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There is nothing like a homemade ice cream sandwich on a hot day. In this recipe, a chewy, buttery, cookie is paired with classic butter pecan ice cream. This Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwich is sure to become a summer favorite!
The Best Butter Pecan Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
In the summer months, one of my favorite desserts to have is an ice cream sandwich.
One of my favorite ice cream flavors is butter pecan. The buttery, smooth, ice cream base, studded with chopped pecans is so delicious! When I was thinking about what flavor to use for these ice cream sandwiches, butter pecan was an obvious choice!
Plus, I knew that a butter pecan flavored cookie would taste wonderful with the ice cream. I have the best recipe for it!
Let's start with the ingredients
To keep this butter pecan ice cream sandwich recipe easy, I used store bought ice cream, but certainly feel free to use homemade!
I usually stick with Häagen-Dazs® but feel free to use your favorite brand of ice cream.
To make the cookies, I started with a basic, chewy cookie recipe and swapped the butter for brown butter and added chopped pecans to the dough. This cookie pairs so well with the ice cream and the combination makes for a tasty treat.
The brown butter is a very important element to the cookie recipe because it really drives home that famous butter pecan flavor.
Brown butter has a subtle nuttiness and caramelized flavor that really balances out the taste of the cookie
.
Key Ingredients You Need For Butter Pecan Cookies
Brown Butter
Making brown butter is very easy and only takes a few minutes. You can brown butter by cooking it over medium heat until it becomes golden brown and has a nutty aroma.
Simply melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam (be sure to use a larger pot as the foam can take up a lot of room!) and then turn clear golden brown and have a nutty aroma.
Be careful when cooking butter because it can begin to burn very quickly if you leave it on the stove for too long. It is also important to stir it frequently to keep the milk solids from settling on the bottom and burning.
Once it reaches the point where the color starts to turn, remove the pan from the heat and pour the browned butter into a large bowl.
Make sure to scrap all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as these will add flavor to your cookies!
Brown Sugar
What does brown sugar do to cookies?
Brown sugar gives cookies a softer, moister texture as well as a deeper flavor. It's important to use brown sugar for this recipe, otherwise the cookies may not come out as chewy.
I recommend to use light brown sugar but you could use dark brown sugar. The flavor of dark brown sugar will be more ' molasses-y' however.
Eggs
The egg in this recipe acts as a binder and helps to give the cookies structure. The extra yolk also adds to the chewiness of these cookies!
Vanilla Extract
I always use pure vanilla extract because it has the best flavor, but you could use imitation vanilla if that's what you have on hand. The vanilla flavor is very important as it will compliment the butter pecan flavor.
Granulated Sugar
Granulated sugar is going to give the cookies some sweetness and a little bit of crunch.
Dry Ingredients
This cookie recipe uses a mix of all purpose flour, a tiny amount of baking powder, baking soda, and corn starch.
Why corn starch?
The small amount of corn starch will ensure that these cookies stay as chewy as possible, and it helps them stay softer in the freezer. That means, you'll need less thaw time.
Pecans
For the butter pecan ice cream sandwiches, you'll also need chopped pecans. I like to use chopped pecans because they add a nice crunch to the cookies. You can find them in the baking aisle at the grocery store, or you can buy whole pecans and chop them yourself.
The thing I like most about pecans is their flavor. They have a rich, buttery flavor that goes so well with the ice cream. I also love how they add a little bit of crunch to the cookies too!
Now that we have our ingredients, let's get started on making these butter pecan ice cream sandwiches!
How to Make the Cookies
These cookies are very straightforward and easy to make. The hardest part is prepping the brown butter!
Once the butter is ready, you'll mix the remaining ingredients as per the recipe. The batter will still be very thick and may continue to thicken as the butter in the dough comes back up to room temp.
You can use an electric mixer to make this dough if you'd like to, but you can also make it by hand.
Making Chewy Cookies
When using cookies as the sandwich part, you want to make sure the cookies are soft and chewy. This will ensure there can be minimal time from when the sandwich is removed from the freezer by the time it hits your mouth.
A few ingredients in the recipe help to achieve this. Corn starch, melted butter, and brown sugar.
Brown sugar makes cookies chewy by adding moisture and preventing them from spreading too much while baking. The molasses in brown sugar also gives cookies a chewy texture. Granulated sugar, on the other hand, can make cookies crispier because it absorbs moisture from the dough. This recipe uses both for a nice balance.
Corn starch is a fine, powdery starch that is derived from corn. It is used in cooking as a thickening agent, and it can also help to make cookies chewy. The small amount of corn starch in this recipe will ensure that the cookies stay as chewy as possible, and it helps them stay softer in the freezer.
Assembling the Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwiches
Once the cookies are baked and cooled, it's time to assemble the sandwiches!
You can do this 2 ways.
The Scoop & Sandwich Method
Simply scoop some ice cream onto one cookie and top with another cookie. That's it!
Start by grabbing one of the cookies and placing it upside down in your hand. We want to add the ice cream to the bottom side of the cookie.
Then scoop some softened ice cream and place it onto the cookie. You want to be generous with the ice cream; I like to use about ½ cup.
