Gordon Ramsay Brownie Sundae Recipe

Warm, fudgy brownies, cold vanilla ice cream, hot chocolate sauce, toasted walnuts and fresh strawberries. A brownie sundae is all about contrast: hot against cold, chewy against crunchy, rich against fresh. It’s a classic diner dessert rather than a Gordon Ramsay creation, and it comes together in under an hour. The full brownie quantities are in the recipe card below.

Fudgy, not cakey

The brownie is the base of the whole sundae, so it needs to be dense and fudgy.

• Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Stir just until it disappears.
• Don’t overbake. Take the brownies out when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean.
• Cool a little before cutting so the squares have neat edges.
• Cocoa: Dutch-process cocoa gives a deeper, darker flavor, but natural cocoa works too.

Short on time? A good boxed brownie mix is fine here. Bake it as the package says and put your effort into the toppings.

Building the sundae

1. Warm a brownie square slightly so it’s soft and fragrant.
2. Top it with a generous scoop of full-fat vanilla ice cream. Low-fat ice cream melts thin and icy.
3. Pour over warm chocolate sauce. Warm sauce flows; cold sauce seizes on the ice cream.
4. Finish with toasted walnuts and sliced strawberries. Toast the nuts for a few minutes in a dry pan to bring out their flavor, and toss the strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar for a few minutes to make them juicy.

Chocolate Dessert Recipes

Brownie Sundae

Fudgy homemade brownies topped with vanilla ice cream, warm chocolate sauce, toasted walnuts and fresh strawberries for a classic, indulgent dessert.

Chef Gordon Ramsay Recipes

Prep
15 minutes

Cook
25 minutes

Total
40 minutes

Serves
6 servings

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Ingredients

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter4 oz (115 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar2 large eggs, room temperature2 teaspoons vanilla extract1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour, sifted1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder1/4 teaspoon fine salt1/2 cup (85 g) chocolate chips (optional)1 pint vanilla ice cream (about 2 cups)1/2 cup (60 g) walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted6 large strawberries, hulled and halved1/2 cup (150 g) chocolate sauce, warmedWhipped cream (optional, for topping)

Instructions

01

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.

02

Melt chocolate

Place butter and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a low simmer or in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring until smooth.

03

Whisk sugar

Whisk the granulated sugar into the melted chocolate until glossy, then whisk in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.

04

Combine dry

Whisk flour, cocoa powder and salt in a small bowl to remove lumps.

05

Fold batter

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips if using.

06

Bake brownies

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake 22–28 minutes, until a toothpick shows moist crumbs but is not wet; cool 10 minutes.

07

Cut brownies

Lift brownies from the pan using the parchment, cool slightly, then cut into six even squares while still warm enough to be soft.

08

Toast walnuts

Toast chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned; remove from heat.

09

Assemble sundaes

Place a brownie square in a bowl, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle warm chocolate sauce, sprinkle toasted walnuts and arrange strawberry halves.

Chef Tips

• Don’t overmix once flour is added to keep brownies fudgy rather than cakey.
• Warm the chocolate sauce briefly so it pours over ice cream without hardening immediately.
• Toast nuts just before serving to preserve crunch and aroma.

Mix it up

• Ice cream: salted caramel, coffee or chocolate all pair well with the brownie.
• Nuts: pecans or almonds instead of walnuts.
• Banana split style: toasted pecans and caramelized bananas.
• Berries: raspberries instead of strawberries.
• For adults: a splash of coffee liqueur or rum over the ice cream.
• Lighter: serve brownie pieces with frozen yogurt and fruit.

For a crowd

Bake the brownies in a larger sheet pan and set up a sundae bar with bowls of ice cream, sauces and toppings so everyone builds their own.

Making it ahead

Bake the brownies up to 2 days ahead and keep them well wrapped at room temperature, or up to 4 days in the fridge. Warm them slightly before serving. The chocolate sauce keeps for a week in the fridge; reheat it gently.

For more chocolate desserts, try my Chocolate Lava Cake, the Chocolate Mousse Cake, or the caramel-heavy Banoffee Cake.