Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwich (Printable)

Smooth vanilla bean ice cream nestled between soft coffee-flavored cookies for a cool treat.

# What you need:

→ Coffee Cookies

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup light brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

10 - 2 cups heavy cream
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
14 - Pinch of salt

# How to make it:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, vanilla bean seeds with pod if using, and salt. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture steams, without boiling. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, and allow to cool completely.
02 - Stir heavy cream into cooled mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions. Spread churned ice cream into a 9x13-inch pan lined with parchment paper to approximately 3/4-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla extract until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
04 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, flattening each slightly to form 2.5-inch rounds. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain soft. Cool completely on baking sheets.
05 - Using a round cutter matching cookie diameter, cut ice cream rounds from the frozen slab. Place one ice cream round between two cooled cookies and press gently. Return assembled sandwiches to freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The espresso in the cookies cuts through the cream's richness so each bite feels balanced instead of heavy.
  • Everything can be made ahead, which means you actually get to enjoy your own party instead of frantically assembling desserts.
02 -
  • If your ice cream base isn't chilled before churning, it'll take forever and may not set up properly, so plan ahead and don't skip the refrigeration step.
  • The difference between pulling cookies out at 10 minutes versus 12 minutes is the difference between a tender sandwich and one that shatters, so watch them closely near the end.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix faster and create better texture, so let your eggs and butter sit out for 15 minutes before you start.
  • If your cookies spread too thin, your oven might be running hot, so invest in an oven thermometer and adjust temperature accordingly for your next batch.
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