Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Baskin-Robbins is known for ice cream, of course, and the sheer variety of Baskin-Robbins' ice cream flavors makes the chain stand out, but there's also the assortment of specialty desserts like ice cream cakes, pies, and Polar Pizzas that get any sweet tooth tingling. Recipe developer Patterson Watkins has recreated a popular Baskin-Robbins Polar Pizza flavor, the peanut butter 'n chocolate, so you don't even need to locate a store to enjoy the frozen treat — you can have fun making it right at home.
Of course, if you're anything like Watkins, then the idea of a decadent peanut butter 'n chocolate Polar Pizza brings out your inner child. "I am in love with this silly ice cream cookie pizza creation," Watkins says, though she notes that despite the fun and nostalgic appeal that the polar pizza has, it does also pack some sophisticated and balanced flavors. "The chocolate and PB ice cream is luscious with a slightly bitter edge that balances the overall sweetness," she describes, adding, "The choco fudge, peanut butter drizzles, and chopped PB cups add a playful texture and eye-appealing finish." This copycat Baskin-Robbins Polar Pizza may not be the simplest dessert to whip up, but it sure is one guaranteed to enthrall kids and adults alike.
Gather the ingredients for this copycat Baskin-Robbins peanut butter 'n chocolate polar pizza
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
There are a few key components to any good Polar Pizza: the cookie crust layer, the ice cream layer, and the sauces drizzled on top. For the cookie crust, you'll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, softened salted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and chopped chocolate peanut butter cups.
As for that ice cream layer, you'll need three (softened) pints of chocolate peanut butter ice cream — any chocolate PB ice cream will do, but you may have the best bet finding that specific flavor by purchasing the Baskin-Robbins brand. For the peanut butter sauce to drizzle on top, you'll want creamy peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and whole milk. Finally, you'll need some extra chopped chocolate peanut butter cups to sprinkle over the ice cream layer, along with some fudge sauce to drizzle over the pizza along with the PB sauce.
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step 2: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Place the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 3: Beat the softened butter
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
Step 4: Beat the sugars, vanilla, and eggs into the butter
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl with the butter, and beat until combined.
Step 5: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Add the flour mixture to the bowl and stir to combine the batter.
Step 6: Stir in the chopped peanut butter cups
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Add 1 ½ cups of chopped peanut butter cups to the bowl and gently stir to combine.
Step 7: Line a skillet with parchment paper
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Line a large oven-proof skillet with parchment paper.
Step 8: Transfer the dough to the skillet
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared skillet.
Step 9: Spread the cookie dough out
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Spread the cookie dough out in an even layer, pressing the dough up around the sides of the skillet to create a crust.
Step 10: Bake the cookie crust
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cookie is deeply golden brown with just a little bit of softness in the center. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
Step 11: Whisk together the peanut butter sauce
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Meanwhile, make the peanut butter sauce by placing the creamy peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and whole milk in a large bowl and whisking to combine.
Step 12: Set the cookie crust on a wire rack to cool
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Once the cookie has cooled, remove it from the skillet, and place it on a wire rack or platter.
Step 13: Spread the ice cream over the cookie crust
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Top the cookie with the softened ice cream, spreading it out evenly.
Step 14: Top with chopped peanut butter cups
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Sprinkle the ice cream with 1 cup of chopped peanut butter cups. (If the ice cream is starting to become very melty, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before continuing.)
Step 15: Slice the Polar Pizza before freezing it
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Using a sturdy chef's knife, cut the pizza into wedges (this will make it easier to serve later). Place the pizza in the freezer to set for 3 hours (or overnight).
Step 16: Drizzle the Polar Pizza with the peanut butter and fudge sauces
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Once set, drizzle the pizza with peanut butter sauce and chocolate fudge before serving.
What can I serve with my polar pizza?
