Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwiches (Printable Version)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream nestled between espresso-flavored cookies for a luscious frozen delight.

# What You 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:

01 - Combine milk, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture steams without boiling. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod if using bean, and stir in heavy cream. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until thoroughly chilled.
02 - Process chilled mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer 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 softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 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 without overmixing.
08 - Divide dough in half. Roll each portion between two sheets of parchment paper to approximately 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out 16 cookies and 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 frozen ice cream slab from freezer and cut into 8 rounds using the same 3-inch cutter.
11 - Place each ice cream round between two cooled cookies and gently press together. Wrap each sandwich in parchment paper and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent three hours at a fancy dessert counter, but you made it yourself in an afternoon.
  • The espresso cookies have this sophisticated bitterness that makes the vanilla ice cream taste impossibly creamy and sweet by comparison.
  • Once assembled, these freeze beautifully and become the perfect grab-and-go treat that feels indulgent without being fussy.
02 -
  • Vanilla bean paste is genuinely superior to extract here if you can find it—the tiny specks visible in the ice cream feel luxurious and taste more authentic than the liquid version.
  • If your espresso cookies spread too thin during baking, your dough was too warm; chill it between batches in the freezer for ten minutes and you'll have better control.
  • The ice cream must be completely frozen solid in the pan before cutting, or you'll end up with melted soup instead of neat rounds.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create a better cookie dough; pull your eggs and butter out thirty minutes before you start baking.
  • The espresso powder should taste bitter and strong when you dissolve a pinch in water—if it tastes weak, your cookies will too, so don't cheap out on quality.
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