Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Sandwich (Print Version)

Creamy vanilla bean ice cream paired with soft coffee cookies offering a delightful flavor contrast.

# Components:

→ Coffee Cookies

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

→ Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

10 - 2 cups heavy cream
11 - 1 cup whole milk
12 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
14 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod, and salt. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is steaming, without allowing it to boil. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, and allow to cool completely.
02 - Stir heavy cream into cooled mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Transfer to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. Spread churned ice cream in a 9x13-inch parchment-lined pan to approximately 3/4-inch thickness and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
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 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, gently flattening each to form 2.5-inch rounds. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Cool completely on baking sheets.
06 - Using a round cutter matching cookie diameter, cut ice cream rounds from frozen slab. Place one ice cream round between two cooled cookies and press gently. Return assembled sandwiches to freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a coffee shop treat but you made them with your own hands in your own kitchen.
  • The soft cookie texture paired with creamy ice cream means you can actually bite through them without the whole thing sliding apart.
  • You can prep everything ahead, which makes entertaining feel effortless and calm.
02 -
  • Underbaking the cookies by just a minute or two is the secret to that perfect texture where they're crispy at the edges but still bend slightly when you bite through them.
  • Chilling the ice cream base for the full two hours before churning makes a noticeable difference in how smooth and creamy the final product tastes, not just in texture.
03 -
  • Measure your flour by weight rather than volume, since spooning flour directly into a measuring cup compacts it and throws off your proportions.
  • If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the base mixture in a shallow pan, stirring it with a fork every twenty minutes for about two hours, though the texture won't be quite as silky.
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