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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Anything with cookie dough automatically wins my heart. I would consider breaking my sugar hiatus for this!
I didn’t know you were on one! But feel free to break it:)
Your sandwiches look so fudgy and chewy! Totally craving them in this Mississippi heat. Edy’s Slow Churned is my favorite! Thanks for the heads up about the pumpkin- I’ll be scouring the shelves.
Glad to hear you’re a pumpkin fan, too! Try to stay cool in the heat!
OMG! Your ice cream sandwiches look incredible! I am eating boring ice cream right now and boy would I love one of your ice cream sandwiches! Love the addition of the cookie dough bites! yum!
Umm this is unreal! My favorite ice cream flavor was always Half Baked but in the end I would scoop out all the pieces of cookie dough and brownie and leave the extra ice cream. This on the other hand has the perfect balance of cookie:brownie:ice cream. If only I could muster the courage to turn on my oven with how hot its been in SD!
These look unbelievably amazing!! I love brownies, love ice cream and love cookie dough – what a delicious creation Averie!
Thanks Jaclyn! Your Nutella donuts have me captivated actually!
Oh man, these look amazinggggg!
Sign me up for THIS!! Yum!
YAY comment is in! And wish I could have shared. Can you believe how HOT it’s been here lately?!
Bless your husband, Averie for being an ice cream fan. Why? Because I trust he will motivate you to create more ice cream based recipes. (Never mind summer is coming to a close.)
I love this brownie ice cream sandwich and appreciate a brownie that won’t be too hard on the teeth =)
Good to hear, too, that Dreyer’s is coming out with a pumpkin ice cream. Yay!
And I used these brownies in particular b/c I thought of the tooth-chipping principle LOL and these are uber fudgy and don’t really freeze rock solid, at all. They just stay really dense and chewy!
Mmmm, those brownies look fantastic! I love Dreyer’s so much. With brownies? Even more!
Trying to pair up a few of my fave things in one :)
One of my holiday weekend plans is to go out and get ice cream.
A local joint that has, I think I bragged to you about it, they have this cake batter ice cream with fudge chunks.
Girl, it is so worth breaking the diet for.
That first photo in this post is KILLER!!!!
cake batter ice cream with fudge chunks
have you seen this? https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/06/no-ice-cream-maker-funfetti-cake-batter-golden-oreo-ice-cream.html NO ICE CREAM MAKER needed. Ridic good. Super easy. I would love to see how it compares to your ice cream joint!
And thanks for the photo compliments! :)
xo
I’ve been thinking of these all day ever since I saw your IG teaser. These are perfection – the brownies, the cookie dough – yes please! Pinned!
Glad I got you going with the IG teaser :) and thanks for the pin!
I’ve been trying to think of something to bake and I didn’t want to go with the standard cookie. I want to branch out and I’ve become such a COOKIE IS THE ONLY WAY thinker….but hello brownies! Of course, I have everything I need to adapt these, Katie-style. :D
I think you’re the only one I know who would put cookie dough ice cream between two layers of brownies and still think it needs more cookie dough. :D You are awesome for that!
I go thru phases where it’s all bars. Or all cookies. Recently I’ve been making more brownies. Just b/c with traveling, packing, moving – the easier I can keep things, the better. All my various brownie recipes are very, very fast and easy to make. And this one is cheap, too. No melted chocolate. Just cocoa powder :)
Be still my heart. :)
oh goodness yum! with a few extra cookie dough balls on the side please.
Extra cookie dough always!
I made these brownies recently at like 8 pm and they didn’t even make it until morning’s light. They are that good. I am totally bringing these little sandwiches to the Labor Day pool party we are attending. Great idea!!!
That’s awesome you made these brownies at 8pm and they didn’t even make it til morning. I love this recipe for brownies, too :)
And you’ll be the hit of the pool party. These things will go FAST! Lmk what folks think!
I totally would have thrown in extra cookie dough too. That is how an ice cream sandwich should be!