Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwich (Printable)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream sits between coffee cookies, offering a refreshing and indulgent summer treat.

# What You Need:

→ Coffee Cookies

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
07 - 2 tablespoons hot water
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/4 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 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Dissolve instant espresso powder in hot water and allow to cool completely.
03 - Using an electric mixer, beat softened butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until fully incorporated. Mix in cooled espresso mixture and vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten each portion slightly with your hand.
06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set but still soft. Cool completely on a wire rack.
07 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean seeds or paste, and salt until sugar completely dissolves.
08 - Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, approximately 2 hours.
09 - Scoop approximately 1/3 cup of firm ice cream onto the flat side of one cooled cookie. Top with another cookie and gently press to spread ice cream evenly.
10 - Wrap each sandwich in parchment paper or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving for optimal texture.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The coffee-vanilla contrast tastes exactly like that drink you crave, but you can actually sink your teeth into it.
  • Homemade ice cream made this way is noticeably smoother and more luxurious than anything store-bought could offer.
  • These come together faster than you'd expect, and freezing them ahead means you always have a hidden treasure in your freezer.
02 -
  • The cookies must be completely cooled before you touch them to ice cream, or they'll start melting it immediately and create a soggy mess.
  • Not churning the ice cream long enough leaves it too soft for sandwiches, but over-churning makes it grainy and icy instead of smooth.
03 -
  • If your ice cream is too soft to scoop when assembly time comes, return it to the freezer for another 30 minutes rather than struggling with melting cream.
  • Measure your sugar by weight if possible, because scooping sugar directly into the cup often packs too much in and makes everything overly sweet.
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