If you’re craving Outback Steakhouse–style chocolate ice cream desserts, you’re likely thinking of their legendary Chocolate Thunder From Down Under or Sinful Sundae. Here are two DIY copycat dessert recipes that bring those chocolatey delights home.
🍨 Chocolate Thunder From Down Under – Recipe
This is the iconic Outback brownie sundae with ice cream and hot fudge.
Ingredient Highlights
- Brownie base: all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, baking powder, salt
- Sauces:
- Chocolate sauce: store-bought or homemade melted dark chocolate
- Caramel sauce: butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla extract
- Toppings: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chopped nuts, maraschino cherry.
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Bake in greased 8×8″ pan for ~20–25 min until set, then cool.
- For the caramel sauce: gently melt butter, stir in cream and brown sugar, simmer for 5–7 minutes until smooth, then stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
- Cut brownies, heat briefly if desired (optional). Place a square on each serving plate, top with vanilla ice cream.
- Drizzle warm caramel and chocolate sauce.
- Garnish with whipped cream, chopped nuts, and a cherry
This version is rich, warm, and perfect for sharing.
🍫 Sydney’s Sinful Sundae – Best Recipe
This sundae features vanilla ice cream coated in toasted coconut, topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
Ingredients
- Vanilla ice cream scoops
- Toasted shredded coconut
- Chocolate fudge topping or homemade sauce
- Whipped cream
- Optional: fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- Place serving plates into the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Toast shredded coconut at 300 °F until golden (~25–30 min), stirring occasionally. Let cool
- Scoop ice cream balls and roll them in toasted coconut until fully coated.
- On chilled plates, spread a ring of chocolate fudge sauce.
- Place the coated ice cream, spoon more chocolate over the top, then top with whipped cream.
- Garnish with strawberries if desired and serve immediately.
🍫 Homemade Chocolate Sauce (Fudge-style)
Reddit users and blog sources mention Outback uses a very rich chocolate sauce made from:
- Semi‑sweet or dark chocolate chips (brand like Van Leer noted)
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Sugar
Heat gently in a double boiler until smooth, stirring constantly. This replicates the traditional warm fudge sauce.
🎯 If You Want Chocolate Ice Cream Itself…
You can make no‑churn chocolate ice cream without a machine, using:
- Whipped cream
- Whole eggs heated over a water bath
- Cocoa powder (preferably high-fat Dutch or natural)
- Sugar and a splash of alcohol or flavoring (e.g. crème de cacao) to improve texture and scoopability
Fold the whipped mixture, chill 6–8 hours until firm.
🧾 Quick Recipe Comparison
| Dessert | Key Components | Why It Stands Out |
|---|---|---|
| Thunder From Down Under | Brownie, vanilla ice cream, chocolate & caramel sauces, whipped cream, nuts | Warm, layered, indulgent Outback classic |
| Sydney’s Sinful Sundae | Coconut‑coated vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream | Crisp coconut exterior, soft interior contrast |
| No‑churn chocolate ice cream | Cocoa custard base and whipped cream | Rich, home‑made ice cream without a churner |
✅ Tips to Best Experience
- Use high-quality cocoa and chocolate chips for depth of flavor.
- For sauce, double‑boiler helps prevent burning/scrambling.
- Serve warm components fresh to keep ice cream from melting too fast.
- Customize toppings: pecans or walnuts, chilled cherry, coffee liqueur drizzle for depth.
