When we moved from the city to the country seven years ago we knew we would be making some concessions. There would be no malls, Starbucks, pizza delivery, or ballet. What we didn’t understand, and trust me, we might have reconsidered, was that there would be no Dairy Queen.
We used to live less than ten minutes away from our local DQ and often flipped a coin to see who’d make the drive for Peanut Buster Parfaits or Buster Bars. Every once in a while one of us will suggest that the other “run down” and get one of these treats, and then we laugh like hyenas. After seven years I thought I had successfully managed my addiction.
Then I visited my son in California, and was treated to a Buster Bar. Vanilla ice cream with fudgy, peanutty layers. The longing hasn’t left me since.
So…there I was, sitting in my chair, fantasizing about Buster Bars, when an idea for a cookie came to me. The inspiration may have been from DQ, but the cookie took on a life of its own. And it only took me two tries to get exactly what I imagined: a vanilla dough with swirls of chocolate and peanuts.
Maybe if I put a glob of vanilla ice cream between two of them….
| Sundae Swirls | Print |
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup coconut oil (you may substitute shortening if you prefer)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons vanilla (yes...you want a LOT of vanilla flavor!)
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 8 ounces chocolate, melted and cooled (chips are fine...semisweet or milk)
- 1½ cups lightly salted Spanish peanuts
- Cream together the coconut oil (or shortening) and butter.
- Add the brown sugar and white sugar and beat well.
- Add the milk, vanilla, and eggs. Beat for one minute.
- Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir until well combined.
- Working with half of the dough at a time, place the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Dust the top with flour and put another piece of parchment over the dough. Roll out into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle, with the long side facing you. Use your hands or a spatula to shape the dough if necessary to get the sides straight.
- Spread half of the melted chocolate on the dough, leaving a ½-inch clean edge, and sprinkle with half of the peanuts.
- Starting at the edge closest to you, roll up the dough like you would for cinnamon rolls. It may help to use the parchment to lift and help roll the dough. Try to keep it snug, with no air pockets.
- Roll up the roll of dough in the parchment and place in the refrigerator. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Allow the rolls to chill for 2 hours.
- Heat oven to 375 F.
- Slice the rolls into ½-inch slices and place 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until they begin to brown. For softer cookies, bake them to a golden brown. For crispier cookies, let them get a little darker.
- Cool thoroughly on racks until the chocolate is firm.
Put dough on floured parchment and roll it around to coat lightly
Yes, I roasted my own peanuts. I do NOT expect you to do that!
Roll dough out to 8″x12″. Spread with chocolate and peanuts.
Use the parchment to help roll it up
Rolled and ready to wrap in parchment and chill
Chilled and sliced
Ready to bake
Baked to perfection!
These cookies won’t drip down my chin or give me brain freeze, but I guess if I get to hankerin’ (that’s how we talk here in the country) for a DQ fix I could pop a couple of them in the freezer and get my “frozen treat” experience. Sigh.
I LOVE slice and bake cookies because they allow me to plan ahead. Often I’ll make the dough the day before I plan to serve the cookies.I love the way you turned this DQ treat into a cookie. I just may serve them on a plate with a dollup of ice cream on top!
Thanks, Karen! I’m seriously thinking about ice cream sandwiches 🙂
How am I ever supposed to lose weight if you keep posting these delightful treats? Now stop it or at least come walk off calories with me 😉
The Rowdy Salad Maker just doesn’t have the same punch, Laurie! So…fine, I’ll come walk with you SOON.