Copycat Baskin-Robbins Peanut Butter 'N Chocolate Polar Pizza Recipe
With chocolate and peanut butter ice cream in a peanut butter cup-studded cookie crust, our copycat Baskin-Robbins Polar Pizza is a surefire crowd-pleaser.
Total time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
- For the cookie crust
- 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup chopped chocolate peanut butter cups
- For the peanut butter sauce
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 3 pints chocolate and peanut butter ice cream, softened until smooth and stirrable
- 1 cup chopped chocolate peanut butter cups
- 1 cup chocolate fudge ice cream topping
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Place the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the bowl with the butter, and beat until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl and stir to combine the batter.
- Add 1 ½ cups of chopped peanut butter cups to the bowl and gently stir to combine.
- Line a large oven-proof skillet with parchment paper.
- Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared skillet.
- Spread the cookie dough out in an even layer, pressing the dough up around the sides of the skillet to create a crust.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cookie is deeply golden brown with just a little bit of softness in the center. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the peanut butter sauce by placing the creamy peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and whole milk in a large bowl and whisking to combine.
- Once the cookie has cooled, remove it from the skillet, and place it on a wire rack or platter.
- Top the cookie with the softened ice cream, spreading it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the ice cream with 1 cup of chopped peanut butter cups. (If the ice cream is starting to become very melty, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before continuing.)
- Using a sturdy chef's knife, cut the pizza into wedges (this will make it easier to serve later). Place the pizza in the freezer to set for 3 hours (or overnight).
- Once set, drizzle the pizza with peanut butter sauce and chocolate fudge before serving.
| Calories per Serving | 1,342 |
| Total Fat | 69.3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 33.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.9 g |
| Cholesterol | 153.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 164.4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 113.4 g |
| Sodium | 930.3 mg |
| Protein | 22.5 g |
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
What creative liberties can you take when making this copycat Polar Pizza?
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
While Watkins acknowledges that Baskin-Robbins did a pretty good job creating the OG Polar Pizza, she has always had one complaint: there's not enough ice cream. "The only thing, my one critique, is that I wanted more ice cream," she explains. A Baskin-Robbins Polar Pizza has a ratio that's something like 1:1 cookie crust to ice cream, so to mitigate this problem in her homemade Polar Pizza, she "deep-dished" the crust. By using a skillet as opposed to a pizza pan, you get that deep-dish-style cookie crust that houses more ice cream and conveniently , "This 'more-ness' also allows for a little more time at room temperature and takes longer to become a melty mess than the original."
You can, of course, opt out of Watkins' deep-dish design and simply bake the cookie crust on a pizza pan, but you'll only need two pints of ice cream (instead of three) if you do so. And, as expected, your Polar Pizza will have a little less polar and a little more pizza. Or you can get super creative and divvy the cookie dough into a muffin tin to make individual, single-serve Polar Pizzas. Finally, Watkins went for "maximum PB cup infusion" with her take on this Polar Pizza, but you could simply make a chocolate chip cookie crust instead.
What are tips for making a successful Polar Pizza?
Patterson Watkins/Mashed
Frozen treats can notoriously be quite fickle, and there are some tips to keep in mind before making an ice cream cake or Polar Pizza. For starters, don't underestimate just how much space this pizza is going to take up in your freezer. "Before even venturing into this polar pizza endeavor, clear out some serious space in your freezer," Watkins advises. And, keep in mind that you'll need a completely flat surface in your freezer to place the pizza on; otherwise, it might drip or freeze in a wonky shape.
Another thing to keep in mind is that ice cream melts fast, so you'll need to work somewhat quickly when layering the ice cream onto the cookie crust. Make sure that the crust is completely cooled (otherwise, you'll just expedite the ice cream melting), and consider working one pint at a time to reduce meltage. "Another pointer, a good idea for my prep-ahead fans, is to make the cookie crust a day ahead of time and freeze it (for 30 minutes to 1 hour) before filling it," Watkins recommends. "That will cut down on the overall freezing time as well."
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