Caramel Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
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These homemade caramel coffee ice cream sandwiches are basically all I want to eat in the summertime! They have no-churn caramel swirl ice cream and my famous chewy coffee cookies for a decadent, caffeinated treat. If you’re a fan of coffee, you definitely need to try these!
I know that fall is basically tomorrow but please indulge me with one last summer recipe. Especially because 1. I’ll be neck-deep in pumpkin starting next week. And 2. because this recipe is in the form of ice cream and coffee, basically two of my favorite things ever. As a self-proclaimed coffee snob, I’ll basically look for any reason to put coffee into something.
(Ok honestly, do I really need to re-hash my love for coffee? As a trained pastry chef, I’ve already put coffee in brownies, ice cream, and martinis, enough already.)
But anyways. These ice cream sandwiches are ridiculously good. I keep eating one and then sneaking back to the freezer for another bite. It’s becoming a problem. But it’s fine, everything’s fine.
I wait all year for these
I’m forever not over my famous chewy coffee cookies. And apparently, neither is the internet, because they’ve been one of the most popular recipes on my site since I posted them. Since these cookies are usually made around Christmastime, I decided it was time for a summer version and here we are!
- Coffee + caramel is ridiculously good together and that’s just factual.
- The caramel swirl ice cream is no-churn. But you can totally use store-bought ice cream too.
- You can keep a batch in the freezer for ice cream emergencies.
- Or, serve them at pool parties or your end-of-summer BBQ. Ahhhh they’re the best! Everyone loves these, trust me.
What you need for no-churn ice cream
You need stuff for both the cookies and the ice cream but most of it is just typical ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen! The best part is that the no-churn ice cream only has four ingredients. Here’s the grocery list.
- Sweetened condensed milk – this is one of the two crucial ingredients you need to make no-churn ice cream. It will give us the sweetness in the recipe!
- Heavy whipping cream – we’ll turn this into whipped cream which will add the fat + air we need for a creamy ice cream texture.
- Caramel sauce – you can use either store-bought or homemade.
- Vanilla extract – use pure vanilla extract for a little extra flavor!
Mix up the caramel ice cream
- In a small bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
- Whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Next, fold about a cup of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture until smooth.
- Then, fold the condensed milk mixture into the rest of the whipping cream.
- Smooth the ice cream base into the chilled loaf pan or sheet pan.
- Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top and use a toothpick to swirl it around.
- Freeze for 2 hours, cover with tinfoil or plastic wrap, and freeze for another 3-4 hours until completely frozen.
Keep in mind, you’ll also need to make a batch of coffee cookies! The link is in the recipe card below.
Make the ice cream sandwiches
- Place half of the frozen cookies bottom-side up on a sheet pan.
- Then, set a scoop of ice cream in the middle of each cookie.
- Finish by placing another cookie on top and sandwich together. Wrap and freeze until you’re ready to enjoy!
For pretty edges
When it comes to assembling ice cream sandwiches, you have two options: the pretty way and the lazy girl way (scooping the ice cream). To be honest, I usually go the lazy way unless I’m trying to impress someone or take nice photos lol.
But, to get those pretty edges, you’ll have to make the ice cream in a half sheet pan. Once it’s frozen, use a circular cookie cutter that’s just a bit smaller than your cookies to cut out ice cream rounds. (My cookies were 3” in diameter, and my cookie cutter was 2.5” in diameter. A 2.75” cookie cutter would also work).
Wipe down the cookie cutter with a wet washcloth in-between cuts to keep getting the straight, clean edges. Place the ice cream rounds on a sheet pan in the freezer while you work or it’ll melt quickly!
Wrap & freeze
If you have leftovers, you can definitely save them for later! Wrap each ice cream sandwich in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Then, place them in an airtight container or bag to prevent freezer burn. They will last up to 1 month in the freezer. If they’re stored any longer, the ice cream starts to get an odd texture. Make sure to wrap them properly or the ice cream sandwiches will get a weird freezer taste!
Store-bought ice cream
You can totally use store-bough ice cream in this recipe! Sometimes I’m not in the mood to make no-churn ice cream (no matter how easy it is) and I’ll go with store-bought. All you have to do is place scoops of ice cream in-between two cookies.
You can use either caramel swirl ice cream or go with salted caramel ice cream. Or, if you want to switch up the flavors, you can do something fun like coconut, brownie, or just plain vanilla. Anything with nuts and/or chocolate is delicious with the coffee cookies.
Final recipe notes
- Bake the cookies in advance (up to 2 months!) so they have plenty of time to freeze before you assemble the sandwiches. Otherwise, the cookies will just crumble when you sandwich them together.
- The ice cream melts quickly (just a feature of no-churn!). So you have to work quickly when assembling the sandwiches.
- For a little crunch, roll the sides of the ice cream with chocolate chips, nuts, or sprinkles. I like toasted almonds the best!
- Let the ice cream sandwiches warm up for about 3-4 minutes on the counter before you enjoy them. It just helps soften the cookie a bit but it’s not totally necessary!
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Caramel Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 batch chewy coffee cookies
- 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 1 pint heavy cream, cold
- 1/3 cup caramel sauce, homemade or store-bought
Equipment
- Loaf pan or half sheet pan chilled
Instructions
Coffee Cookies
- Bake the cookies according to the recipe instructions. Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Freeze until they're frozen, at least 2 hours or up to 2 months.
Caramel Swirl No-Churn Ice Cream
- Place a half sheet pan or loaf pan the freezer while you prepare the rest of the recipe. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
- Next, whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Fold about 1 cup of the whipping cream into the condensed milk mixture until smooth. Then, fold the condensed milk mixture into the rest of the whipped cream until you have a smooth ice cream base.
- Pour the ice cream base into the chilled sheet pan (for straight, clean edges) or a loaf pan (if you just want to easily scoop the ice cream). Smooth the top evenly. Then, drizzle the caramel sauce all over the top. Use a toothpick, chopstick, or butter knife to swirl the ice cream (don't overmix, you want swirls of caramel throughout the ice cream).
- Freeze the ice cream in a flat spot for about 2 hours. Wrap the pan with tinfoil or plastic wrap and freeze for another 3-4 hours until it's completely frozen.
Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwiches
- For pretty ice cream edges, you'll need to do just a bit of prep! Use a 2 1/2-2 3/4-inch cookie cutter to cut ice cream rounds out of the sheet pan of frozen ice cream. Wipe down the cookie cutter with a wet cloth in-between cuts to ensure the edges stay clean. Place the ice cream rounds on a sheet pan or plate in the freezer while you work so the ice cream doesn't melt.
- To assemble the ice cream sandwiches, flip a cookie bottom-side up. Place an ice cream round or a scoop of ice cream on top of the cookie. Sandwich another cookie on top of the ice cream and gently press together to adhere the ice cream to the cookies. Repeat with the remaining cookies and ice cream.
- Serve the ice cream sandwiches immediately. To store them for later, wrap each individual ice cream sandwich in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place in an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
