Vanilla Bean Espresso Sandwich (Printable View)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream paired with espresso-flavored cookies in a chilled frozen treat.

# 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 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, but does not boil. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod if using whole bean, then stir in heavy cream. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours until very cold.
02 - Churn mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's 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.
03 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
04 - In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
05 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
06 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.
07 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
08 - 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.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.
10 - Remove ice cream slab from freezer and cut into 8 rounds using the same 3-inch round cutter.
11 - 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 taste like a frappuccino but feel fancy enough to impress without hours of fussing.
  • The contrast between crispy espresso cookies and silky vanilla bean ice cream creates a texture moment you won't forget.
  • You can make them ahead and pull them from the freezer whenever cravings strike, no last-minute stress required.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together infinitely better than cold ones—take your butter and eggs out of the fridge thirty minutes before you start.
  • The vanilla bean paste is worth seeking out because it actually looks like tiny black specks in your ice cream, making it feel authentic and tasting richer than extract alone.
  • Cutting the ice cream while still very cold (straight from the freezer) makes it easier to work with than waiting until it softens slightly.
03 -
  • If your cookies spread too much during baking, your butter was too warm or you didn't cream it long enough—next time, chill the rolled dough for fifteen minutes before baking.
  • The difference between good homemade ice cream and great homemade ice cream often comes down to properly chilling your base for the full two hours before churning, which takes patience you won't regret.
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