Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwiches (Print Version)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream nestled between soft coffee-infused cookies, perfect for summer.

# Components:

→ Coffee Cookies

01 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 0.5 cup light brown sugar
04 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
07 - 2 tablespoons hot water
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

11 - 2 cups heavy cream
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - 0.75 cup granulated sugar
14 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
15 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Dissolve instant espresso powder in hot water and allow to cool completely.
03 - In a mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. 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 mixture, stirring until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly by hand. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set but still soft. Cool completely on wire rack.
06 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla bean seeds or paste, and salt until sugar completely dissolves.
07 - Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, approximately 2 hours.
08 - Once cookies are cooled and ice cream is firm, scoop approximately 0.33 cup ice cream onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with second cookie and gently press to spread ice cream evenly throughout.
09 - Wrap each sandwich in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving to achieve optimal texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a luxury coffee shop drink but costs a fraction of the price, and you made it yourself.
  • The soft cookies keep their tender texture even when frozen, unlike some ice cream sandwich cookies that turn rock hard.
  • That subtle espresso flavor in the background makes people pause mid-bite and ask what the secret ingredient is.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the espresso mixture before adding it to the creamed butter—I learned this the hard way when my cookies turned out dense and slightly gritty, almost like the eggs had started scrambling.
  • Room temperature butter is everything; cold butter won't cream properly and you'll end up with dense, cake-like cookies instead of soft ones that stay tender even frozen.
  • The ice cream base needs to chill for at least 30 minutes before churning if your maker doesn't have a built-in freezer—this makes a huge difference in final texture.
03 -
  • Flatten your cookie dough slightly before baking so the finished cookies are more uniform in thickness, which makes assembly easier and keeps every bite balanced.
  • An ice cream maker is really the game-changer here—it incorporates air and prevents ice crystals, creating that smooth, creamy texture you can't get by just freezing and stirring.
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