Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Sandwich (Print Version)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream layered between espresso-infused cookies for a frozen dessert delight.

# What You'll Need:

→ Espresso Cookies

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
06 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
08 - 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

11 - 2 cups heavy cream
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
15 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod (or paste), and salt. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is steaming, but not boiling. Remove from heat and discard vanilla pod if using bean. Stir in heavy cream and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until very cold.
02 - Churn mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Spread churned ice cream into a parchment-lined 9x13-inch baking pan to approximately 1 inch thick. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
04 - In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
05 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
06 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.
07 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
08 - Divide dough in half. Roll each half between two sheets of parchment paper to approximately 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 16 cookies and place on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.
10 - Remove ice cream slab from freezer and cut into 8 rounds using the same 3-inch cutter.
11 - Place each ice cream round between two cookies and gently press together. Wrap each sandwich in parchment and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like that perfect coffee shop order, except you made it with your own hands and it's infinitely better.
  • The contrast between warm-baked espresso cookies and creamy vanilla bean ice cream is honestly addictive.
  • People genuinely lose their minds when you serve these—they're fancy enough to impress but fun enough to devour.
02 -
  • The vanilla bean makes an enormous difference—don't substitute with just vanilla extract or you'll lose the sophisticated flavor that makes these special.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly, so pull out your butter and eggs at least 30 minutes before you start baking.
  • If you don't have an ice cream maker, freeze the base in a shallow dish and stir it vigorously every 30 minutes for about 3 hours until it reaches soft-serve consistency, then transfer to the baking pan.
03 -
  • Use a warm, damp kitchen towel to wipe your 3-inch cutter between cuts so you get clean edges on both cookies and ice cream.
  • If your espresso cookies are spreading too much in the oven, your butter was too warm or your dough was too soft—chill the cut dough for 15 to 20 minutes before baking and watch for a few minutes to see if they're spreading excessively.
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