Then, place a second cookie on top of the ice cream and press it down to flatten out the ice cream.
The Cut Out Method
This is my preferred method to assemble the sandwiches. It ensures that there is an even layer of ice cream in each sandwich and the presentation is prettier (in my humble opinion!)
Start by lining a small cookie sheet (it must have sides) with plastic wrap. Scoop softened ice cream onto the tray and press it into one even layer using a spatula. Immediately freeze.
When you're ready to assemble the sandwiches, use a large biscuit cutter to cut out circles of ice cream. Place onto the flat side/bottom of the first cookie and then top with bottom side of the second cookie.
Extra Toppings
I didn't add any other toppings to this batch, but feel free to get creative with jazzing up your butter pecan ice cream sandwiches!
You can roll the ice cream sides in coarsely chopped pecans, in sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips.
Another great idea is to dip half of the assembled sandwich in dark chocolate and top with more nuts. A little hint of chocolate would pair nicely with the buttery richness of these ice cream sandwiches.
The Perfect Summer Treat
These butter pecan ice cream sandwiches are so easy to make and really hit the spot on a hot day! The key is to use brown butter in the cookie dough - it adds so much richness to the flavor of the creamy ice cream.
Butter pecan ice cream sandwiches are best enjoyed immediately but can be stored in the freezer for a month or so.
Looking for Other Awesome Summer Recipes?
Try my No Bake Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie or Lemon Cooler Cookies!
How to Store the Ice Cream Sandwiches
Simply place them in an airtight container and layer them with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. When you're ready to enjoy, let them sit out at room temperature for a few minutes so the cookies can soften slightly before taking a bite!
That's it! These butter pecan ice cream sandwiches are so easy to make and are the perfect summer treat!
Let me know if you try this recipe, I would love to hear from you!
Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @owlbbaking. Happy baking!
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Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwiches
There is nothing like a homemade ice cream sandwich on a hot day. In this recipe, a tasty, chewy, buttery, cookie is paired with classic butter pecan ice cream. This Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwich is sure to become a summer favorite!
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: about 10 sandwiches 1x
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ c coarsely chopped pecans
- 30 pecan halves (for topping the cookies, optional)
- 72 oz of butter pecan ice cream (2 ¼ qts)
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- Preheat oven to the 375°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
- To make brown butter, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, continue cooking the butter, stirring occasionally. The butter will begin to foam and turn a golden brown color. Once it reaches this color, remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
- While the butter is cooling, coarsely chop the pecans and place in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In the large bowl that already has the butter, add the sugars and mix together.
- Add in the egg and egg yolk, then the vanilla extract and mix until combined (you can use an electric mixer on low speed if you'd like, or you can mix by hand).
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Add all of the dry ingredients all at once into the bowl with the melted butter mixture. Combine.
- As you're mixing, just before all the flour disappears, toss in the chopped pecans. Continue to mix until all the nuts are evenly distributed in the dough and you do not see any flour left.
- Using a 3T cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the parchment lined tray. Leave at least 2.5 inches in between each cookie so they have room to spread. Top 10 cookies with 3 whole, pecan halves (if using).
- Bake until light to medium golden brown, about 10-13 minutes. You don't want to overbake the cookies but you do want to brown them a bit as it adds a lot of flavor!
- Once finished baking, remove from the oven and let the cookies set for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to fully cool.
- Cool completely before assembling with ice cream.
Assembling the Sandwiches
You can do this 2 ways.
The Scoop & Sandwich Method
Soften the ice cream.
Grab one of the cookies and placing it upside down in your hand. We want to add the ice cream to the bottom side of the cookie. Then scoop some softened ice cream and place it onto the cookie. You want to be generous with the ice cream; I like to use about ½ cup. Then, place a second cookie on top of the ice cream and press it down to flatten out the ice cream.
The Cut Out Method
This is my preferred method to assemble the sandwiches. It ensures that there is an even layer of ice cream in each sandwich and the presentation is prettier (in my humble opinion!)
Start by lining a small cookie sheet (it must have sides) with plastic wrap. Scoop softened ice cream onto the tray and press it into one even layer using a spatula. Immediately freeze to set. When you're ready to assemble the sandwiches, use a large biscuit cutter to cut out circles of ice cream. Place onto the flat side/bottom of the first cookie and then top with bottom side of the second cookie.
Storage
Place in an airtight container and layer them with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together, OR wrap individually in plastic wrap.
When you're ready to enjoy, let them sit out at room temperature for a few minutes so the cookies can soften slightly before taking a bite! These will last about 1 month in the freezer.
Equipment
Notes
Recipe by Owlbbaking.com
- Prep Time: 60
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Sandwich
- Calories: 727
- Sugar: 58.8 g
- Sodium: 320.6 mg
- Fat: 41 g
- Carbohydrates: 85.9 g
- Protein: 9.5 g
- Cholesterol: 105.1 mg
Geronimo
I’m obsessed with these butter pecan ice cream sandwiches – they’re incredibly creamy yet still packed full of flavour, the cookies are perfect too. .. Great snack for hot summer days