Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwich (Printable)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream layered between espresso-flavored cookies for a frozen indulgence.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod or paste, and salt. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is steaming, but do not boil.
02 - Remove from heat. Discard vanilla pod if using whole bean. Stir in heavy cream. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours until very cold.
03 - Churn mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. Spread churned ice cream into a parchment-lined 9 by 13 inch baking pan to approximately 1 inch thickness. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
04 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
06 - 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.
07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.
08 - Remove ice cream slab from freezer and cut into 8 rounds using the same 3 inch round cutter.
09 - Place each ice cream round between two cookies and gently press together. Wrap each sandwich in parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to impress but the flavors are pure comfort, no fussiness required.
  • Your hands get messy with melting ice cream and that's exactly the point.
  • Once frozen, they're the perfect thing to pull out when someone unexpected stops by.
02 -
  • Warm cookies will sabotage your ice cream, so don't skip the cooling step no matter how eager you are to assemble.
  • Your ice cream base must be genuinely cold before churning, otherwise you'll end up with partially melted ice cream that won't freeze properly in the sandwiches.
03 -
  • Cut your cookie dough between parchment sheets instead of on a counter, then you can simply peel away the paper and transfer straight to baking sheets with zero hassle.
  • Dip your cookie cutter in warm water between each cut if you're working quickly, because this prevents dough from sticking and tearing.
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