My friend Billy told me about rocky road. Of course I know good and well about the ice cream. It’s one of my favorite flavors. It was my absolute go-to when I was a little kid. But this is different. It’s more of a confection, I’d say. It’s a good gift-able type of dessert that you could easily place in little bags and give them to all your favorite people.

I also think it’s an amazing make-ahead recipe for any party or get-together because you can keep it in the fridge for a few days without losing any of its integrity.

The best part about it is that it’s super easy and quick. During this time of year, I always have all of these items in my pantry so think of it like a pantry dessert!

Of course, you could swap out the cashews for almonds, walnuts, or pecans. You can use bittersweet or dark chocolate versus semi-sweet. And the freeze-dried strawberries could be left out entirely, though I love the tartness they provide. These ratios can be used as a guide— get creative!

Rocky Road

As a favorite ice cream flavor, this version of rocky road has the same crunch but adds the tanginess of strawberries. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• 6 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 1/2 cups cashews 
• 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
• Pinch of salt 

Directions

1. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the marshmallows, cashews and raspberries. 
2. To a medium bowl, combine the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and salt. In a microwave, melt in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each warming, until completely melted. 
3. Pour the chocolate mixture over the marshmallow mixture, stir quickly in order to combine properly. You’ll need to act quickly. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and gently press into the corners and edges. 
4. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 to 2 hours until firm. Slice it up into cubes to serve. 

Yield: 8-10

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.