Forget Caramel: Drizzle This Over Ice Cream For Double The Deliciousness

For too long ice cream toppings have been relegated to a few, safe choices. You could squirt a bit of whipped cream on top, or add a spoonful or two of caramel, or perhaps add some store bought hot fudge. But at the end of the day, these toppings can only do so much to boost the flavor profile of your frozen, creamy treat. So why not try something a bit out of the box? After all, recent years have seen the rise of such unexpected ice cream toppers as chili crisp and olive oil. These are delicious and totally new and refreshing, but we think it might be worth circling back to dairy, and not just any dairy, but butter, brown butter to be more specific.

Pouring on a bit of melted brown butter will give your ice cream an instant shell, as the cold dessert will re-solidify your butter. Meanwhile, that browned butter will give your ice cream a rich, nutty, and toasty finish to your run-of-the-mill sweet treat. You can use either salted or unsalted butter for this, though salted butter will provide a nice contrast to your sweet ice cream. To make, simply simmer and stir butter in a pan until its milk proteins caramelize. Then, remove from heat, and pour your melted butter (and those milk proteins) over a bowl of your favorite flavor and brand of ice cream and enjoy.

While brown butter would work as a great topping for any number of flavors there are a few combos you should definitely consider if you want to maximize the impact of those toasty, caramelized milk proteins. Ice cream such as butter pecan, for example, would make for a perfect complement to the buttery topping. The nuttiness of those proteins will bring out the pecan notes, and the fat-rich butter will add sumptuousness to this old school flavor. Vanilla also works as a lovely, simple contrast, and will really let the taste of that butter shine. Other varieties, such as pumpkin, or even a brown butter ice cream if you can find it, would also work wonders. (Brown butter even works with matcha or strawberry flavors.)

To further highlight the brown butter, add a few sprinkles of other toppings, such as pretzels (for crunch), or even some crumbled potato chips for an extra salty kick. Other additions, such as white chocolate chips, can emphasize the creaminess of your butter topping. The key is to add a topping that both complements an existing aspect of your brown butter and adds even more dimension. For example, crumbling some toffee on top of your ice cream will bring a similar warmth while also amping up the sweetness. But really, there are just about infinite ways to customize this delicious combo.