Peanut Butter Boat Recipe
Peanut Butter, Bananas, Hot Fudge, Spanish Peanuts
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Ingredients
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Peanut Butter Banana Base
Ice Cream & Sundae Components
Optional Garnishes
Method
Peanut Butter Banana Base
Prepare bananas
Peel the bananas and slice them lengthwise into halves. If you prefer smaller pieces, cut each half into two lengthwise pieces so you have 4 banana strips from each whole banana.
Warm and mix peanut butter
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the creamy peanut butter with the 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp sugar (if using). Microwave on medium for 15-20 seconds until softened and slightly runny. Stir thoroughly until smooth. The butter and sugar are optional but make the peanut butter more spreadable and slightly sweeter.
Assemble banana base: on a serving dish shaped like a boat (or a long bowl/boat plate), arrange the banana halves/strips along the sides or bottom so they form a cradle for the ice cream. Spoon about half of the warmed peanut butter over the bananas, spreading gently so bananas are lightly coated. Reserve the remaining peanut butter for drizzling.
Ice Cream & Sundae Assembly
Add ice cream
Place three scoops of vanilla ice cream into the banana cradle on top of the peanut-butter-coated bananas, arranging them evenly.
Add hot fudge
Warm the hot fudge slightly if it is very thick (10–15 seconds in the microwave). Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of hot fudge over the ice cream and bananas. Save approximately 1 tablespoon for finishing if desired.
Add peanuts
Roughly chop or crush the Spanish peanuts if they are whole. Sprinkle all of the peanuts (about 3 tablespoons) over the hot fudge and ice cream so they stick to the fudge and peanut butter.
Whipped cream and finishing
Top the sundae with about 1/2 cup whipped cream. If using, sprinkle the chocolate shavings or a light dusting of cocoa powder over the whipped cream. Place a maraschino cherry on top. If you warmed and reserved extra peanut butter or hot fudge, drizzle the remaining peanut butter or fudge over the whipped cream and cherry. Finish with a light pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of sea salt if desired to enhance flavors.
Serving & Notes
Serve immediately: present the Peanut Butter Boat right away while the ice cream is cold and the sauces are warm. Provide a long spoon so guests can reach the bananas and layers beneath the ice cream.
Variations: swap vanilla ice cream for chocolate or banana ice cream; use chunky peanut butter for more texture; replace Spanish peanuts with chopped roasted peanuts or honey-roasted peanuts for a sweeter finish.