Butter pecan ice cream sandwiches make the perfect homemade ice cream snack. Toasted pecans are baked into the cookies AND added to the ice cream delivering maximum nutty flavor. Making cookie ice cream sandwiches is way easier than you think and make a delicious treat the kids, big and small will love.
What makes ice cream sandwiches the ultimate way sweet treat is they combine crisp, fresh baked cookies with creamy, cold ice cream. Nothing tastes better than that combination! I love the flavor of butter pecan and this recipe combines these flavors into the cookies and ice cream making this a truly decadent dessert.
Butter Pecan Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
This was inspired by my other frozen cookie sandwich recipe on Kitchen Divas!! If you love eating ice cream in all kinds of ways you might also enjoy, Brownie Ice Cream Cake, Hot Chocolate Ice Cream or Fried Ice Cream Cake.
Ingredients
Don't be scared off by the long list of ingredients, they are all easy to find and pick up at your local grocery store.
Easy No-Churn Ice Cream
- heavy cream
- Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
- toasted pecans
- butter
- maple extract
Butter Pecan Cookies
- pecans
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- light brown sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
See the recipe card further down on the page for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Instructions
Making homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches is easy to do in three simple steps. You can check the recipe card at the end of the post for step-by-step photos of making the recipe.
Step 1: Make the Ice Cream
Whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, pecans, butter, and maple extract. When it's well mixed, fold in the whipped cream.
Pour the ice cream mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan or 2-quart container. Cover and freeze for 6 hours or until firm. Keep it in the freezer until you're ready to make the sandwiches.
Step 2: Bake the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 375° F and line a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop the pecans.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium bowl and use an electric mixer to beat them at medium-high speed until smooth.
Add the egg and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and beat it well.
Use the mixer at low speed to mix in the dry ingredients to the wet.
Spread the dough onto the entire baking sheet in an even layer and sprinkle the chopped pecans on top.
Place the dough in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm it up.
Place the tray on the center rack of the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until golden.
When ready, remove the tray from the oven and let the cookie cool completely.
Step 3: Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwiches
Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften slightly on the counter.
When the cookie is cooled completely, invert the bar of cookies onto a work surface keeping it intact.
Peel off the paper and cut the bar in half making 2 equal-sized pieces. Spread the softened ice cream on one half of the cookie bar and top with the other half, nut side up.
Return the tray to the freezer and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.
When ready, cut into 8 bars and serve!
Hint: Since you need toasted pecans for both parts of the recipe, you can toast the total amount in advance and then split up the pecans into the amount you need to make the ice cream and the cookies.
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this recipe for butter pecan ice cream sandwiches.
- Pecans - Almonds, macadamia nuts or walnuts will also work well to make these ice cream cookie sandwiches.
- Vanilla extract or maple extract - Swap out both or either one with an equal amount of maple syrup.
Variations
Want to personalize this homemade butter pecan ice cream cookie sandwich recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Chocolate Chips- After folding in the whippd cream, mix in ½ cup of chocolate chips to the ice cream mixture.
- Mini Round Ice Cream Sandwiches - Use a cookie cutter to cut the cookie into rounds and then spread with ice cream and top with another round cookie shape.
- Ultimate - After you have the ice cream sandwiches cut into individual servings, roll the exterior sides of the ice cream in your favorite sprinkles, crushed cookies or mini chocolate chips.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches.
Equipment
Making homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches does take a few special kitchen tools to prepare. Here's what you need:
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan
- 9x5-inch loaf pan or 2-quart container.
- Hand mixer
- Parchment paper
- Pie plate or small pan
- Spatula
- Knife
Storage
Keep butter pecan cookie ice cream sandwiches frozen until you are ready to serve. If the ice cream is super hard, let them sit on the counter for 3-5 minutes before eating to soften it up.
Tips
Here are a couple of special tips I've learned from making homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches that will help you get perfect results each time you make them.
- Make the ice cream in advance so it has plenty of time to freeze before assembling the cookie sandwiches.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before adding the ice cream so it doesn't melt as you're adding it to the cookies.
- Refreeze the cookies for one hour before cutting them into individual portions.
More Pecan Recipes
Do you like cooking with pecans? Here are some other recipes you may also like to try:
FAQ
Do you have questions about making butter pecan cookie ice cream sandwiches? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about how to make ice cream cookie sandwiches.
Yes, to toast the nuts, place them in a dry nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan until nuts are lightly browned. To avoid over-browning remove from pan immediately.
The fat in the heavy cream is what gives the ice cream for these sandwiches its ultra creamy texture. While you can use half and half or milk, the ice cream comes out with an icier texture. The lower the fat content the more pronounced the icy texture will be.
Butter Pecan Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Butter Pecan Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Equipment
- 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan
- 9x5-inch loaf pan or 2-quart container
- Pie plate or small pan
- Knife
Ingredients
Ice Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup pecans toasted and chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
Cookies
- 1 cup pecans
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients to make the butter pecan ice cream.
- Whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, pecans, butter and maple extract in large bowl. Mix well. Fold it into whipped cream.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into 9x5-inch loaf pan or 2-quart container; cover. Freeze 6 hours or until firm.
- Gather the ingredients for the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 375° and line a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Spread the pecans in a pie plate or small pan and toast for about 8 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop the pecans.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter with the brown sugar at medium-high speed until smooth. Then add egg and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the dry ingredients.
- Spread the dough onto the baking tray in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top. Freeze for 5 minutes, just until firm.
- Bake the bar the cookie tray on the center rack in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Invert the bar onto a work surface and peel off the paper. Cut the cookie in half forming 2 equal pieces.
- Spread the softened ice cream on one half of the cookie bar.
- Top with the other half, nut side up. Return to the freezer and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.
- Cut into 8 bars.
- Serve them up!
- For a delicious sweet treat!
- Enjoy!
- Each and every bite!
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