Orange Creamsicle Frozen Dessert is the ultimate make-ahead summer treat. Refreshing and bursting with nostalgic, creamy citrus flavor.If you can’t find Creamsicle ice cream in the store, make your own with vanilla ice cream, and swirl in (6 oz:) thawed orange juice concentrate.You can halve the recipe for an 8x8 pan. Use 1.5 gallon of ice cream.
In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press crumb mixture into a 9×13 greased pan. Cover and freeze for at least 10 minutes.
Spoon softened ice cream over the crust (pan will be full). Freeze for 15 minutes.
Pull out of the freezer and drizzle softened fudge on top of the ice cream (optional). Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 hours.
Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving. Cut into pieces and serve!
Notes
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
Storage: You can store this assembled freezer dessert in the freezer for up to 1-2 months if tightly wrapped to prevent freezer burn.
Make-ahead: To make this freezer dessert ahead of time, simply assemble according to the recipe directions, but leave the fudge sauce off. Pull out of the freezer when you’re ready to serve and drizzle with softened chocolate sauce for best results.
Soften the ice cream: You must allow for the Creamsicle ice cream to soften enough before adding on top of the crust or it will be difficult to create an even layer and you risk breaking the crust underneath.
Freezing the layers: It’s important to freeze the layers of this dessert as you assemble it. The crust needs to harden to prevent it from breaking under the weight of the ice cream and from turning soggy. The ice cream layer must also harden before the soft sauce is drizzled over. While this recipe is incredibly easy, you must plan ahead to allow for these intervals of freezing.
Soften before serving: Letting the assembled orange Creamsicle freezer dessert sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving will allow for easier slicing and serving.
Warm the sauce: Warm the fudge sauce slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make it drizzle smoothly over the cold ice cream.
Preventing ice crystals: Cover the dessert tightly with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil to prevent ice crystals from forming during longer freezer storage.