Vanilla Bean Espresso Sandwiches (Printable Version)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream nestled between espresso-flavored cookies for a frozen treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Steps:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod (or paste), and salt. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture steams, but do not boil. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod if using bean, and stir in heavy cream. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours until very cold.
02 - Churn chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer 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 softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
05 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract to the butter mixture.
06 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose 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. 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 round cutter.
11 - Place each ice cream round between two cooled cookies and gently press together. Wrap each sandwich in parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a dessert version of your favorite coffee shop drink, but infinitely more impressive to serve.
  • The texture contrast between chewy espresso cookies and smooth vanilla ice cream keeps things interesting with every bite.
  • Once assembled, they're almost impossible to mess up, making you look like a dessert genius with minimal stress.
02 -
  • The espresso powder tastes bitter if you use too much, so measure carefully; it's there to enhance, not to make people pucker.
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together smoother and create better texture in the final cookies than cold ingredients fighting each other.
  • Your ice cream base must be completely cold before churning, or the churning time extends and you end up with something that's barely set.
03 -
  • Freeze your baking sheets before placing cut cookies on them; the cold surface helps cookies spread evenly and bake more uniformly.
  • If your ice cream round breaks when cutting, just piece it back together between the cookies; nobody will ever know once it freezes again.
Return