Deb Perelman Really Does Make The Best Ice Cream Sandwiches

The secret to making the softest and chewiest homemade ice cream sandwiches?  Blondie bars instead of cookies.  Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen lays out the roadmap for what will surely be the best frozen treat of the summer.

I was just trying to decide which ten of my dozens of cookbooks I’d tuck away on one of my kitchen shelves and, of course, I fell down a rabbit hole and came out the other end with these perfectly timed ice cream sandwiches.

Now,  if we’ve been cooking from the internet for even a small amount of time, you know that Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen and her subsequent stellar cookbooks only publishes and prints the best of the best recipes.  As I was narrowing down my top ten kitchen cookbooks, I found myself sitting on the floor flipping through Deb’s latest: Smitten Kitchen Keepers.

Keepers is a book I’ve reached for and cooked from a dozen times (if you haven’t made the Zucchini Pasta, please do), but for some reason, her recipe for blondie ice cream sandwiches got past me.  I suppose I just needed relief from this, what appears to be relentless, summer heatwave (because it’s too scary to call it a heat-dome).  Deb pinpointed a problem I knew but had never articulated.  The raggedy tragedy a homemade chocolate chip cookie becomes when asked to be an ice cream sandwich.  It’s too hard, too crisp, rather aggressive, and invariably smooshes ice cream everywhere except inside your mouth with each bite.

Deb said, “I gotchu” with her recipe for a soft blondie instead of a cookie.  She blessed us with the chew, not the crunch, proving (as we already knew), that she is the real Keeper.

Needless to say, Smitten Kitchen Keepers made it to the high-use cookbook shelf.

Let’s get into the recipe.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make these blondie ice cream sandwiches:

•  all-purpose flour

•  unsalted butter, melted

•  light brown sugar

•  whole milk, or really any kind of milk you have on hand

•  one large egg

•  vanilla extract

•  baking powder

•  rainbow jimmies or mini chocolate chips (obviously BOTH is also an option)

•  one pint each of vanilla and strawberry ice cream (or really any ice cream you like best for these sammies)

One thing I love about Deb’s recipes is that she’s so specific and she’s always right.  To start these blondies, melt the butter halfway then stir until the butter melts completely.  This will keep the temperature of the butter down so the egg doesn’t cook when whisked in along with the brown sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.

And of course we get all the glorious flavor of butter which is a foundational element to a good blondie.  A very solid start.

Sprinkle the baking powder over the wet ingredients and whisk well to combine the leavening agent evenly.  Add the flour and jimmies (or mini chocolate chips) and fold until there are no hidden bits of flour remaining.

Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and gently spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Spread the blondie batter into an even layer from edge to edge. An offset spatula is your best friend here.  It’ll be a really thin layer.  Add more sprinkles or chocolate chips, just for a good time.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until the blondies are just set but still a bit soft.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.  Of course the process can be expedited by placing the whole dang pan in the freezer but I’m not one to assume your personal freezer space.  Letting the blondies cool is also a great time to temper your ice cream.  If yours is rock hard, Deb suggests transferring your pints to the fridge for 15 minutes.  You’ll want pliable ice cream to assemble these sandwiches without too much stress – though melting ice cream is always a little bit of a drama.

Once cool, slice the blondie slab in half horizontally, removing one of the halves from the pan.

Now, without too much fretting, scoop vanilla ice cream and strawberry ice cream on top of the remaining slab in the pan.  Scoop in whatever flavor configuration makes you feel good.  Be relatively quick about it.

Once scooped, I run the offset spatula that helped us spread the batter under very hot water and use it to quickly smooth the ice cream scoops a bit before placing the top slab of blondie.  Gently but confidently press the blondie slab on top of the ice cream.  For good measure, peel the parchment paper up and over the sandwich slab and rush the whole deal off to the freezer.

Freeze for 6 hours minimum but really – freeze overnight.  We’ve come this far, it’s best not to rush.

Once the ice cream has frozen through, unwrap and place the blondie slab on a cutting board and slice in a dozen small but mighty 2-inch cubes.  Dip a side of each square in more sprinkles and either enjoy immediately or place on a small rimmed baking sheet to store in the fridge until showtime.

Chewy blondies bites surround lil blocks of strawberry vanilla ice cream.  It’s soft and rich, and just small enough to eat in a few bites before it melts all over our hands.  Will you go back for seconds? Absolutely yes, but these little summer treats are also perfect for sharing if you’re feeling generous.  As the dog days of summer descend, this recipe will quickly become essential (as with most of Deb’s recipes).

Have  a very sweet summer, friends! Love you ok byee!

Deb Perelman Really Does Make The Best Ice Cream Sandwiches

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• Author: Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen

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Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter
• Scant 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (127 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup rainbow jimmies, plus 1 tablespoon to top the blondies and 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on the ice cream, plus more for dipping (though that’s optional – more is more here!)
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1 pint strawberry ice cream

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Instructions

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Lightly spray the bottom of a 9×13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment paper and the sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, melt the butter until just melted but not incredibly hot. If the butter is hot, it will cook the egg, so let the butter rest if it’s become quite hot while melting. Add the salt, brown sugar, milk, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
4. Sprinkle the batter with baking powder and stir to combine. Stir in the flour and 1/4 cup of rainbow sprinkles.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan in small dollops. Spread edge to edge in a thin, even layer using a small offset spatula. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon of rainbow sprinkles.
6. Bake for 15 minutes until the blondie is set but still soft. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. You can transfer the pan to the freezer to cool quickly, in about 20 minutes. Additionally, if your ice cream is rock-hard, transfer it to the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes so it’s easier to scoop.
7. Once the blondie is cold to the touch, run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Use the parchment paper to slide the blondie from the pan and cut in half widthwise. Return the used parchment to the pan so that it covers the bottom of the left side of the pan and then drapes over the left edge. We’ll use the parchment to help shape the sandwiches. Place half of the blondie you just cut on top of the parchment paper inside the pan, upside down. Scoop the ice cream in small scoops, alternating vanilla and strawberry across the blondie. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sprinkles and use the offset spatula to quickly press the ice cream into an even layer. Press the second blondie half, right side up, onto the ice cream, using the hanging parchment to help press the blondie down. Place the pan in the freezer.
8. Freeze for 6 hours, though overnight is best.
9. Once the ice cream is fully solid, remove the blondie ice cream slab to a cutting board and cut into twelve 2-inch squares. Dip one side in colored sprinkles if you’d like and return to the freezer until just ready to serve.

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