Knickerbocker Glory, an iconic British treat, that's a popular choice for dessert lovers since the early 1900s. Our recipe combines ice cream, cranberry juice, and fresh fruit to create a satisfying dessert that people of all ages will love.
The Knickerbocker Glory will surely bring a smile to your face with each sweet spoonful. Its extravagant appearance and colorful layers make it a unique treat that stands out among other ice cream sundaes.
Whether you're a fan of ice cream sundaes or just looking for a delicious way to indulge your sweet tooth, give the Knickerbocker Glory a try and enjoy this classic treat.
If you love ice cream, you've got to try this Kit Kat ice cream, Kit Kat ice cream cones, and Kit Kat ice cream cake next!
Why You Will Love This Ice Cream Sundae Dessert
- Easily Customizable. Experiment with a variety of flavors and ingredients to create a wide array of different combinations.
- No Baking or Cooking Required. This makes the recipe easy to prepare and simple to put together for groups of all sizes.
- Perfect for Warmer Weather. It's a refreshing dessert that's ideal for special occasions, summertime fun, and a tasty treat for kids.
Ingredients
To start creating your own Knickerbocker Glory, you need to gather the following ingredients.
- Raspberries, Blackberries, and Strawberries: Our top choice for this recipe but of course you use your favorite fruits. Feel free to add blueberries, melon, grapes, peaches, mangos, sliced bananas, or diced pineapple to name a few. Also, you can use fresh, frozen, or canned fruit, in any combination.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: Vanilla ice cream is the most common flavor used to make this classic dessert.
- Cranberry Juice: Adds tart and tangy flavor!
- Whipped Topping or Whipped Cream: Adds a delicious and creamy layer to your dessert and complements the ice cream and fruits. You can swap out the whipped cream for yogurt to create a lighter and healthier option.
- Cookie Straws: Regular straws work too I just think cookie straws are much more fun.
- Garnish: Additional fruit for topping, cherries, maraschino cherries, mint leaves, chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, grated chocolate, nuts, dusting of cocoa powder, or sprinkles.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Substitutions and Variations
When preparing this recipe, you may want to try new variations. Luckily, this dessert is quite versatile allowing for numerous creative additions and variations. Here are some ideas.
- Add Alcohol: Cherry liqueur, brandy, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Baileys Irish cream, butterscotch schnapps, flavored vodka, or your favorite liqueur adds an extra kick for an adult-friendly dessert.
- Add Syrup, Jelly, or Sauce: Add strawberry sauce, rhubarb sauce, butter pecan syrup, raspberry sauce or puree (coulis), chocolate sauce, Snickers sauce, or caramel sauce for more flavor.
- Go Nuts: Add your favorite chopped, crushed, or slivered nuts like peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts to give your dessert an added crunch.
- Macerate Fruit: Prepare fruit by washing and chopping it into small pieces, then combine the fruit in a bowl and sprinkle some icing or powdered sugar on top. Allow the fruit to macerate for around 10 minutes before adding to the dessert.
- Biscuits, Cookies, and Wafers: Add some crunch or a way to scoop with wafers or chopped or crushed biscuits like toffee shortbread, Christmas crack, chocolate nut toffee, butter crunch cookies, butterscotch chocolate chip cookies, or your favorite.
- Non-Dairy Alternatives: Use a coconut or almond-based ice cream if you need to cater to dietary restrictions.
- Ice Cream Flavors: Try flavors like raspberry, strawberry, chocolate, coffee, butterscotch ripple, mint chocolate chip, caramel, or your favorite.
- Special Combinations: Use peaches and raspberries for a melba knickerbocker or blueberries and strawberries make a patriotic knickerbocker.
How to Make Knickerbocker Glory
This dessert could not be easier to prepare. Here's a look at the simple instructions.
- Distribute the blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries among the parfait glasses.
- Top the fruit with a scoop of ice cream.
- Top each glass with cranberry juice.
- Add whipped topping and additional fruit on top of the ice cream.
- Add a cookie straw to the glass. Serve and enjoy!
⭐️ Hint: Chop larger fruits into small slices or bite-sized pieces and place them at the base of each glass for easier eating!
If you love this recipe you may also enjoy our apple cider float, caramel apple milkshake, or this salted caramel milkshake.
Tips
If you want to make an unforgettable ice cream dessert here are my top tips.
- Glassware. Use tall, clear glasses to showcase the beautiful layers which can be repeated as many times as possible. A parfait glass is the classic one used but any tall glass works. Remember this dessert can be made as big or as small as you want it to be.
- Serve Immediately. This dessert is best enjoyed freshly made so avoid assembling too far in advance.
- Try Out Different Combinations. Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations of ice creams, fruits, and toppings to truly personalize your dessert.
- Leftovers. You can store leftovers separately and make them again later.
FAQ
Do you have questions about Knickerbocker Glory? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about it.
While both sundaes and Knickerbocker Glories are ice cream-based desserts, they differ in their presentation and ingredients. A classic sundae is typically served in a bowl or a smaller glass and may feature ice cream, syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. In contrast, a Knickerbocker Glory is served in a tall conical glass with distinctive layers of fruit, ice cream, cream, and meringue, making it a more elaborate and indulgent treat.
The Knickerbocker Glory first appeared in the 1920s and has since become a popular dessert in Great Britain and Ireland. The name itself is a combination of "knickerbockers," a type of trousers worn by the Dutch settlers in New York, and "glory" representing the extravagant nature of the dessert. The exact origin of the dessert is unclear, but it has remained a beloved treat for many decades.
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Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Knickerbocker Glory
Equipment
Ingredients
Milkshakes
- 2 cups raspberries or 1 pint, rinsed and dried
- 2 cups blackberries or 1 pint, rinsed and dried
- 1 cup strawberries rinsed and chopped
- 4 cups vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup cranberry juice divided
For Serving
- whipped topping
- additional fruit for topping
- 4 cookie straws
- 4 strawberries or berries of choice for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and dry all of the berries.
- Evenly distribute the blackberries, raspberries and strawberries among 4 parfait glasses.
- Top with 1 cup ice cream followed by ¼ cup cranberry juice over each.
- Top with whipped topping, additional fruit, a cookie straw and your chosen berry. Serve.
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