Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

*Video recipe* Soft, Chewy chocolate chip cookies sandwiched with salted caramel ice cream. Ice cream sandwiches couldn’t get better. 

Wheew. That title.

A salted caramel chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich recipe.

It’s all about combining elements to create the ultimate ice cream sandwich. But I invented the combo, not the layers of it. There’s this message going around the internet of how food bloggers don’t cite their recipes and how they tweak one little thing and claim it is their own. Honestly, I don’t think any recipes are completely original because they all evolve over time. A carrot cake is something unique. It combines carrots and cake. And no matter how many recipes of carrot cake there are, they all share similar elements in different ratios. Oil or butter, flour, eggs, sugar. That one original carrot cake- who actually invented it?

In this logic, there are few unique recipes out there that have surfaced- especially in terms of baking, because they’ve all evolved or been adapted from old ideas. Even testing a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Is it totally original if you’re using the same ingredients in a different ratio? I don’t know. 

I admire people who have the willpower to try and test these new recipes- to create the best possible version they can of an old classic, but I think that there are so many great ones out there, that there’s no need for me, personally, to experiment and slave over trying to create a new one that most likely tastes the same as that one on that blog. My intention by writing this particular blog is sharing recipes that I’ve tried, perhaps not invented, but tried and succeeded with so that you can too.

Cooking and baking for me is all about being able to create something that’s delicious- that I’m able to share with my family and friends and have them appreciate the effort I’ve put into making a batch of cookies, for instance- or a spinach lasagna.

In a sense, I think that’s what all cookbook writers, Youtube chefs and food bloggers are trying to do. Share recipes that you can make and enjoy. Whether they tweak recipes slightly or completely reinvent them, I think the ultimate goal is to create good, tasty food. Do I think it’s important to cite? Of course. But I guess with recipes, it varies. I think you should always cite the inspiration or source you found the one you used at. But there’s no total evidence that someone’s copied a recipe. A chocolate chip cookie- all the ingredients are more or less the same- perhaps in different ratios. So what does that mean? I love cooking, I love baking, I love sharing what I’ve made with my friends. I hope, that by posting recipes that I’ve made- that come out, that I can inspire you to also get your hands dirty and create something special.

On that note, I present you with my salted caramel chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches recipe.

Did I invent this particular combination? I’d like to think so, but I’m sure someone’s already tried it out before. Regardless, they’re delicious. I’ve combined elements that I love to create an ultimate ice cream sandwich. The cookies I’ve adapted from Anna Olsen and added less sugar based on several suggestions. I like the addition of cornstarch, which works to create a soft, thick cookie- cornstarch is often used in Chinese cuisine to create a thick sauce that holds together, and it works to create a nice, thick, chewy cookie. With this particular combo, I had several difficulties, mostly because I didn’t have the patience of letting the sandwiches freeze long enough. Take my advice. More time in the freezer is better.

These cookies are soft, the ice cream has a deep caramel flavor- which does a far better job with these cookies than plain vanilla ice cream, and the hint of salt helps the chocolate and caramel flavor explode. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Soft, Chewy chocolate chip cookies sandwiched with salted caramel ice cream. Ice cream sandwiches couldn’t get better.

Yield: 10 sandwiches

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pint 2 cups vanilla ice cream

For the cookies:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ cup chocolate chips/chunks
• coarse sea salt for topping

For the caramel sauce:

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup salt

Instructions

• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the sugar, water and butter to a boil. Continue boiling until the mixture turns the color of amber (about 10 minutes). DO NOT STIR WHATSOEVER. You may swirl the pan.
• Turn the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. It should boil and bubble furiously. Continue to stir until the mixture calms down a bit and is smooth and creamy.
• Turn off the heat and add the salt and vanilla. Let the caramel sauce cool completely and store in the refrigerator.
• Once the caramel is cooled, remove the ice cream from the freezer and leave at room temperature for 5-10 minutes or until softened.
• Stir in between 1/2 to 2/3 cups of caramel sauce- depending on how much of a caramel flavor you like.
• Pour the ice cream into a container and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours or until solid.
• While the ice cream is in the freezer, make the cookies.

To make the cookies:

• In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and vanilla, and continue to beat.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda and cornstarch.
• Add this to the egg mixture in 3 batches.
• Stir in the chocolate chips/chunks.
• Cover the mixture and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours (no more than 2 days).
• To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Scoop 2 tbsp sized mounds of dough on the sheet about 2 inches apart and press down slightly. Top with a little sea salt if you’d like to.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through and cool completely. I like to store them in the refrigerator for an hour or so after cooling.

To assemble the sandwiches:

• Pair the cookies up- there should be 18, so you’ll end up with 9 pairs. An odd number means an extra cookie for you.
• Place a small sheet of foil under each pair and flip the cookies over.
• Scoop the ice cream (make sure it is soft enough to scoop) and place it on one of the cookies.
• Sandwich with the other and push down slightly so that the ice cream spreads out slightly. Work quickly or the ice cream will melt.
• Quickly wrap with the foil and place in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours. I place each sandwich in the freezer as soon as I’m doing wrapping it.
• To serve, drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and top with sea salt.

Notes

Salted caramel sauce very loosely adapted from Allrecipes, cookies adapted from Anna Olson .

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butter, butter cookies

Craving some more caramel baked goods? I’ve got you covered! Check out my caramel banana s’mores dip, and my mouth-watering salted caramel chocolate truffles.