I love fudgy brownies that are so rich that you just want to wash them down with a glass of milk.
No milk needed here. There’s cookie dough ice cream instead.
I used one of my favorite brownie recipes because I knew it would make the perfect ‘bread’ for this sandwich.
The brownies are soft, ultra fudgy, supremely moist, and they stayed pliable and didn’t freeze rock solid.
They’re like biting into a classic ice cream sandwich, but instead of the traditional thin and skimpy chocolate cookies in most ice cream sandwiches, here you’ve got a rich chocolaty brownie with tooth-sinking thickness and density.
The brownies are fast and easy, come together in one bowl with a whisk, and you don’t even need to melt chocolate. Just stir in some cocoa powder. They’re as fast as using a boxed mix, but taste far superior because they’re so fudgy.
I used Dreyer’s Slow Churned Ice Cream with Half the Fat in Cookie Dough flavor. When you start with wholesome ingredients and churn them together slowly, you get ridiculously rich and creamy ice cream, but with half the fat and 1/3 fewer calories than regular ice cream.
I like this better-for-you option without having to compromise on the taste.
I was going to use their Limited Edition Pumpkin Ice Cream that’ll be in stores by September 15th, but it wasn’t in stores in San Diego yet.
I guess I’ll just have to remake the sandwiches when that flavor comes out. Darn, I hate it when that happens.
Not the the cookie dough flavor was too shabby. It’s so nice and creamy, and the little cookie dough nuggets are my favorite part.
Rather than pilfer out all the cookie dough pieces from the carton which I’ve been known to do, I decided to add extra.
I made a batch of my Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (gluten-free) and tossed them in.
The more cookie dough, the merrier.
My husband is a major ice cream lover and took a look at the ice cream sandwiches and said, “They’re huge! There’s no way I can finish one of those things.”
And within 5 minutes, he ate the whole thing. My 6-year old did some pretty good damage, too.
It was, of course, the hottest day of the year that I made and photographed these.
95F at the coast in San Diego, and we only get a few days a year like this.
Embrace the melty. The hot weather made these disappear in no time and taste just that much better.
Holiday weekends are made for ice cream sandwiches.
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Fudgy Brownie Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients
Brownies
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 1/4 sticks, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee, leftover from the morning brew is fine, optional but recommend to enhance chocolate flavor and does not make brownies taste like coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process, I used Hershey’s natural
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules, optional but recommend to enhance chocolate flavor and does not make brownies taste like coffee
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Ice Cream
- ½ of one half-gallon Dreyer’s Slow Churned Ice Cream, slightly softened
Instructions
- Brownies – Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang on the sides, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute. Allow butter to cool momentarily so you don’t scramble the eggs.
- Add the eggs, sugars, optional coffee, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the cocoa powder, optional espresso granules, optional salt, and whisk to combine. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, it could take a couple minutes of vigorous whisking.
- Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan.
- Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until done; don’t overbake. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow brownies to cool in pan for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- Slice the brownie in half horizontally, right down the middle. Leave one side in the pan and carefully remove the other side (a large spatula is helpful); set aside.
- Ice Cream – Evenly and lightly spread ice cream over the brownie half in the pan. If ice cream isn’t soft enough, it will tear the brownies when you try to spread it. Microwave for about 15 seconds, or as necessary.
- Cookie Dough – Optionally, make a batch and crumble small pieces over the ice cream.
- Top ice cream and optional cookie dough layer with the reserved brownie half. Cover with the unused portion of foil, creating a semi-tight ‘bundle’.
- Place pan in freezer and allow it to firm up, at least 3 hours.
- Remove from freezer, lift the slab out with foil overhang, place it on a cutting board, and with a very sharp knife, slice into desired sizes. I made 6 extra-large sandwiches. It will take some pressure to slice through it, but it’s do-able. If necessary, wait a few minutes for it to soften before slicing.
