Dairy Queen Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae with Sauce
Today we are making a healthy copycat for a Dairy Queen Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae with Sauce! This recipe was inspired by the Dairy Queen Strawberry Sundae that’s been a constant on the menu for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I recall it was either this sundae or one that had a chocolate sauce drizzled all over that they offered – and it was sweet delight all around! The one I thought of for this recipe specifically is a vanilla soft serve ice cream with a sugary sauce filled with strawberry flavor throughout. However, their sundaes aren’t vegan and contain a lot of sugar. So I turned to healthier alternatives at home!
For this remake, I used a raw ice cream base of frozen strawberries and banana, then made a warm strawberry compote and used a coconut whip on top. Gay Lea brand makes a vegan coconut whip that comes out of an aerosol can, and is the best alternative to regular whipped cream. (I absolutely love this because it replaces whipped cream on ice cream, frappuccinos, pie, and so much more).
Why You’ll Love This Dairy Queen Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae with Sauce
Healthy DQ Recipe: This strawberry sundae recipe takes inspiration from the popular ice cream chain, Dairy Queen! They serve Strawberry Sundaes which contain strawberry sauce over creamy vanilla soft serve. However, since this is loosely inspired by DQ, the recipe is not exactly the same with vanilla soft serve and a thick layer of strawberry sauce-like liquid sitting on the bottom of your sundae bowls.
It’s more like a thick strawberry mixture over a strawberry ice cream! It uses all wholesome, simple ingredients, no gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar or nuts either, eliminating many top allergens.
Substitutions
Frozen Strawberries: Since summer is strawberry season, this is the perfect way to use up all those berries! You can try to use fresh strawberries instead of frozen for the sauce, but make sure to freeze your strawberries for the ice cream portion. They need to blend with the frozen bananas and you don’t want a watery ice cream mixture. Do not substitute with any other fruit – strawberries are the key ingredient of this recipe!
Frozen Bananas: Peel and chop fully ripe bananas the night before in a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container, in order for them to be fully frozen the next day. Do not substitute any other fruit for the bananas, as they provide natural creaminess and sweetness to this recipe due to their low water content.
Whipped Cream: You can find vegan whipped cream in some grocery stores. Gay Lea makes a vegan coconut-milk based whip which comes out of an aerosol can like traditional whip, and is my go-to product. However, I’ve also seen soy-based whipped cream.
Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon juice, not the pre-bottled one. Pre-bottled juice is usually more acidic and will not taste as good.
Coconut Sugar: Use xylitol, maple sugar or brown sugar instead.
Dairy Queen Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae with Sauce Recipe Notes
- If desired, top this recipe with crushed peanuts for an added crunch and flavor!
- I do not recommend to use a stick blender (hand blender) for this recipe. The frozen fruits will be difficult to blend in a hand blender without allowing them to thaw at room temperature for a half hour or more. Or instead of thawing and using a blade with lower power, add a splash of liquid and use a very high-speed blender.
More Summer Desserts You’ll Love
Two-Ingredient Mango Ice Cream
Reese’s Pieces Dairy Queen Blizzard
If you make this Dairy Queen Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae with Sauce, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Dairy Queen Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae with Sauce
Equipment
- High-speed blender or food processor
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup frozen strawberries
- ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp room temperature water
- pinch pink salt
- ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
For the Ice Cream
- ½ cup frozen strawberries
- 1 medium frozen banana peeled and chopped
- vegan whipped cream optional topping
Instructions
For the Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries with other compote ingredients. Constantly stir until the water bubbles away and it thickens. This will take 10-15 minutes.
- Allow the mixture to cool down for an hour. You can also place this in the refrigerator to chill.
For the Ice Cream
- Blend together the ingredients for the ice cream in a food processor until a thick ice cream consistency forms.
- You may have to stop the blender and scrape down the sides to help the blending process, adding a splash of water or plant-based milk if needed as well.
To Assemble
- Add the ice cream into a cup and pour the strawberry mixture over it. Top with whipped cream, if desired.
- Enjoy!
