Crispy and chewy flourless chocolate cookies encase rich vanilla ice cream in these homemade gluten-free ice cream sandwiches. They're easy to make, and are a real summertime treat!
[July, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with new pictures. Enjoy!]
Why this recipe works
- Flourless chocolate cookies are crispy and chewy, a great contrast against the ice cream
- The gluten-free cookies come together quickly. No mixer required!
- You can use homemade or store bought ice cream
Ice cream sandwiches take me back to childhood. Memories of softened vanilla ice cream smooshing out between chocolate wafers and dripping down my arm takes me back to when the biggest worry I had was making sure I ate it all before it melted.
Now I can make my own chocolate cookies for homemade ice cream sandwiches, plus I can make the best vanilla ice cream to fill them.
Rather than having the traditional soft chocolate wafer, I use flourless chocolate walnut cookies (without the walnuts). They have a crunchy exterior and a chewy interior that provides a nice texture experience for this gluten-free ice cream sandwich.
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What you need
The ingredients for a flourless chocolate cookie recipe are basic and are usually at hand. No special trips to the store are required. The cookies come together quickly. No mixer is needed since there's no butter to cream.
They get their structure from just a few ingredients: powdered sugar, egg whites, and cocoa powder. Together, these ingredients give these cookies their crispy, chewy, fudgy texture. Vanilla, salt, and a sprinkling of sea salt add flavor.
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How to make ice cream sandwiches
Step 1: Make the flourless cookie batter
Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl, then add the salt and whisk to combine.
Mix in the egg whites and vanilla extract until the batter is just moistened (photo 1). Don't over-mix the batter or it will stiffen. We’re not trying to whip these egg whites as we would for a meringue.
Step 2: Bake the cookie
Portion out two tablespoons of batter using a medium cookie scoop. The batter is runny and should form into a circular shape easily. Give the cookies space to spread on the pan. If you can spare the time, let the batter rest at room temperature on their trays for 30 to 60 minutes to dry before baking.
Bake the cookies at 325˚F for 20 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked, shifting the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through to ensure even baking.
The cookies will be fragile when coming out of the oven, so let them cool completely before removing them from the pan. If desired, finish the cookies with a sprinkle of sea salt after the cookies come out of the oven (photo 2).
Step 3: Assemble the ice cream sandwiches
Lay a square of plastic wrap on the counter. Place one cookie upside down so the flat side is facing you. Gently place one ¼-cup scoop of ice cream (about 45 grams) in the center of the cookie (photo 3).
Use a spreader to smooth the ice cream to the edges. Remember, flourless chocolate cookies are fragile on the outside so go slow and be gentle!
Place another cookie on top right side up. Wrap the ice cream sandwich with the plastic and gently smoosh the two cookies together. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. Wrap the assembled sandwiches in plastic wrap and and freeze until firm, about an hour (photo 4).
For a fun & festive look, roll the sandwiches in mini chocolate chips or sprinkles before freezing. Now they're ready for a party!
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Laying the first cookie on plastic wrap means you can wrap the sandwich before moving it. The wrap also helps hold the sandwiches together while the ice cream is still soft while freezing, and protects the crispy cookie exterior in the freezer.
You can use any flavor ice cream that suits your fancy, but I prefer the traditional combination of chocolate-cookies-and-vanilla-ice-cream. Using store-bought ice cream is fine, but for a homemade treat make your own vanilla ice cream. Other homemade flavor suggestions would be Chocolate Mint Chip Gelato, Chocolate Mint Marshmallow Ice Cream, or Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato. You can even use dairy-free ice cream for gluten-free dairy-free ice cream sandwiches.
Separating the eggs is probably the hardest part of the whole process (so not very hard, then). Using an egg separator helps. Don't worry if you get a bit of yolk in with the whites. We're not making meringue here.
Pro Tip: Bake flourless chocolate cookies
Be sure to use two half sheet baking pans lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper. If you're using parchment paper, spray it with baking spray to ensure the cookies don't stick. Yes, spray the parchment paper!
Like with French Macarons, allowing the batter to dry out on the pan before baking gives them just the right amount of lift needed. If you don't have the 30 to 60 minutes needed, the cookies will be flatter but still useable.
I finish the cookies with a sprinkle of sea salt after the cookies come out of the oven because it would stick more before baking (and I didn’t want to over-salt them). You can decide whether to add salt before or after baking, or even at all. The salt tends to melt into the cookies after they're frozen, but you can still taste it.
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking pan before attempting to move them. Otherwise, they might break apart on you. They'll be tasty, but unusable for ice cream sandwiches.
A hand-held treat
These homemade ice cream sandwiches are creamy, crispy, chewy, chocolatey, all in one! Truly, they're better than what you can get at the market.
The flourless cookies hold everything together without sticking to your hands (which sometimes happens with store-bought sandwiches). Another plus!
It's time to make new summertime memories!
[ ** bites into a ice cream sandwich ** ]
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
There are many ways to enjoy a treat if you're on a special diet. Here are a few ideas that are all gluten-free, and I have many more. Have a go!
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Recipe
Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Equipment
- ice cream scoop
- spreader
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder, natural or dutch-process
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- sea salt flakes, optional
- 1½ cups vanilla ice cream, softened, see Recipe Notes
Instructions
- Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat temperature to 325 °F.
- Line two half sheet baking pans with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper. If you're using parchment paper, spray it with baking spray to ensure the cookies don't stick. (Yes, spray the parchment paper!)
- Make the cookies: Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl, then add the salt and whisk to combine.
- Mix in the egg whites and vanilla extract until the batter is just moistened. Don't over-mix the batter or it will stiffen (we’re not trying to whip these egg whites as we would for a meringue).
- Scoop two tablespoons of the batter onto the baking pans in evenly spaced circles using a medium cookie scoop. If you can spare the time, let the batter rest at room temperature on their trays for 30 to 60 minutes to dry before baking.
- Bake the cookies for 20 minutes until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked, shifting the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through to ensure even baking.
- If desired, finish the cookies with a sprinkle of sea salt after the cookies come out of the oven. Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the pan.
- Assemble the ice cream sandwiches: Allow the ice cream to soften at room temperature, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Lay a square of plastic wrap on the counter. Place one cookie upside down so the flat side is facing you. Gently place one ¼-cup scoop of ice cream (about 45 grams) in the center of the cookie and use a spreader to smooth the ice cream to the edges. Remember, flourless chocolate cookies are fragile on the outside so go slow and be gentle!
- Place another cookie on top right side up. Wrap the ice cream sandwich with the plastic and gently smoosh the two cookies together. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
- Wrap the assembled sandwich in the plastic wrap and and freeze until firm, about an hour. Enjoy!
- Cookies can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The assembled ice cream sandwiches will keep in the freezer for a week or two.
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