Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwiches (Printable)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream and espresso cookies combine in a frozen, decadent sandwich treat.

# What You 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 with seeds scraped, or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
15 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

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 steams, without boiling. Remove from heat and discard vanilla pod if using bean. Stir in heavy cream and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours until very cold.
02 - Churn ice cream mixture in 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 thick. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
03 - 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. 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.
04 - 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.
05 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set around edges. Cool completely on wire rack.
06 - Remove ice cream slab from freezer and cut into 8 rounds using the same 3 inch cutter. Place each ice cream round between two cookies and gently press together. Wrap each sandwich in parchment and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like ordering your favorite café drink but better, because you made it and it's frozen solid perfection.
  • The contrast between the espresso-cocoa cookies and silky vanilla bean ice cream feels fancy enough for guests but simple enough to feel like a personal victory.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 2-hour chill on the ice cream base—it's the difference between creamy and icy, and rushing this is the number one mistake I see.
  • Your cookies need to cool completely or they'll shatter when you press the cold ice cream between them; warm cookie plus cold ice cream equals cracking.
03 -
  • Use a 3-inch cutter for both cookies and ice cream so everything matches perfectly—mismatched sizes are the only real flaw in an otherwise flawless sandwich.
  • Keep your ice cream slab in the freezer until the very last moment before cutting, because even a few minutes at room temperature makes it harder to cut clean rounds.
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