Summertime = Ice Cream Sandwiches...from Scratch :)

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE ice cream.  I saw homemade ice cream sandwiches being made on the food network and I figure there was no better time to make my first attempt than now!  It was Tareq's birthday so I had a great excuse :)  I made two different kinds, chocolate peanut butter and cookie dough! Here we go!

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches (From Sallies Baking Addiction)

For Cookie
Ingredients
2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Directions:
Toss together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.  In a medium size bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft. Fold in the chocolate chips. They may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to have them evenly dispersed among the dough. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. Roll the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons of dough each. The dough will be crumbly, but the warmth of your hands will allow the balls to stay intact. Roll the cookie dough balls to be taller rather than wide, to ensure the cookies will bake up to be thick. Put 8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. Press a few more chocolate chips/chunks on top of the dough balls for looks, if desired. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked. Do not bake longer than 12 minutes. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

To Assemble:
Ingredients:
2 Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Roll ice cream into a cylinder about the same diameter as the cookies (pictured below)  

Ice Cream Log formed  by Aluminum Foil

Cut into sections and combine with cookie on top and on bottom. Prepare ice cream sandwich by putting a frozen cookie on top and on bottom of ice cream then place back into freezer until ready to serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

For the cookie:
Chocolate Cookie Dough
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (or dark brown)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons milk (almond, cow's, soy, or half-and-half)
1 cup dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar (or dark brown)
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

Directions:

Make the chocolate dough: Cream the butter and sugars together with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom as needed. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly mix it into the wet ingredients. The dough will be very thick. With a spoon or rubber spatula, mix in the milk and then fold in the chocolate chips.

Make the peanut butter dough: Cream the butter and sugars together with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom as needed. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Scrape down the sides as needed. Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill both doughs for at least 1-2 hours. 2 hours is preferred.  Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cookie sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Measure 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Take 2 Tablespoons of chocolate cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Smoosh the two balls together and roll them into 1 large ball. Repeat for each cookie. The chocolate cookie dough will get onto your hands, so wash/wipe them after you roll each cookie. It is important the chocolate cookie dough is chilled or else it will be even more messy.
Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes, not exceeding 13 minutes. The cookies will look very soft, puffy, and almost undone. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet and they will continue to "bake" and set up. As they cool, the cookies will firm up. Cookies remain fresh (and soft) for up to 10 days in an airtight container. For ice cream sandwiches freeze cookies!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

To Assemble:
Ingredients:
2 Cookies
Reese's Peanut butter ice cream with Reese's Chunks

Roll ice cream into a cylinder about the same diameter as the cookies (like pictured above in Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream)  Cut into sections and combine with cookie on top and on bottom. Prepare ice cream sandwich by putting a frozen cookie on top and on bottom of ice cream then place back into freezer until ready to serve.

Reese's Ice Cream Sandwich