Amazing Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

For the 4th of July I was in charge of dessert, surprise, surprise (but I love being in charge of dessert so no problem there!).  I wanted to do something a little different instead of a cake or cupcakes.  Since it was soooooo hot I thought maybe an ice cream cake, but then I saw my food network magazine and on the cover were the yummiest looking ice cream sandwiches (the July/August issue).  They included a recipe for homemade cookies to use for the ice cream sandwiches and I knew that is what I had to make!  And they aren't hard to make either!  

Here is the recipe for the cookies!

Chocolate Cookie 

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 

 1. Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla and salt and beat until combined.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add 1 1/2 cups flour and 3 tablespoons water.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and 3 more tablespoons water and beat until the dough is smooth.  (Add 2 to 3 more tablespoons water if the dough seems dry.)

2.  Preheat the oven to 350* and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Divide the dough in half.  Pat each piece into a flat square on a lightly floured surface, then roll out until 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into 2-3 inch squares with a paring knife (or square cookie cutter which is what I used, since that would make all the cookies the exact same size).  Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets (or cut them out on parchment paper and just lift the parchment paper onto the baking sheet.  If you do this then make sure to leave a little space between each cookie as you cut it out. )  Poke several holes in each cookie with a skewer (to look like a classic ice cream sandwich cookie), then transfer to the freezer until hard, about 10 minutes.  

3.  Bake the cookies until set, about 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Sandwich with ice cream and fillings; freeze at least 45 minutes before serving.  To store, wrap the ice cream sandwiches individually in plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 days. 

This one is Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Chocolate Fudge, and the Chocolate Cookies

This combination is one that they had shown in the Food Network Magazine.  Black Raspberry ice cream, raspberries, chocolate fudge, and the chocolate cookies.  

I did a few combinations of ice creams and toppings but only took two pictures because I was worried about them melting. The other combos I did were: Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream with Peanut butter ice cream topping (found in the ice cream section of your grocery store) and chocolate fudge with the chocolate cookies.

And a basic vanilla ice cream with either chocolate fudge topping and chocolate cookies or caramel instead of the fudge.

All wrapped up in parchment paper and bakers twine. And then into the deep freezer so they wouldn't get any softer.  The saran wrap and parchment kept them from getting freezer burn.  

Everyone loved these and said they were amazing.  Probably the best dessert ever! I would even use the cookie recipe (which tasted amazing) for other cookies in the future as well.  Not sure how much they spread since I didn't compare them too my cutter, but I will have too because they were great chocolate cookies!  I will let you know when I make them again.

For the 4th of July I was in charge of dessert, surprise, surprise (but I love being in charge of dessert so no problem there!).  I wanted to do something a little different instead of a cake or cupcakes.  Since it was soooooo hot I thought maybe an ice cream cake, but then I saw my food network magazine and on the cover were the yummiest looking ice cream sandwiches (the July/August issue).  They included a recipe for homemade cookies to use for the ice cream sandwiches and I knew that is what I had to make!  And they aren't hard to make either!  

Here is the recipe for the cookies!

Chocolate Cookie 

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 

 1. Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla and salt and beat until combined.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add 1 1/2 cups flour and 3 tablespoons water.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and 3 more tablespoons water and beat until the dough is smooth.  (Add 2 to 3 more tablespoons water if the dough seems dry.)

2.  Preheat the oven to 350* and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Divide the dough in half.  Pat each piece into a flat square on a lightly floured surface, then roll out until 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into 2-3 inch squares with a paring knife (or square cookie cutter which is what I used, since that would make all the cookies the exact same size).  Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets (or cut them out on parchment paper and just lift the parchment paper onto the baking sheet.  If you do this then make sure to leave a little space between each cookie as you cut it out. )  Poke several holes in each cookie with a skewer (to look like a classic ice cream sandwich cookie), then transfer to the freezer until hard, about 10 minutes.  

3.  Bake the cookies until set, about 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Sandwich with ice cream and fillings; freeze at least 45 minutes before serving.  To store, wrap the ice cream sandwiches individually in plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 days. 

This one is Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Chocolate Fudge, and the Chocolate Cookies

This combination is one that they had shown in the Food Network Magazine.  Black Raspberry ice cream, raspberries, chocolate fudge, and the chocolate cookies.  

I did a few combinations of ice creams and toppings but only took two pictures because I was worried about them melting. The other combos I did were: Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream with Peanut butter ice cream topping (found in the ice cream section of your grocery store) and chocolate fudge with the chocolate cookies.

And a basic vanilla ice cream with either chocolate fudge topping and chocolate cookies or caramel instead of the fudge.

All wrapped up in parchment paper and bakers twine. And then into the deep freezer so they wouldn't get any softer.  The saran wrap and parchment kept them from getting freezer burn.  

Everyone loved these and said they were amazing.  Probably the best dessert ever! I would even use the cookie recipe (which tasted amazing) for other cookies in the future as well.  Not sure how much they spread since I didn't compare them too my cutter, but I will have too because they were great chocolate cookies!  I will let you know when I make them again.