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Ice Cream Sundae Recipe with Homemade Vanilla, Chocolate & Strawberry Ice Cream

Learn how to make the ultimate ice cream sundae from scratch with homemade vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, plus caramel, hot fudge, honeycomb candy, and classic toppings.

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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Strawberry Ice Cream
  • Fresh strawberries
  • Granulated sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Whole milk
  • Heavy cream
  • Egg yolks
  • Lemon zest
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt
Strawberry Mix-In
  • Chopped fresh strawberries
  • Additional lemon juice if needed
Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Whole milk
  • Heavy cream
  • Egg yolks
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla bean or vanilla extract
  • Salt
Chocolate Ice Cream
  • Cocoa powder
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Whole milk
  • Heavy cream
  • Egg yolks
  • Chocolate chips
  • Vanilla extract
Honeycomb Candy
  • Honey
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Vanilla extract
  • Baking soda
Homemade Caramel Sauce
  • Sugar
  • Water
  • Cream of tartar
  • Butter
  • Heavy cream
Hot Fudge Sauce
  • Heavy cream
  • Brown sugar
  • Agave syrup
  • Butter
  • Water
  • Chocolate
  • Cocoa powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt
Sundae Toppings
  • Homemade vanilla ice cream
  • Homemade strawberry ice cream
  • Homemade chocolate ice cream
  • Honeycomb candy
  • Caramel sauce
  • Hot fudge sauce
  • Whipped cream
  • Rainbow sprinkles
  • Maraschino cherries

Method
 

Step 1: Roast the Strawberries
  1. Hull the strawberries and remove the white core. Toss them with sugar and lemon juice until evenly coated.
  2. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 350°F until the strawberries soften and their juices become syrupy.
  3. Allow them to cool completely before blending into a smooth puree with all the roasting juices. Chill the puree.
Step 2: Prepare the Strawberry Ice Cream Base
  1. Heat the milk and cream until lightly steaming.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks with sugar until smooth.
  3. Slowly whisk a portion of the warm dairy into the eggs before returning everything to the saucepan.
  4. Cook while whisking constantly until the custard coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Strain into a bowl and stir in:
  6. Lemon zest
  7. Vanilla extract
  8. Salt
  9. Cover and chill completely.
Step 3: Make the Vanilla Ice Cream Base
  1. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds.
  2. Heat the milk, cream, vanilla seeds, and pod until steaming.
  3. Prepare another egg-and-sugar mixture and temper it with the hot dairy.
  4. Return to the saucepan and cook until thick enough to coat a spoon.
  5. Strain the custard back over the vanilla bean and chill thoroughly.
Step 4: Make the Chocolate Ice Cream Base
  1. Whisk together:
  2. Cocoa powder
  3. Sugar
  4. Salt
  5. Add the milk and cream until smooth.
  6. Heat until steaming.
  7. Temper the beaten egg yolks with the hot mixture before returning everything to the pan.
  8. Cook while whisking until thickened.
  9. Strain the custard and stir in:
  10. Chocolate chips
  11. Vanilla extract
  12. Salt
  13. Mix until silky smooth and refrigerate.
Step 5: Make the Honeycomb Candy
  1. Heat honey, sugar, and salt until the mixture reaches 295°F (hard crack stage).
  2. Quickly stir in vanilla extract and sifted baking soda.
  3. The mixture will rapidly expand.
  4. Immediately pour onto a parchment-lined tray and allow it to cool completely before breaking into bite-sized pieces.
Step 6: Make the Caramel Sauce
  1. Combine sugar, water, and cream of tartar.
  2. Cook until the syrup develops a deep amber color.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in butter one tablespoon at a time.
  4. Add room-temperature heavy cream until smooth.
  5. Set aside.
Step 7: Make the Hot Fudge Sauce
  1. Heat together:
  2. Cream
  3. Brown sugar
  4. Agave syrup
  5. Butter
  6. Water
  7. Bring to a boil.
  8. Add the chocolate and stir until melted.
  9. Return to the heat briefly before whisking in cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt.
  10. Adjust with small amounts of water until smooth and glossy.
Step 8: Churn the Ice Cream
  1. Mix the roasted strawberry puree into the chilled strawberry custard along with chopped strawberries.
  2. Taste and adjust with a little extra lemon juice if desired.
  3. Churn each ice cream base individually in an ice cream maker until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
  4. Transfer to freezer-safe containers and freeze until firm.
Step 9: Assemble the Ice Cream Sundae
  1. Freeze your serving bowls beforehand.
  2. Add generous scoops of:
  3. Vanilla ice cream
  4. Strawberry ice cream
  5. Chocolate ice cream
  6. Top with:
  7. Honeycomb candy
  8. Caramel sauce
  9. Hot fudge
  10. Whipped cream
  11. Rainbow sprinkles
  12. Cherry
  13. Serve immediately.

Notes

Making a homemade ice cream sundae from scratch takes time, but every component adds something special to the finished dessert. Creamy custard-based ice cream, rich homemade sauces, crunchy honeycomb candy, and classic toppings come together to create a sundae that's worthy of any special occasion. Whether you stick with the traditional vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry trio or personalize it with your favorite toppings, this recipe delivers a truly memorable frozen treat every time.