2-Ingredient Copycat Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard Recipe

Dairy Queen's Blizzards are in a league of their own. They're not thin enough to sip through a straw like other fast food milkshakes, but they're significantly more flavorful than a simple ice cream cone. This rich, decadent treat is packed full of chunks of cookies, candy bars, or fudge, and it's ready to eat minutes after ordering it. And the best part: It gloriously defies gravity each time the employee turns it upside down when they hand it to you.

Although Dairy Queen comes out with limited-edition Blizzards all the time, the Candy Classic Blizzards continue to capture our hearts with their simplicity. As it turns out, each of these Blizzards can be made with only two ingredients: vanilla ice cream and the candy of your choice. So we set out to give it a try, choosing the Oreo Cookie Blizzard Treat as our test subject. We wanted to know if we could make a 2-ingredient copycat Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard that would taste as good as the original and (more importantly) if it would be a pain to make at home. How did it turn out? Read on to find out!

In the past, we've used a blender to make copycat ice cream drink recipes, like our 3-ingredient copycat McDonald's Oreo McFlurry or Starbucks Vanilla Bean Créme Frappuccino. This time around, we're going to skip the blender and use a stand mixer (or a handheld electric mixer) to make a 2-ingredient copycat Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard recipe. What makes the Blizzard different from the McFlurry is its consistency. The end result needed to be thick enough to hold it upside down. If we used a blender, we would add heat and melt the ice cream, resulting in a more milkshake-like drink.

Instead, we'll use the stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Whipping the ice cream softens it just enough to incorporate the Oreo toppings without melting it. It also incorporates air into the ice cream, which would make our ice cream more similar to Dairy Queen's soft serve. According to Spoon University, air is added to Dairy Queen's soft serve during the freezing process. That air increases the ice cream's volume and decreases its weight, making it more likely to stick to the cup instead of falling out when you turn it upside down.

It turns out that Dairy Queen's ice cream is not technically "ice cream." According to the FAQs on their website, its "soft serve does not qualify to be called ice cream." Ice cream must be made with ten percent or more butterfat content, and Dairy Queen's only contains five percent butterfat content. That makes the product fit into a "reduced-fat" ice cream category, according to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) guidelines.

That said, you'll have a few choices when determining the best ice cream to use to make a 2-ingredient copycat Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard. If you want the most authentic homemade version, you'll have to stop by Dairy Queen and pick up a pint of its soft serve. But your Blizzard still might not turn out perfect, even if you use Dairy Queen's product. Soft serve starts out creamier and lighter than regular ice cream because it contains more air, but it's also served from a machine that holds the product at 23 degrees Fahrenheit. Your freezer at home will keep it closer to 0 degrees, which will harden the soft serve and affect the texture. So, you may as well pick up a grocery store ice cream that has a soft serve-like texture, like Edy's or Tillamook. We chose Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream for our test batch, but feel free to swap in your favorite vanilla ice cream brand.

When the Oreos are crushed and ready to go, it's time to create your 2-ingredient copycat Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard. Place the ice cream in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl if you're using an electric hand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the ice cream on medium speed for about a minute until the ice cream is smooth and slightly softened. You may need to stop the motor and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl if the ice cream sticks to the edges.

When the ice cream is nice and creamy, add all but one tablespoon of the crushed Oreos. Beat the mixture on low speed until the Oreos are well incorporated into the ice cream. Scoop the ice cream into a glass and top it with the remaining tablespoon of crushed Oreos. Serve immediately, before it starts to melt!

If you don't have a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, you can certainly mix the Blizzard by hand with a whisk or a large spoon. Since it takes longer to whip the ice cream this way, we recommend storing the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes before getting started to keep the ice cream from melting.