Vanilla Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches

It’s August and I know I’m not alone when I say that I’m literally freaking out that summertime is almost over. Time is flying by waaaayyy too fast and I’m kinda mad about it to be honest. There just aren’t enough hours in the day or days in the week to get it all done and fit in some good ‘ol fashion family fun. For those of you that noticed the absence in your inbox last week, let me just say that I had every intention of writing this blog post last week while we were touring colleges on the east coast. The fact that I’m visiting colleges with my oldest daughter who I swear just started kindergarten yesterday is just another example of how quickly time flies. In my mind I’d have hours of free time to whittle away on my laptop while driving through the vast Virginia countryside or during a layover in our nation’s capital waiting for an inevitably delayed flight. That was clearly not the case {hence, your empty inbox} and I apologize for making you wait even one extra minute for this drool worthy recipe. Better late than never they always say….and this recipe is one worth waiting for.

I’ll start by saying that these Vanilla Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches are one of my most liked posts on Instagram. So you’re probably thinking they’re bound be good, right? I’ll leave it up to you to test that theory for yourself. For me, ice cream sandwiches are the quintessential summer dessert and our freezer is generally stocked with at least a half dozen of these frozen bad boys. These mega frozen treats are like a Chipwich on steroids. This flavor combination is hands down my favorite to date and it’s simple enough to please all the little hungry people lurking at your freezer door. The recipe is not complicated but there are several steps involved so plan ahead accordingly. If you are short on time (aren’t we all) and want to cut corners to make a semi-homemade ice cream sandwich, who am I to stop you?  Either way, these cookie ice cream duos are the ticket to some sweet summer days ahead.

To make these ice cream sandwiches first we start with the bookends of this sweet treat made up of a salted chocolate chip cookie adapted from The Vanilla Bean Baking Book. These are not @sarah_keiffer’s #panbanging cookies exactly, but they are definitely a close cousin. To ensure a cookie sturdy enough to stand up to a pile of ice cream we skip the pan-banging step resulting in a thicker, heartier cookie. Feel free to make the cookies in advance to make your life easier when it’s time to assemble the sandwiches.

Now comes the fork in the road where you’ll have to decide which path to take. Semi-homemade or full on from-scratch. If you choose the first, grab yourself a tub of your favorite plain Jane vanilla ice cream at the market and swirl some of the caramel sauce into it and refreeze. If you choose the later, be forewarned that it’s a little more work and a few more dishes but hey, nothing worthwhile is ever easy–right? If you choose to forego your store-bought ice cream, you’ll be making a batch of the cold stuff in your slow churn ice cream maker and then swirling the caramel in before freezing. Now before you say that’s too many steps or too much trouble…I will challenge you by saying there is nothing like homemade ice cream. Nothing.

The caramel swirl in this vanilla ice cream is what really puts these icebox sandwiches over the top. Like W-A-Y over the top. Whether you use store bought ice cream or churn your own, promise me this. Make this caramel sauce from the Bake From Scratch cookbook. Volume II, page number 357 to be exact. I didn’t memorize that or anything {wink, wink}. Trust me when I say you’ll be looking for all kinds of excuses to smother this caramel sauce on anything edible that crosses your path. It’s to-die-for and so simple to make with pantry staples you likely have on hand. It doesn’t disappoint and you can thank me later for the tip.

I’m going to sign off here and go find myself one of these cold treats in my own freezer because after starring at these photos for an hour I think it’s only fair I actually enjoy one. I hope you love these Vanilla Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches as much as I do. Tell a friend, leave a comment, send me some love. And head on over to Instagram and tap that follow button too {if you haven’t already} for your daily dose of all things sweet. I’ll meet you back here next week with another summer-lovin’ recipe.

Stay cool out there friends!

XO

Vanilla Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches

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• Author: Browned Butter Blondie
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Category: Dessert

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Description

These giant Vanilla Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches made with homemade chocolate chip cookies are the ticket to sweet summer days ahead. Made with slow churned vanilla ice cream swirled with stovetop caramel sauce, these frozen treats are an over the top dessert perfect for all ages.

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Ingredients

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For Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup fine bakers sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups plus 3 TBSP all purpose flour
• 1 heaping cup chocolate chips, semisweet or bittersweet

For Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup plus 2 TBSP granulate sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract

For Caramel Sauce From Bake From Scratch Cookbook, Volume II

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

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Instructions

For Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt
2. In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy
3. Add egg and vanilla
4. Mix well
5. Add flour mixture slowly to butter mixture and mix until just combined
6. Stir in chocolate chips being careful not to over mix
7. Scoop cookie dough into balls with large cookie scoop and freeze on cookie sheet for 1 hour or overnight
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
9. Bake cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment paper for about 10 minutes rotating halfway through
10. Remove from oven when golden brown and centers of cookies are slightly under baked
11. Cool on cookie sheets for five minutes and then cool completely on baking rack

For Vanilla Ice Cream

1. In a medium bowl, use a whisk or handheld electric mixer on low speed to combine milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract until combined
3. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours or overnight
4. Turn electric ice cream maker on and slowly pour the mixture through the spout
5. Mix until thickened and creamy
6. Place ice cream in a large bowl, drizzle room temperature caramel sauce onto ice cream
7. Gently stir to combine adding caramel to desired consistency
8. Store ice cream in airtight container in freezer until ready to assemble sandwiches

For Caramel Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat
2. Add brown sugar, stir to combine
3. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick)
4. Carefully pour in cream (mixture will foam), vanilla and salt
5. Remove from heat and stir to combine
6. Let cool to room temperature before adding to vanilla ice cream
7. Store any remaining caramel sauce in a glass jar up to 3 weeks in refrigerator

Assembly

1. Once cookies are cool and ice cream is frozen, remove ice cream from freezer and place a large scoop of ice cream onto bottom of one cookie
2. Top with another cookie
3. Drizzle more caramel sauce over the ice cream sandwich if desired
4. Freeze tightly wrapped in freezer

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