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Ice Cream Pretzel Cake

Ice cream pretzel cake with a caramelized, salty-sweet pretzel crust and a creamy no-bake frozen center. Finished with a fudge ribbon and caramel drizzle, so each slice shows a crisp pretzel layer beside smooth ice cream.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
freezing 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pretzel crust
  • 3 cups mini pretzels Crushed
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Melted (1 stick)
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
Frozen ice cream layer
  • 0.5 gallon vanilla or chocolate ice cream Softened
Fudge and whipped topping
  • 1 cup hot fudge sauce
  • 1.5 cups whipped topping (Cool Whip)
Caramel topping and garnish
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce
  • 1 whole pretzels For topping
  • 1 flaky sea salt For topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the pretzel crust
  1. Combine crushed mini pretzels, melted unsalted butter, and brown sugar until evenly mixed. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and freeze at 0°F for 20 minutes.
Layer the cake
  1. Spread softened vanilla or chocolate ice cream in an even layer over the frozen pretzel crust. Keep it level so the top layer slices cleanly.
  2. Drizzle hot fudge sauce over the ice cream and swirl gently with a knife. Aim for thin ribbons so the fudge stays visible in the cross-section.
  3. Top with whipped topping (Cool Whip) and spread smooth. Cover the fudge swirls evenly while keeping the surface flat.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top and press whole pretzels in decoratively. Place pretzels gently so they adhere to the softened topping.
  5. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top and freeze at 0°F for at least 6 hours or overnight before slicing. Let it sit briefly before cutting if needed for clean slices.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, freeze until firm and use a sharp knife wiped between cuts. Store covered in the freezer up to 1 week; it does not require thawing before serving but will soften quickly at room temperature. Freezing is best (no-bake). If you want a lower-sugar option, choose a reduced-sugar whipped topping and a lighter caramel sauce.