Salted caramel and coffee ice cream are piled into a graham cracker crust and studded with crunchy Heath bars for an irresistible flavor combination that is destined to be the dessert of the season!
Salted Caramel Coffee Heath Bar Ice Cream Pie.
The recipe name is long, but whenever I tried to shorten it, I felt like I was giving short shrift to a critical component.
As it is, there are very few ingredients in this ice cream pie. They just so happen to come together in perfect harmony, creating a dessert that will defy its utter ease and make guests wonder what you did to create such a masterpiece!
The dessert’s prep-ahead nature provides built-in convenience; the ice cream pie can be made well in advance and stored in the freezer, ready for dinner with friends and family, backyard cookouts, or simply enjoying slice by slice over time.
And don’t forget birthday celebrations. A traditional cake isn’t the only way to usher in a new year – and candles work in pies too! (Just give the ice cream a few minutes to soften first.)
I first made this pie a little over a year ago, and the combination garnered oohs and aahs and many repeat requests over the ensuing months. People who said they wouldn’t typically choose coffee ice cream were top fans, claiming coffee’s underlining bitterness harmonized perfectly with the sweet and salty caramel ice cream.
Nuggets of Heath bar are studded throughout the pie, providing crunch to balance the creamy. I’ve always loved Heath bar crunch ice cream, although I dare say this homemade pie trumps a pint of that.
A final drizzle of hot fudge sauce and/or caramel sauce tastes great, although I appreciate this detail as much for the flavor boost as for the showy look it lends the pie.
An easy dessert that delivers in the taste department AND looks like it came from a specialty shop. What could be better?
A graham cracker crust forms the perfect base, and though a store-bought crust may certainly be used, a homemade graham cracker crust (or a delicious gluten-free substitute) will further elevate the dessert. For convenience, that too can be made well in advance.
Of course, you may use the recipe as a framework, varying the ice cream flavors, crust (Oreo cookie crust?), and toppings. But I encourage you to try this combination, as the fusion of simple ingredients yields a truly blissful whole!
A store-bought crust will make even quicker work of this easy ice cream pie, although a Homemade Graham Cracker Crust (or this gluten-free option) is easy in its own right and can be made well in advance, as needed.
Simply alternate scoops of the ice creams in a graham cracker crust. Coffee’s hint of bitterness is welcome alongside the sweet caramel, whose salty note further enhances this exquisite pairing, which is destined to be the hit of family dinners, potlucks, and backyard barbecues all year ‘round.
Sprinkling the Heath bars (Skor bars and Butterfingers work well too) as you add the layers ensures delicious nuggets are studded throughout the pie.
So easy yet it looks like it came from a specialty store!
This make-ahead dessert comes together in minutes, and with its unique combination of ice creams, is absolutely irresistible. Keep one in the freezer for whenever the unexpected need arises!
I’d love to know if you try this recipe. Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.
• 1 graham cracker crust (homemade or store-bought, or this gluten-free option) Allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature to soften slightly. Scoop about 12 ounces (a little over 2½ cups or just under half of the container) of the salted caramel ice cream into the graham cracker crust. Don’t spread the scoops out yet. Scoop all the coffee ice into the crust, evenly distributing scoops amidst the salted caramel ice cream. Sprinkle a third or so of the chopped Heath Bars, and then evenly distribute scoops of the remaining salted caramel ice cream. Sprinkle with another third or so of the Heath Bar, getting the pieces into the gaps. Helpful hint: If the softened ice cream becomes soupy, immediately return everything to the freezer to firm up a bit. This will prevent an icy outcome later. Using a knife or spatula, gently press down firmly on the ice cream and spread evenly so you don’t have any holes and the top is smooth. Drizzle with caramel and or hot fudge sauce, if using, and then sprinkle with the remaining Heath Bars. (Alternatively, you may do this just before serving.) Place in the freezer until firm. I try to give the pie at least 4 hours to firm up. Once the pie is frozen hard, you may need to let it set at room temperature for 10 minutes or so for easier cutting. This will depend on how hard your freezer freezes things as well as room temperature. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Return any leftovers to the freezer, where they will keep for several weeks if wrapped well. Tip: To avoid sticking and smudging, I wait to cover the pie until the top is frozen firm. Then I place a sheet of wax paper over top and then wrap a produce bag around the whole thing and secure with a twist tie. *I love this ratio of salted caramel to coffee ice cream, and while a kitchen scale makes easy work of scooping out “the right” amount, it’s fine to be a little off either way. In other words, feel free to eyeball the amounts. **Heath Bars are my favorite and complement the ice cream flavors quite well, but Skor or even Butterfinger would work well too. Chocolate chunks are another option. Nut lovers could add chopped nuts, like peanuts, pecans, or cashews. Want to pile the pie higher? Feel free to add more alternating scoops in similar proportions along with an extra sprinkle of chopped Heath bar. Favorite ice cream? I love Turkey Hill brand ice cream and purchase the original flavors, which are creamier than the Philadelphia-style options.
• 20oz/567g salted caramel ice cream (about ¾ of a 1.5 quart container)*
• 8oz/227g coffee or coffee chip ice cream (about ⅓ of a 1.5 quart container)*
• 11 mini Heath Bars or 2 (1.4oz) standard-size Heath Bars, roughly chopped**
• Optional: Store-bought or homemade caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, and/or whipped cream
A word on measuring by weight: Note that a 1.5 quart ice cream container = 48 fluid ounces. But if you weigh the container on a kitchen scale, it will weigh in about 28 ounces (not including the carton weight). This is because fluid ounces are a volume measurement, which account for the fact that one cup of ice cream is lighter than, say, one cup of water. The typical kitchen scale weighs in standard ounces, not fluid ounces. This is to say that when I note 8 ounces of ice cream, it is more than two cups. (For the record, one cup of plain ice cream weighs about 4.6 ounces/130 grams.)