Easy, No Churn Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches

In her new cookbook, “Easy, No-Churn Ice Cream: The ‘No Equipment Necessary’ Guide to Standout Homemade Ice Cream” (Page Street, $23), blogger Heather Templeton shares 50 recipes for scoop-shop-worthy ice cream made with little more than condensed milk, a loaf pan, and freezer.

These edible cookie dough sandwiches require just a little more work. Make the dough first, as it needs about an hour of refrigeration before it is firm enough to make sammies.

Cookie dough Ice cream sandwiches

Makes 12 to 14 ice cream sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

For the edible cookie dough:

½ cup salted butter, softened

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons whipped cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups all-purpose flour (see note below)

¾ cup mini chocolate chips

For the ice cream:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup half-and-half

1½ cups whipped cream

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

In a small to medium bowl, begin making the cookie dough squares by beating the butter and both sugars together with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the whipping cream, vanilla extract and salt. Blend the mixture until everything is incorporated.

Add the flour and mix well, finally folding the mini chocolate pieces into the batter.

Roll out the edible cookie dough between two sheets of baking paper. You want the cookie dough to be about ½ inch thick. Use a square (or round) cookie cutter to cut out the cookie dough squares and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for an hour to allow the cookie dough squares to set.

In a medium bowl, make the ice cream by whisking together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and half-and-half until mixture is smooth. Put aside.

Using a standing or hand mixer, beat whipping cream to stiff peaks, 60 to 90 seconds. Gently fold the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream. You want this to be as smooth as possible and without lumps.

Prepare two 8-inch round or square pans by lining them with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment hangs over a bit so that you can remove the ice cream as a whole once it’s completely frozen.

Separate the ice cream into your two pans lined with parchment paper. Spread the ice cream evenly over the pans with a spatula. You want the ice cream to be up to ¾-inch thick for optimal proportion when sandwiched between the cookies. Freeze the ice pans uncovered for 3 to 5 hours or overnight, until firm.

It’s best to work in batches so that both the ice cream and cookies remain completely frozen. Remove half of the cookie dough squares and one pan of ice cream at a time. Using the same cookie dough cutter you used to cut out the cookie dough, cut squares (or circles) of ice cream and place it between two frozen pieces of cookie dough. Gently press the cookie sandwiches and refreeze. Repeat this process with the second pan of ice cream and the remaining cookies. You can refreeze the ice cream for a short time if you notice it softening while assembling the sandwiches.