perceptions about food bloggers. They are people who like trying new adventurous foods. That’s totally not me. I like eating foods that I know that I like. And then there are certain categories of food that I want nothing to do with. Seafood, cheese, spicy things and mayonnaise.
I’ve been trying to be a little bit more adventurous, but it’s such a bummer when you order a new dish and you end up not liking it. However, there are times when I try something new and I’m so glad I did.
You’re going to laugh, but a few years ago we were at Diary Queen getting ice cream and I decided to not get my normal go-to flavor, a reese’s blizzard, and I opted to try a buster bar. I know, what a bold choice, haha. Ever since I’ve been smitten with DQ’s buster bars. I’ve been known to buy the 6 pack because they are so good.
How To Make Copycat Buster Bars
The classic buster bar has vanilla ice cream, with a ribbon of hot fudge and peanuts in the middle and then more peanuts and fudge on top and then the whole thing is dipped in chocolate to create a chocolate shell.
So I decided to take the ice cream treat that I love so much and make a completely homemade version. Homemade ice cream, homemade hot fudge, and homemade magic shell.
To assemble these buster bars you’ll need standard size wax paper cups. After all of the layers are frozen, make a small cut at the top of the cup and begin to peel the cup away.
How to Dip in Magic Shell
After you remove the cup, you’ll want to dip the whole bar in the homemade magic shell. I have a few dipping tips.
1. After you remove the cup, freeze the buster bars again. This could be for an hour or even overnight.
2. The magic shell should be at room temperature before you dip the bars. Even hot chocolate can melt cold ice cream.
3. Transfer the magic shell to a tall, skinny container. Obviously it needs to be wide enough to fit the buster bar in, but if you use a tall, skinny container than you can simply submerge the whole bar into the chocolate, creating a nice even coating.
4. Once you dip each buster bar, return it to the freezer. After the chocolate shell hardens, you could wrap each buster bar in plastic wrap if you’d like. Keep them frozen until eating.
Watch out DQ! We’re giving you a run for your money with our completely homemade copycat buster bars, and they are SO good!
More Desserts
Copycat Dairy Queen Buster Bars
Ingredients
Homemade Ice Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Homemade Hot Fudge
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 stick
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ⅛ tsp salt
Homemade Magic Shell
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup coconut oil
Other
- Peanuts
- Wax based cups
- Popsicle sticks
Instructions
Homemade Ice Cream
- In a mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream into stiff peaks.
- Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, making sure everything is incorporated.
Homemade Hot Fudge
- In a saucepan over medium heat combine the sugar, cocoa, and heavy cream. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add in the butter and allow the mixture to boil for 3-4 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the vanilla and salt. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature
Homemade Magic Shell
- In a saucepan over low heat combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Heat and stir until the mixture is melted and smooth. Allow the magic shell to cool to room temperature.
How to assemble
- Place 8 wax cups on a small baking sheet lined with wax paper.
- Add 1/4 cup of the homemade ice cream mixture to the bottom of each cup. Freeze 20-30 minutes.
- After the ice cream has set add a popsicle stick to each cup. Then add a layer of hot fudge and peanuts. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup homemade ice cream on top of the hot fudge layer. Freeze for 20-30 minutes.
- Add a final layer of peanuts and hot fudge. Freeze the popsicles for 6 hours or overnight.
- To remove the cups, use a scissors to cut a small silt at the top of the cups. Begin to peel the cup away.
- Prepare to dip one popsicle in the magic shell at a time. Place the others in the freeze while dipping so they can stay cold.
- Transfer the magic shell into a cup or container that is large enough to fit the popsicle in. Dip the popsicle into the magic shell, allowing the excess chocolate to fall back into the container. Scrape excess chocolate off the bottom of the popsicle. Return the popsicle to the baking sheet lined with wax paper in the freeze and repeat the dipping process with the remaining popsicles.
- Keep them frozen until your ready to enjoy. You can wrap them in plastic wrap to keep them fresh.
Yes! Buster Bars for the WIN!
For the BIG win!!
When I was younger we use to ride our bikes to the local DQ and this was always what I ordered {well that and panut buster parfaits} so excited to make this at home!
Gosh. I wish I lived close enough to ride my bike to DQ!
Ooh man these bars are calling my name Beth, they look so good!
They are calling mine too!!
Man, DQ sounds really good right now! I’m a creature of habit too and always order the same thing. These look awesome!!
Ah! I am glad I have a buddy!
Oh My Gosh Beth! It’s been years since I have been to a DQ. Now I never need to go again. I can just make these yummy buster bars!
Years since you’ve been to DQ?!!! Girl! That’s gotta change!
