No-Churn Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches

To make the cookie dough: It is best to make the cookie dough first, as it needs about an hour of refrigeration before it is solid enough to make the sandwiches. Making the ice cream is step two, but by all means, reverse the steps if you’d like to enjoy some tantalizing cookie dough before or while you make the ice cream!

In a small to medium-sized bowl, begin to make the cookie dough squares by creaming the butter and both sugars together with a wooden spoon, until smooth. Add in the heavy cream, pure vanilla extract, and salt. Blend the mixture until everything is incorporated.

Add in the flour and mix well, finally folding the mini chocolate chips into the batter. (Note: It has been said that there is a small risk of E. coli when consuming raw flour. If this concerns you, microwave your flour for 1 minute 15 seconds, or until 160°F temperature is reached. Allow the flour to cool completely and then proceed with the recipe.) Roll the edible cookie dough out between two sheets of parchment paper. You will want the cookie dough to be about ½ inch thick. Using a square cookie cutter (or round, that is fine, too!), cut the cookie dough squares out and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour to allow the cookie dough squares to harden.

To make the ice cream: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, pure vanilla extract, and half-and-half, until the mixture is smooth. Set this aside. With a standing or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, 60-90 seconds. Gently fold the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the cream that has been whipped. You will want this to be as smooth as possible and lump-free.

Prepare two 8-inch round or square pans by lining them with parchment paper. Ensure that the parchment has a bit of overhang so that you can remove the ice cream as a whole unit once it is fully frozen.

Separate the ice cream into your two parchment-lined pans. Using a spatula, spread the ice cream evenly throughout the pans. You will want the ice cream to be ½ to ¾ inch thick for an optimum ratio when sandwiched between the cookies. Freeze the ice cream pans uncovered for 3-5 hours or overnight, until firm.

It is best to work in batches so that both the ice cream and the cookies remain fully frozen. Remove six cookie dough squares and one pan of ice cream at a time. Use the same cookie dough cutter that you used to cut out the cookie dough. Cut squares (or circles) of the ice cream and place each ice cream square between two frozen cookie dough pieces. Gently press down and refreeze the cookie sandwiches, until you are ready to consume them. Repeat this process with the second pan of ice cream and the remaining six cookies. You may want to refreeze the ice cream for a short period of time if you find that it is becoming soft as you assemble the sandwiches.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 60 seconds or until smooth. Keep heating for additional 30-second increments until the chocolate can be whisked smoothly. With a spoon or a piping bag, drizzle a little bit of chocolate onto about half the edible cookie sandwich. Repeat with each cookie sandwich. Refrigerate for 10 minutes and serve.

Store any leftover cookies in a covered container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!