Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
The only thing better than ice cream on a hot summer day is ice cream sandwiched between two cookies.
But by the time you finish biting into two cookies and ice cream, most ice cream sandwiches can leave you feeling sugar overloaded and weighed down. Not these Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches. They’re light, refreshing, slightly sweet, and perfectly balanced with rich chocolate and tart raspberry flavors.
First, you’ll blend dates, cocoa, almonds, oats and a few other ingredients into a not-too-sweet chocolate cookie dough that gets rolled out to form the outer cookie layers.
Next, you’ll add a layer of melted dark chocolate that really takes the richness and chocolate flavor to the next level.
Last but not least comes the vegan ice cream. Coconut milk, cashews, and raspberries are blended together to form a creamy completely dairy-free ice cream layer (perfect for those of you who love ice cream, but ice cream doesn’t love you back). If you don’t have any issues with dairy and want a traditional ice cream, then you could try blending vanilla ice cream with raspberries as a simple alternative.
Make these for friends or stash them in your freezer whenever you’d like a cool summer treat. Either way, you’ll take your summer ice cream habit up a notch with these Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches.
Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients:
For the cookie:
16 dates (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup almond butter
1.5 cups almonds
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp sea salt
For the chocolate layer:
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 tbsps coconut oil
For the ice cream:
2.5 cups raspberries (I used frozen raspberries thawed in the microwave)
1 15.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
1.5 cups cashews (preferably soaked for at least 20 minutes in hot water if not using a high-speed blender like a Vitamix)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Instructions:
Make the cookie: Add all cookie ingredients (dates, almond butter, almonds, oats, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and salt) to a food processor. Blend for several minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally. Continue blending until a sticky dough forms and almonds are minced.
Roll the cookie dough into a log and cut in half. Place one half between two layers of parchment paper. Roll out the cookie dough into the general shape of a 9 in x 13 in baking dish and place the parchment lined cookie dough into the baking sheet. Tip: Try rolling the dough slightly beyond the baking dish perimeters and trim any excess dough. Set aside.
In a saucepan on medium-low heat, add the chocolate and coconut oil. Continuously stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Pour the melted chocolate onto the bottom cookie layer and spread evenly with a knife. Place baking dish in the freezer.
Make the ice cream: Add all ice cream ingredients (raspberries, coconut milk, cashews, maple syrup, vanilla, and lemon) to a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
Remove the cookie and chocolate layer from the freezer and make sure the chocolate has hardened. Pour the ice cream into the baking dish and spread evenly with a knife. Place baking dish back into the freezer and freeze overnight or for at least 6 hours until the ice cream has completely hardened.
Repeat step 2 to roll out the second half of the cookie dough.
When ice cream is completely frozen, remove from the freezer and top with the second cookie layer. You can flip the parchment paper upside down so the cookie layer lies flat on top of the ice cream and peel away the parchment. Trim any excess.
Remove the ice cream sandwich layers from the baking dish by lifting up the bottom parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut ice cream into rectangles or squares and trim any uneven edges. You may need to let the ice cream sit so it softens up and you can cut the pieces with more ease.
Let ice cream sandwich sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving (they just need a little time to soften to a traditional ice cream texture). Serving suggestion: wrap in pieces of parchment paper.
