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Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Make Ice Cream Sandwiches: sandwich rich chocolate wafers around a creamy vanilla slab, freeze, slice, and serve.

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time42 minutes
Yield12

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Soften the Ice Cream and Freeze as a Slab

Let the vanilla ice cream sit at room temperature until noticeably soft but not melted, about 20–30 minutes; it should be scoopable and spreadable but still cold. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper, scoop or spoon the softened ice cream into the pan, spread it into an even, smooth layer with an offset spatula, cover loosely with another sheet of parchment and return to the freezer until the ice cream is fully firm again (several hours or overnight if you have time). This creates a neat, square slab that will be easy to sandwich later.

Step 2: Prepare the Baking Sheet and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a large 18x13-inch baking sheet by buttering it and lining it with parchment paper so the thin cookie slab releases cleanly. Having the sheet ready keeps the workflow smooth when the batter is mixed: a rectangle is critical here because the final sandwiches keep that geometry.

Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until the mixture is uniform and the cocoa has lost any lumps. The dry mix should be a deep, even chocolate color with a soft, dusty texture that will integrate smoothly into the creamed butter.

Step 4: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle), beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light, pale, and noticeably fluffy—about three minutes. Stop once or twice to scrape down the sides so the mixture is homogenous and aerated, with tiny glossy peaks and a creamy, pillowy texture.

Step 5: Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time, allowing each to become fully incorporated before adding the next, then stir in the vanilla extract. The mixture should become slightly looser, glossy, and cohesive—no streaks of butter or separate pools of egg—ready to accept the dry ingredients.

Step 6: Mix in the Dry Ingredients and Spread the Batter

Fold or beat the flour-cocoa mixture into the butter-egg mixture on low speed until fully combined and the batter is dense, fudgy, and glossy with a short, spreadable consistency. Using an offset spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared 18x13-inch pan and spread into a uniform, even layer, smoothing the top so it will bake as a single thin cookie slab. Keep a small bowl with residual batter and the same mixing bowl visible nearby; an offset spatula with batter streaks resting on the parchment helps tell the story.


Step 7: Bake and Cool the Cookie Slab

Bake the slab for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the surface appears dry and the edges start to pull away from the parchment. Let it cool slightly in the pan, then run a knife or small offset spatula around the edges and transfer the whole parchment with cookie to a wire rack to cool completely. The cooled slab should be slightly crisp at the edges and tender in the center, with a matte, textured chocolate surface.

Step 8: Assemble and Freeze the Sandwich

Place the cooled cookie slab on a cutting board, peel away the parchment, and cut the slab widthwise into two 9x13-inch halves. Sandwich the frozen ice cream slab between the two cookie halves, trimming the edges as needed so the layers line up cleanly. Wrap the entire rectangular sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until very firm, at least four hours or overnight for easiest slicing.

Step 9: Slice and Serve the Ice Cream Sandwiches

Unwrap the frozen block and, using a warm serrated knife, cut into 12 even square sandwiches. Serve immediately, or keep them wrapped in the freezer. Each sandwich should reveal two dark, textured chocolate wafers encasing a thick, even slab of pure vanilla ice cream—clean geometry, crisp edges, and a pleasing contrast of creamy white and deep chocolate.


Notes