Vanilla Bean Coffee Sandwiches (Printable Version)

Creamy vanilla and coffee flavors combine in a frozen sandwich treat with soft, cocoa-spiced cookies.

# 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 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 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
15 - Pinch of salt

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Add instant espresso powder and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with your palm and bake 10-12 minutes until set but still soft.
07 - Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack before proceeding to ice cream preparation.
08 - In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean seeds with pod, and salt. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture steams, without boiling. Remove vanilla pod and discard.
09 - Cool the cream mixture completely, then transfer to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, approximately 2 hours.
10 - Place a scoop of ice cream on the flat side of one cookie, top with a second cookie, and gently press together. Repeat with remaining cookies and ice cream.
11 - Freeze assembled sandwiches for at least 30 minutes before serving to achieve optimal texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're basically a coffee shop drink you can eat, without needing fancy equipment or a trip downtown.
  • The cookies stay soft even after freezing, so you won't crack your teeth biting into them like some ice cream sandwiches do.
  • Making them feels fancier than it actually is, which means you can impress people without stressing out.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cookies completely before assembly—warm cookies will melt the ice cream and make everything slide apart.
  • The espresso powder needs to be whisked into the dry ingredients or stirred well into the wet ones, or you'll get little bitter specks that surprise you mid-bite.
03 -
  • Scraping the seeds from a vanilla bean is messy but worth it—use a small spoon or knife to run along the split side and catch those precious specks.
  • If your ice cream is too soft to scoop when it comes out of the machine, freeze it in a shallow container so you can use a warm ice cream scoop without struggling.
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