Buster Bar Dessert
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The perfect ice cream dessert for summer! This easy Buster Bar Dessert starts with an Oreo crust, layer of vanilla ice cream and is topped with homemade fudge and peanuts. It’s the perfect easy summer dessert to cool off with and is a hit at every party!
It’s inspired by your favorite Dairy Queen desserts like Buster Bars and Peanut Buster Parfait. It has the same yummy vanilla ice cream, peanuts and chocolate! If you’re looking for crowd-pleasing desserts, this is one to try!

This buster bar dessert is a easy copycat recipe of Dairy Queen Buster Bars! Instead of an ice cream bar dipped in chocolate coating, this is a no bake dessert recipe has a cookie crust, creamy vanilla ice cream layer, and topped with homemade fudge sauce. It has all the great flavors and textures in an easy to make ice cream dessert!
My kiddos go crazy for DQ buster bars so I make this fun ice cream treat instead of waiting in line at the Dairy Queen. It’s the best dessert for summer parties or just because!

Ingredients for Buster Bar Dessert
- Oreo cookies – They should be finely crushed (no big chunks!) so the crust holds together.
- Melted butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted. If you do, you may want to add a couple of pinches of salt after you melt it.
- Softened vanilla ice cream – For the best buster bar dessert, use premium ice cream! Leave it sit out at room temperature so it’s soft and easy to spread.
- Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate chips – use your favorite to make the chocolate fudge sauce.
- Evaporated Milk – This is used to make the creamy homemade fudge sauce.
- Butter – This works with the milk to make a really rich sauce!
- Powdered sugar – If yours has a lot of lumps, stir or sift it first so it’s easy to mix into the sauce without lumps.
- Roasted peanuts – These add a nice crunch to finish your buster bars!
Products Needed
How do you make a Buster Bar Dessert?
Oreo crust: Mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a large bowl. Press the mixture into a prepared baking pan. Freeze the crust for at least 15 minutes.


Ice cream layer: Spread the ice cream in an even layer over the top of the cold crust. Place the pan back in the freezer.

Fudge topping: Warm the chocolate chips, evaporated milk, butter, and powdered sugar in a saucepan. Stir and bring the sauce to a boil for eight minutes while stirring. Take the pan off the heat and let the sauce cool completely.
Add the finishing touches! Once the fudge sauce is completely cooled, pour it over the ice cream layer and then sprinkle peanuts over the top. Cover and freeze the buster bar dessert until you’re ready to serve it.





Can you make it without nuts?
A classic Buster Bar has peanuts, but you can leave them out for these dessert bars if you prefer.
Instead of peanuts, you can sprinkle chocolate chips over the the top or try chopped pretzels. Chopped candy bars also work well!
Recipe Tips for Buster Bar Dessert
- For the best crust, be sure to finely crush the Oreos. I think a food processor is the easiest way to do this, but you can also crush them in a bag with a rolling pin.
- Leave the ice cream out at room temperature so it’s softened but not melting. I like to drop big spoonfuls of it on top of the crust and then spread it carefully so the crust doesn’t get messed up. Just go slow!
- Don’t add the fudge sauce until it’s completely cooled. If it’s hot or even warm when you pour it on the ice cream, you’ll have a soupy ice cream dessert!
- You can make buster bars a day in advance and keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to serve it. I like to dip my knife in hot water to make it easy to cut clean slices for serving.
- Remember, it’s an ice cream dessert so it won’t hold up at room temperature for very long. Once you’ve sliced and served the pieces you want, stick the pan back in the freezer so the dessert stays frozen.

Summer will be a whole lot sweeter with this buster bar dessert! Every bite is a cold, creamy, chocolaty dream – I hope you make it soon and love it!
More No Bake Dessert Ideas
- Strawberry Ice Box Cake
- Chocolate Cheesecake
- Scotcheroo Pie
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Golden Oreo Ice Cream
- Grandma’s Lemon Raspberry Sherbet Dessert
- Grasshopper Ice Cream Dessert
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Buster Bar Dessert
Video
Ingredients
- 14.3 ounces Oreos crushed
- ½ cup butter melted
- ½ gallon vanilla ice cream softened
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup dry roasted peanuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the crushed Oreos and melted butter. Then pat the Oreo mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch pan. Place the pan in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Make sure to remove ice cream at this point to soften.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and scoop the softened ice cream evenly across the crust. Then spread the ice cream over the crust.
- Place dessert in the freezer while you prepare the fudge sauce..
- In a saucepan combine the chocolate chips, evaporated milk, butter and powdered sugar. Stir together and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool until completely cold (do NOT even try to pour it over the ice cream warm).
- Once the fudge has cooled, spread over the top of the ice cream evenly.
- Then sprinkle the peanuts over the top of the fudge sauce
- Cover and freeze until serving.

Tips
A classic Buster Bar has peanuts, but you can leave them out for these dessert bars if you prefer. Instead of peanuts, you can sprinkle chocolate chips over the the top or try chopped pretzels. Chopped candy bars also work well! Recipe Tips
- For the best crust, be sure to finely crush the Oreos. I think a food processor is the easiest way to do this, but you can also crush them in a bag with a rolling pin.
- Leave the ice cream out at room temperature so it’s softened but not melting. I like to drop big spoonfuls of it on top of the crust and then spread it carefully so the crust doesn’t get messed up. Just go slow!
Don’t add the fudge sauce until it’s completely cooled. If it’s hot or even warm when you pour it on the ice cream, you’ll have a soupy ice cream dessert! - You can make buster bars a day in advance and keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to serve it. I like to dip my knife in hot water to make it easy to cut clean slices for serving.
- Remember, it’s an ice cream dessert so it won’t hold up at room temperature for very long. Once you’ve sliced and served the pieces you want, stick the pan back in the freezer so the dessert stays frozen.
Amanda says
This is my favorite summer time dessert! It’s quick, easy and always a crowd pleaser!
maxime turcotte says
Buster Bar Dessert remove the cream from the oreo
maxime turcotte says
remove the cream from the oreo ?
maxime turcotte says
Buster Bar Dessert remove the cream from the oreo ?
N says
This is such a wonderful dessert. That choc sauce is perfection!!
Courtney says
Thank you!!
Stephanie says
Is it sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk?
You list evaporated milk in the ingredients, but the instructions say sweetened condensed – which may be why Rosie commented in December that it came out like a hard fudge. Big difference between what the two types of milk will do in/to a recipe.
Courtney says
Evaporated milk!
Sarah says
Is the ingredient evaporated milk or condensed milk? The ingredient list says one, and the instructions say the other.
Ash says
Evaporated milk doesn’t make any sense. I’d go with the sweetened condensed. I think I’ve seen that in other recipes. Definitely an oversight on the author’s part.
rosie says
Made this but the topping turned out like solid hard fudge when it cooled!!! I’m going to have to retry but I’m really bummed cuz I’ve completely wasted a round of ingredients! 🙁
Elaine says
Incredible!! This is the best summer treat!
Shari says
Which milk did you use, evaporated milk or condensed milk?