- Serve immediately. Sandwiches will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Adapted from The Ultimate Fudgy Caramel Brownies and Peanut Butter-Swirled Fudgy Brownies
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Holy cow. These look incredibly delicious. Dreyer’s slow churned is my favorite! I am all about pumpkin when it comes out but my favorites are mud pie, french silk, and chocolate peanut butter sundae… I’m thinking any of these flavors would also be amazing in your sandwiches too. I’m still staring at my computer just wishing one would materialize right in front of me now. :) Love your decadent ideas!
Almost any flavor of ice cream is going to be good sandwiched between brownies – I agree :)
These look fantastic, Averie! I love ice cream sandwiches- never would have thought to make them with brownies. You’re such a genius in the kitchen!
Thanks, Christy!
Yum! I love the idea of brownies as the sandwich part of ice cream sandwiches! Taking ice cream photos is so hard- especially in the summer. Which is, of course, when you eat more ice cream. But yours look phenomenal!
The last frozen recipe I made was about 3-4 weeks ago, the Skinny Fudge Pops that I linked in this post – and that was in Aruba. Omg they were literally melting ON CONTACT with the air. Nightmare. Most crazy photo shoot ever.
These were a little more relaxed b/c it was only 80F inside my house rather than 90F. lol But still, you have to work SO quickly and I hate shoots like that but got lucky with a few of these. Thanks for noticing!
These look amazing!!! I just want to reach into the screen now…..
thank you!
These look scrumptious!
Wow, what could be better than the combination of cookie dough, brownies and ice cream.
Love Dyerer’s slow churned and I love your fudge brownies!! Oh my gosh, these guys look insane and I bet they tasted so good in the heat you are having! It is getting cold here in CO, but I can eat ice cream anytime!
It’s so hot here. We always get these hot, hot, hot days in late Aug and Sept here. San Diego has freezing cold springs, May and June are colder than March usually and gray and icky. So this is our full-on summer right now. As it’s 95F in the shade!
And thanks for linking my tater tot dip in your post! I did miss it! So thanks for telling me :)
These are the perfect Labor Day treat! Love that you added more cookie dough to the ice cream.
Brownies, ice cream and cookie dough all in one fabulous dessert! I don’t really buy ice cream very often—so easy to make my own in the vita. We have an Edy’s plant here in Ft. Wayne (pretty good stuff at a reasonable price–and pumpkin does sound yummy for fall). I made PB ice cream last night–your recipe for the fudge pops minus the cocoa powder and with graham cracker crumbs on top. I think that would be pretty good with cookie dough sandwiched between brownies too!
Mmm, great idea to tweak the fudge pops recipe and just keep it with PB and then sprinkle on GCCs. Sounds excellent! I wish I would have made PB ice cream this summer and posted a recipe but didnt. However the Nutter Butter one is very peanut buttery and so good. But the version you just made would be super good with cookie dough/sandwiches!
Those look like the best ice cream sandwiches EVER! :)
Oh my!! These sound like the perfect treat for the weekend. Love it!
Ohh my gosh I need this in my life.
Any ice cream with chocolate is the one for me.
Hellloooooo nurse! Cookie dough ice cream and ice cream sandwiches are two of my favorite treats. I had never imagined putting them together. Amazing.
Hello Nurse. I love that :) thanks for making me smile!
These sandwiches look like the best thing ever, I can’t decide what I like better: the fudgy brownie bread, that creamy ice-cream or all those cookie dough bites… it’s like ice-cream sandwich heaven! *-* And that ice-cream sounds fantastic, both the pumpkin and cookie dough version. I wish we could get it in Spain, but here all storebought ice-cream is terrible :(( Slow churned sounds amazing!
I’m glad you like all the components! We did too :) And I wish you could get good ice cream there too!
Dreyers is the best! I have a full carton in the freezer just waiting to be eaten before we move in a week! And ice cream sandwiches for the holiday weekend?! I think I need one of these every. single. day!
Whoa. We’re moving in a week too! But just down the street for me. Nothing like packing like a maniac in this heat wave we’re having, right??!