Sheet Pan

Ice Cream Sandwiches

by:
July 26, 2016
4.8
4 Ratings
Ice Cream Sandwiches
Photo by Posie Harwood
  • Makes about 20 ice cream sandwiches
Author Notes

Finally, a way to replicate the classic paper-wrapped ice cream sandwiches of your childhood. The trick is using a very thin layer of moist chocolate cake for the sandwich part instead of chocolate cookies. You can get fancy with your ice cream, but I actually prefer a more generic vanilla ice cream here because it has a nice airiness that mimics the original frozen treat. —Posie (Harwood) Brien

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder (optional, for more pronounced chocolate flavor)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1 gallon vanilla ice cream
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well-incorporated after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder (if using) and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients by alternating with the buttermilk until you've added everything. Mix well.
  4. Line two jelly roll pans or rimmed half-sheet pans (make sure they have a decently high rim!) and VERY thoroughly butter or grease the foil. Pour a thin layer of cake batter on each pan (you should be able to use up half the batter on each, depending on the height of the rim of your pans. The batter shouldn't be deeper than 1/2-inch).
  5. Bake the cake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until it just springs back when pressed lightly on the surface. Let cool in the pans for at least 15 minutes.
  6. Carefully remove the cake from the pans (inverting it onto a cutting board helps), and peel the foil off the back. Let it cool fully.
  7. While the cake cools, take out the ice cream to soften.
  8. Slice each sheet of cake in half. Spread a 1-inch thick layer of softened vanilla ice cream on each half-sheet of cake, then top with the second layer. You should have two large cake sandwiches. Wrap both tightly in plastic wrap and freeze fully (at least 2 hours).
  9. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and slice the sandwiches into rectangles, about 5 by 2 inches. If you want to save some, you can wrap the individual sandwiches in plastic wrap for up to 1 month.
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6 Reviews

Gardener
Gardener August 30, 2018
Seems way too complicated for what should be a simple pleasure. Good cookies, good ice cream ... done.
 
Heather S.
Heather S. August 1, 2017
Made this today. After lifted my 'cake' out of the jelly roll pan I turned it out onto a saran wrapped back of the jelly roll pan (cooled). Scored it at halfway. I used the baking pan for my toaster oven to spread my softened Ice cream and reformed it prior to placing on the cake base. I then used the saran wrap to lift and 'place' the second part of the cake on top. Sealed the edges and Placed back in the freezer. With the second 'half' of the cake, I made ice cream 'slices' from a pint of strawberry ice cream. I placed these slices in the freezer and proceeded to use the pint top to cut rounds out from the cake to make round ice cream sandwiches. Both are delicious! Slicing the pit of ice cream is much easier!
 
maztec
maztec August 1, 2016
There is something fundamentally wrong about an ice cream sandwich recipe that uses generic store bought ice cream. Yes, that should always be an option, but the wafer should always be paired with its optimal complimentary ice cream. Plus spreading ice cream and then refreezing it is a serious pain. I freeze my ice cream in a jelly roll or raised wall sheet pan (faster!) and then cut to fit, or with a recipe like this simply flop it on top of the cooked sandwich and then throw the whole thing in the freezer to cut later! Works great, so long as the sandwich does not freeze so hard that you cannot cut it later.
 
Maggie
Maggie August 26, 2018
So make your own.
 
Lim007
Lim007 July 30, 2016
this is awesome! Had try making and it was great , thx for sharing ^_^
 
creamtea
creamtea July 28, 2016
Wow, these look yummy.