Dear Beth, I would love to have one of these right now…what a delicious treat. I love how you made them. xo, Catherine
Don’t worry, I am the same. My favourite fancy restaurant has some nice vegetarian meals, but I ALWAYS get the mushroom risotto. Always. However, when we go to Dairy Queen, my husband only ever gets the Peanut Buster Parfait so he shouldn’t complain! I am so excited to give these a try at home!
See mushroom risotto sounds good, but I’m not sure if I would ever try it!!
These look heavenly! Pinning!
Thanks Medha!
Thank you so much for these, Beth! Love DQ’s buster bars! Can’t wait to make them at home!
Invite me over when you do, hehe :)
Love that you made a homemade version! Yours look perfect!
I have a few left, perfect for sharing.. right?!
Love DQ and can’t wait to try these at home with the kids.
Let me know how they turn out!
You’re my hero. That is all.
Haha :)
Wow, Beth! These look out of this world amazing! I haven’t been to DQ since I was in college but I would so go for these! Except, now thanks to you I can just make them myself :)
I think you need to fix how long it’s been since you’ve been to DQ asap!
Gorgeous photos! And I need to make these – my family will be so happy!
Thanks Stephanie!
There is so much to love about these beautiful popsicles! I think they look amazing Beth! I have never had a dairy cream ice cream but I think yours look even better! ;)
Oh gosh! Next time your in the states –> DQ!
Oh creature of habit for sureeeee because having food envy or just not being satisfied with your dish is good for no one! And these Buster Bars? How about you just come to KC and make me and babe some?!
That would be SO fun! I hope baby K likes ice cream!
I may be the only person who has never tried a Buster Bar. But I see the error of my ways now, because these sound and look incredible!
Oh my gosh, dying over these! I seriously want to eat them all.
These are awesome, Beth! And dangerous…… ;)
Oh.. very dangerous!
These look like so much fun to make!!
These look fantastic, Beth! I loved those buster bars at DQ when I was younger and this homemade version is totally calling my name! Pinning :)
Made these as a teenager when I worked @ DQ. Start with Spanish peanuts then hot fudge. Add ice cream to fill the cup to just short of 1\2 way. Add another layer of Spanish peanuts & hotfudge then more ice cream then finish with peanuts & hot fudge. Put a stick through the centre. Freeze. Dip in Chocolate coating the next day and return to freezer. When coating has solidified, wrap them and store in freezer. Strange that I’d never thought of making these at home until now. I’m making them in a smaller cup.
Oh gosh! Sounds like you know all of the inside secrets!
Oh my word, so yummy Beth. But two things:
1. What do you have against cheese?
2. If you ever need a hand/dipping model, I can be called upon. I’d only require my own six-pack of those babies!
Um girl, cheese and I aren’t friends :(
And if you ever find a hand modeling job that pays in buster bars, tell me asap! :)
Hi Beth, these look really good and I want to make them, but I was wondering what you can use instead of the coconut oil for the magic shell? Thanks, Bev
can you use something other than the coconut oil not a friend of coconut thank you
Coconut oil is the secret to make homemade magic shell!
We made these for my husband’s birthday. They were amazing! The DQ version is his fav dessert! Well done!
I’m so happy that they turned out so well for you! Thank you!
My parents owned a DQ for 30+ years. One of my first jobs as a kid was making buster bars. Here’s a tip: you can reuse the cups, just dip the frozen bar halfway into room temp water and it’ll pull right out.
I wish I had seen this before I made a buster bar dessert in a 9 x13. It was good but I would’ve preferred this. The only thing I would say is 14 oz. Sweetened condensed milk to 1 cup of heavy cream is way too sweet. I make homemade ice cream all the time using sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 can to 2 cups cream is perfect. All recipes I see uses the whole can to 2 cups cream, but 1/2 can is all you need. It’s still very sweet and everyone loves it. I’m gonna have to try it this way, maybe doing variations of ice cream flavors and toppings/additions. Maybe toasted almonds on the outside.
Just wondering how you find the texture of the ice cream for this?
Also, I’m excited to try this. It’s very close to the real thing! I used to make them working at DQ yeaaaars ago. The bottom of the Dixie cup actually gets 1 scoop peanuts as well! And at the store, we get them out of the cup by giving each one a quick dip in warm water, and then putting them back on the parchment lined tray. The magic shell is actually the regular cone dip and it’s warm as well when it’s dipped.
I always make ice cream with sweetened condensed milk. So easy. But I usually make two cups of heavy cream with half a can of sweetened condensed milk otherwise it would be way too sweet. One cup of cream with a whole can is way too much IMO.
First time I’ve ever left a comment, they are fantastic! We live out in the country where there’s no Dairy Queen the closest one is at least 30 to 45 minutes away. So I thought I would try this recipe and they came out great. We have always liked the Buster Bar but only get them as a special treat. Thanks so much great recipe.