Be the hero of your backyard BBQ with a tray of homemade ice cream sandwiches. Creamy vanilla ice cream layered between thin, soft chocolate brownie cookies is the perfection of nostalgic dessert.
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Ice cream rolls are part of summer like rain is part of spring and bicycles are part of childhood.
Ice cream sandwiches are an easy to make summertime treat. Be the hero of your neighborhood block party and bring them out to enjoy while the kids chase fireflies and the adults indulge in nostalgia.
What is an Ice Cream Sandwich?
There’s no denying that this is a simple dessert: a block of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two layers of soft, chocolatey cake.
For this recipe I made a thin brownie base to use as chocolate cake layers and stuck to traditional vanilla ice cream, but feel free to mix it up. Strawberry ice cream, mint chip, caramel, or just about any flavor in between would be delicious. What doesn’t go well with a brownie?
Once frozen, the brownie stays soft enough to bite through without the ice cream oozing out the sides—that’s a requirement for an ice cream sandwich, I think. If you want the sandwich to be even softer, let it rest for about a minute. Of course, if you’re hitting triple digits outside, 30 seconds might be enough.
I wanted this to be fairly simple and straightforward. Use a jelly roll pan (a sided baking sheet) lined with parchment paper. Spread a thin layer of brownie batter on the parchment and bake! When the brownies have cooled, wash and cut to size.
What’s the best ice cream for ice cream sandwiches?
The key is to soften the ice cream so it spreads easily on the brownie crust, then spread the other half of the brownie crust on top – after that you freeze it and cut into individual sandwiches. The edges may not be perfectly clean, but it’s an ice cream sandwich. Nobody really cares.
If you’re using homemade ice cream for this sandwich recipe, you don’t have to worry about softening it. Freshly made homemade ice cream has the same texture as soft serve when fresh out of the ice cream maker.
If you’re using store-bought ice used for this version, I would consider a few things.
High-end ice cream melts faster than its less expensive counterparts. It contains fewer commercial stabilizers. If you choose a premium brand, you may not have to wait so long for them to soften.
What is the best pan size?
OK! If there’s one part that can be a little tricky, it’s probably the pan size. Jelly roll pans come in different shapes and sizes. I used a 16×11 inch pan. It worked great.
Your pan could be a bit bigger or smaller. A 15×11 inch pan would be perfect. If your pan is much smaller I would divide the batter in half between two pans or do it in batches. If your pan is much larger, I would make a fake side by folding aluminum foil and placing it in the pan so the inside of the pan measures 16×11 or 15×11. Don’t worry about a fraction of an inch here and there. We don’t have to be too valuable in this regard.
I tried baking these in a 9×13 inch cake pan, but the brownie was just too thick. Stick with the jelly roll pan.
Spice up your ice cream sandwiches
If the basic combination of chocolate and vanilla isn’t spectacular enough for your freak flag page, or you’re looking for a way to get the kids involved, break out some sprinkles, sand sugar, mini chocolate chips, and nuts. Squeeze the sides of the ice cream in any of the above, wrap and freeze.
Try these ice cream recipes
- Coffee and heather bars
- Classic French vanilla
- Mexican chocolate ice cream
- Strawberry ice cream
- Peppermint icecream
Classic ice cream sandwiches
ingredients
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1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
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1/4 teaspoon baking powder
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1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
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4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
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1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 cup (200g) tightly packed brown sugar
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1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
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2 large eggs
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1/2 gallon ice cream, any flavor
method
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Prepare the oven and pan:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom of the jelly roll pan, then line it with parchment, leaving enough to hang over the sides. The butter will help the parchment stick to the pan as you spread the batter. The jelly roll pan should be about 15×11, give or take a little on either side.
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Combine dry ingredients:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Put aside.
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Make the chocolate sauce:
In a medium saucepan over low heat, slowly melt butter, chocolate, vanilla, and salt, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from the stove.
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Finishing the dough:
Stir the brown and white sugars into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs one at a time and stir until well combined. Fold in the flour mixture.
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Spread the batter in the pan:
Using an offset spatula or standard spatula, spread the batter in a thin, even layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. When done, the brownie should be just a little puffy and the top should look dry.
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Cool and cut the brownie sheet:
Leave to cool completely. Once cool, lift the brownie sheet out of the pan with the parchment sides. Transfer to a large cutting board.
Cut the brownie in half from north to south. Use an offset spatula or knife and run it between brownie sheets and the parchment. Place one brownie on top of the next just to make sure the top is the same size as the bottom. Trim about 1/4 inch from each side so you have smooth, even edges.
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Prepare to assemble the ice cream sandwiches:
You make a large ice cream sandwich, wrap it, freeze it, and a little later cut it into individual ice cream sandwiches.
To do this: Place a piece of cling film over the baking sheet. Leave enough hanging over the edges to wrap the entire brownie when you’re done assembling the ice cream sandwich.
Place one of the brownie sheets on the plastic wrap.
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Soften the ice:
About 15 minutes before you want to assemble the ice cream sandwiches, take the ice cream out of the freezer to soften it on your kitchen counter. It should be soft enough to scoop and spread, but not so soft that it melts and becomes runny.
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Assemble the ice cream sandwiches:
Spread the softened ice cream in an even layer over the brownie sheet on the plastic wrap-lined baking sheet. Top with the remaining brownie sheet. Wrap in cling film and freeze for at least two hours.
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Cut into individual ice cream sandwiches:
Take the ice cream sandwich out of the freezer. Place on cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 6 rectangular or 12 square ice cream sandwiches. Wrap again in plastic wrap and freeze.
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Enjoy:
When the craving for ice cream (or brownie) hits you, just head to your freezer and grab a sandwich!
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