I had this fabulous idea for a Food Allergy Awareness Week recipe: dairy-free cookie dough ice cream sandwiches! Fortunately, So Delicious has just such an ice cream that even has gluten-free cookie dough in it. Unfortunately, my local Whole Foods does not yet have that flavor in stock (darn the Northern California region!). My niece Kylie and I read every little tag, just to make sure they weren’t simply out of inventory, but alas, no cookie dough ice cream.
We left the store empty handed, but the next day I had a back-up idea: vanilla ice cream sandwiches with homemade gluten-free cookie dough! Back to the store we went. And wouldn’t you know it – while I was taking my own sweet time to make a decision, the vanilla dairy-free ice cream sold out.
Realizing that I would need to make an on the spot decision before the entire lot of dairy-free ice cream vanished (the selections were getting sparse in just one day!), I grabbed the next best flavor, chocolate. To put it mildly, Kylie concurred. Actually, I got roughly as far as, “How about choc..” before she jumped in with an emphatic, “Yes!”
This is a really fun recipe to make with kids, if not a little messy. I recommend having a damp towel close by to frequently clean off sticky fingers – lest you end up with ice cream finger prints on the grahams.
To keep these ice cream sandwiches “Tony-friendly” we used gluten-free graham crackers for the “bread.” You can use vegan grahams or your favorite cookies (big ones preferably) to make this tasty treat. I like homemade chocolate chip or soft oatmeal cookies for the job, or, in a pinch, I flatten Enjoy Life Soft Baked Cookies, which are a great allergy-friendly and vegan option.
Oh, and don’t hesitate to look for that dairy-free, gluten-free cookie dough ice cream locally – I have seen it in stores in many other towns across the U.S. (yes, I scout out grocery stores when I travel), and do hope to find it in my neighborhood soon, too!
- 1 pint dairy-free, gluten-free ice cream (I recommend So Delicious Dairy Free Cookie Dough, Vanilla, or Chocolate Ice Cream)
- Graham crackers (gluten-free if needed) or your favorite cookies (homemade or store-bought)
- Mini dairy-free chocolate chips, optional
- Coarse salt, optional
- Let the ice cream sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to soften.
- Give the ice cream a stir to make it uniform in consistency.
- Place a graham or cookie on a flat surface, bottom side up, and top with a thick layer of the ice cream. It doesn't need to be pretty at this point.
- Gently top with a second graham or cookie, lightly pressing down to seal, without breaking it.
- Place it in the freezer and repeat with more grahams or cookies until the ice cream is gone or almost gone.
- Once the sandwiches have chilled for about 20 to 30 minutes, remove them one by one and smooth the sides.
- If desired, place some chocolate chips on a plate, and roll the ice cream sides to cover. Refreeze.
- Another option is to melt the chocolate chips, adding about 1 teaspoon of dairy-free margarine or shortening per half cup of chips, and top the grahams or dip them in the chocolate. Sprinkle on coarse salt for salted chocolate vibe, and return the ice cream sandwiches to the freezer to set-up.
- Store the ice cream sandwiches in a freezer-container until ready to devour!
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Leanne, I’ve only seen vanilla and chocolate in the Vancouver area, but may not gone to enough stores…
Hi, what is the best cookie recipe for this idea? This is fabulous!
I’m a sucker for oatmeal cookies for ice cream sandwiches. I use the recipe in Go Dairy Free, but these are also from my kitchen and would be yummy: Chocolate Explosion Oatmeal Cookies and Gluten-Free Bakery Style Oatmeal Cookies
Such a simple treat that you’ve created, Alisa! Wow, I didn’t know that they had a cookie dough ice cream that was gluten-free… I wonder if it’s in Canada? I usually just avoid anything cookie dough thinking it’s probably just something I cannot have. I usually just make my own (with bananas or soaked cashews) but sometimes I like to treat myself to the store bought versions.
I’ll check on that Leanne. mmm, love ice cream with cashews!