Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
These homemade ice cream sandwiches feature soft, brownie-like chocolate cookies that embrace your favorite ice cream in a nostalgic yet elevated treat. Perfect for summer gatherings, they maintain their texture when frozen and can be personalized with endless flavor combinations.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed for deeper color
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 quarts ice cream of choice vanilla works beautifully, but any flavor works
- Optional toppings: mini chocolate chips sprinkles, crushed nuts for edges
Instructions
- Prepare your workspace by lining two baking sheets with parchment paper and taking your ice cream out of the freezer to soften slightly (about 10 minutes).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined and no cocoa lumps remain.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This incorporation of air is crucial for the right cookie texture.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Overmixing will result in tough cookies.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while the dough is chilling.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into 24 equal balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Gently flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to about 1/4-inch thickness. For perfectly shaped sandwiches, use a round cookie cutter as a guide.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly soft. They should not be crispy!
- Cool completely on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling.
- Once cookies are completely cooled, scoop slightly softened ice cream onto the flat side of one cookie, then top with another cookie, flat side down, and gently press to create a sandwich.
- Immediately wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and place in the freezer. If adding edge toppings, roll the exposed ice cream edges in your chosen topping before freezing.
- Freeze for at least 2 hours or until the ice cream is firm again.
Notes
- Make sure your cookies are completely cooled before assembling to prevent the ice cream from melting too quickly.
- For uniformly-sized sandwiches, use a round cookie cutter or glass to trim cookies after baking if needed.
- Working in batches of 2-3 sandwiches at a time keeps the ice cream from melting while you assemble.
- These can be made up to a week in advance—just keep them well-wrapped in the freezer.
- For easier assembly, you can spread softened ice cream into a parchment-lined square pan, refreeze, then cut rounds with the same cutter used for cookies.