Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwiches (Printable Version)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream between soft coffee-flavored cookies, perfect for a cool summer indulgence.

# What You'll Need:

→ Coffee Cookies

01 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 0.5 cup light brown sugar
04 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
07 - 2 tablespoons hot water
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

11 - 2 cups heavy cream
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - 0.75 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
15 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Dissolve instant espresso powder in hot water and set aside to cool completely.
03 - In a mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated. Mix in the cooled espresso mixture and vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten each portion slightly with your hand. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set but still soft. Cool completely on a wire rack.
06 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean seeds or paste, and salt until the sugar dissolves completely.
07 - Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, approximately 2 hours.
08 - Once cookies have cooled and ice cream is firm, scoop approximately one-third cup of ice cream onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with a second cookie and gently press to distribute the ice cream evenly.
09 - Wrap each sandwich individually in parchment paper or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving to achieve optimal texture.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They taste like your favorite coffee shop treat but cost a fraction of the price and feel infinitely more impressive.
  • The coffee cookies stay soft and chewy while the vanilla bean ice cream stays creamy, creating a texture combination that's genuinely addictive.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the espresso mixture before adding it to butter and egg, or you'll end up with scrambled egg bits in your dough.
  • Ice cream sandwiches only stay creamy and perfect for about 24 hours in the freezer, so make them the day you plan to eat them or they'll freeze rock solid.
03 -
  • Freeze the assembled sandwiches on a baking sheet before wrapping them so they maintain their shape instead of getting squished in the container.
  • If you don't have an ice cream maker, substitute high-quality store-bought vanilla bean ice cream and no one will ever know you took a shortcut.
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