Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
My homemade ice cream sandwiches layer creamy vanilla ice cream between two soft, chewy chocolate cookies. They’re a summer favorite.
These homemade ice cream sandwiches are made with soft chocolate cookies and a thick layer of vanilla ice cream in the middle. They’re a special occasion treat at my house, and they’re worth every step.
I don’t make these all summer long. They’re more of a once-in-a-while treat for my family, and that’s part of what makes them fun.
The cookies stay soft and chewy straight from the freezer.
That’s the biggest problem with most homemade versions. The cookies freeze solid, and the sandwich falls apart before you finish it. These don’t do that.
Fair warning: this recipe has several steps and a lot of freezer time. None of it’s hard, but patience is key.
Tips for the Best Ice Cream Sandwiches
Slightly underbake the cookies. Pull them when the edges are set but the centers are still soft. They’ll firm up as they cool.
Clear freezer space before you start. You’ll need room for a baking sheet of cookies and a pan of ice cream.
Line everything with parchment or plastic wrap. Parchment for the cookie sheets and plastic wrap for the ice cream pan. It keeps things from sticking and makes cleanup so much easier.
Move fast when you assemble. Work with one sandwich at a time and get it wrapped and back in the freezer right away. If you assemble the whole batch first, the early ones will be melting by the time you finish.
What You’ll Need
How to Make Ice Cream Sandwiches
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
Cream the butter and both sugars in a stand mixer until fluffy. It takes about 3 to 4 minutes on medium speed.
Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. Then add the flour mixture on low speed until it comes together.
Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. It needs to be firm before rolling.
Let the chilled dough sit out for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s pliable but not sticky. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛-inch thick.
Cut out circles with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
You’ll want to use a spatulat to move the cookie dough because it’s gonna be soft.
Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should be set and the centers still soft.
Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Once they’re cool, freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 2 to 3 hours.
Let the ice cream soften slightly, then spread it into a plastic wrap-lined pan. Freeze for 4 to 5 hours until it’s firm.
Cut ice cream circles with the same biscuit cutter. The rounds fit the cookies perfectly, so nothing squishes out the sides.
Place each ice cream round between two cookies. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap immediately, and get it back in the freezer.
Freeze the wrapped sandwiches for 8 hours or overnight. Then enjoy them straight from the freezer.
I like to serve these with a drizzle of hot fudge to make them extra fancy. Most of the time, though, they don’t last long enough for extra toppings.
How to Store Them
Keep each sandwich wrapped in parchment paper or plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. The individual wrapping keeps them from sticking together and protects them from freezer burn.
They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving if they feel too firm.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling
- 1 ½ quarts vanilla ice cream, store-bought or homemade
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Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder. Set aside.1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour⅓ cup Dutch process cocoa powder½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon espresso powder
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.½ cup unsalted butter½ cup light brown sugar⅓ cup granulated sugar1 large egg½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until firm.
- Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes until pliable but not sticky. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to ⅛-inch thickness.
- Cut out circles using a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Transfer them to parchment-lined baking sheets, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Once the cookies are cool, freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
- Let the ice cream soften slightly, then spread it into a plastic wrap-lined pan in an even layer. Freeze for 4 to 5 hours until firm.1 ½ quarts vanilla ice cream
- Cut out ice cream circles using the same 3-inch biscuit cutter. Place one ice cream circle between two cookies to form a sandwich.
- Wrap each assembled sandwich in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
