Recipe: ‘Easy, no-churn’ Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches

In her new cookbook, “Easy, No-Churn Ice Cream: The ‘No Equipment Necessary’ Guide to Standout Homemade Ice Cream” (Page Street, $23), blogger Heather Templeton shares 50 recipes for scoop shop-worthy ice cream made with little more than condensed milk, a loaf pan and freezer.

These edible cookie dough sandwiches require just a tad more work. Make the dough first, as it needs about an hour of fridge time before it is solid enough to make into sammies.

Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches

Makes 12 to 14 ice cream sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

For the edible cookie dough:

½ cup salted butter, softened

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoon heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups all-purpose flour (see note below)

¾ cup mini chocolate chips

For the ice cream:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup half-and-half

1½ cups heavy cream

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

In a small to medium-sized bowl, begin to make the cookie dough squares by creaming the butter and both sugars together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt. Blend the mixture until everything is incorporated.

Add the flour and mix well, finally folding the mini chocolate chips into the batter.

Roll the edible cookie dough out between two sheets of parchment paper. You will want the cookie dough to be about ½ inch thick. Using a square (or round) cookie cutter, cut the cookie dough squares out and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour to allow the cookie dough squares to harden.

In a medium-sized bowl, make the ice cream by whisking together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and half-and-half, until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

With a standing or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds. Gently fold the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream. You will want this to be as smooth as possible and lump free.

Prepare two 8-inch round or square pans by lining them with parchment paper. Ensure that the parchment has a bit of overhang so you can remove the ice cream as a whole unit once it is fully frozen.

Separate the ice cream into your two parchment-lined pans. Using a spatula, spread the ice cream evenly throughout the pans. You will want the ice cream to be ½ to ¾-inch thick for an optimum ratio when sandwiched between the cookies. Freeze the ice cream pans uncovered for 3 to 5 hours or overnight, until firm.

It is best to work in batches so that both the ice cream and the cookies remain fully frozen. Remove half the cookie dough squares and one pan of ice cream at a time. Using the same cookie dough cutter that you used to cut out the cookie dough, cut squares (or circles) of ice cream and place between two frozen cookie dough pieces. Gently press down and refreeze the cookie sandwiches. Repeat this process with the second pan of ice cream and the remaining cookies. You may want to refreeze the ice cream for a short  time if you find that it is becoming soft as you assemble the sandwiches.