This healthy brownie ice cream cake combines a fudgy gluten free brownie base with chocolate cookie crumbs, homemade chocolate syrup, and creamy Greek yogurt-based ice cream to create the ultimate summer cake! Made entirely with wholesome ingredients, this lighter, protein-packed celebration cake is perfect for summer parties or birthdays!

WHY I MADE THIS BROWNIE ICE CREAM CAKE

Pretty much all of my favorite dessert recipes are inspired by my favorite childhood treats, and this healthier ice cream cake is no different!

When I was a kid, I had a somewhat unhealthy obsession with the Carvel ice cream cake. If you’re not familiar with it, Carvel is (was? Is Carvel still around??) an ice cream chain that was famous for their classic ice cream cake which layered vanilla ice cream and chocolate ice cream together, with a ribbon of crunchy chocolate cookies in the center, and wrapped it all up in a whipped cream topping that was as sweet and soft as a summer cloud.

As a summer birthday girlie, I’ve always loved that ice cream cakes are a socially acceptable cake for my birthday every year. Now that I’m an adult, I can’t say I’m any less excited at the prospect of treating myself to an ice cream cake, except this time I’m making it exactly how I want to: with healthier ingredients, without refined sugars, and with a brownie layer on the bottom! 

Let me break this ice cream cake down for you: it starts with a flourless brownie base that gets baked in the oven until nice and fudgy, and then we layer on some homemade chocolate syrup, chocolate cookie crumbs, and cherry Greek yogurt.

Place the cake in the freezer, and then repeat with another round of chocolate syrup, chocolate cookie crumbs, and vanilla Greek yogurt. And if you really want the full experience, spread some homemade whipped cream topping all along the outside and sprinkle some extra cookie crumbs or natural sprinkles on top.

Yup. Sounds amazing, right?

So yeah, this ice cream cake recipe is a win-win-win in my book. It is a labor of love, but the result is well worth it. If you decide to give this brownie ice cream cake a try be sure to leave a rating and comment so I can see it! I can’t wait to know what you think.

MY HEALTHIER ICE CREAM CAKE RECIPE

The full instructions on how to make this healthy ice cream cake is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it.

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to view the full recipe and get all of the measurements and instructions!

1. Make the brownie base: Whisk together tahini, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla, then mix in the coconut sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into a pan and bake for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the chocolate cookies: Stir together almond flour, cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup until it forms a crumbly, clumpy mixture. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through.

3. Make the chocolate syrup: Combine cocoa powder, maple syrup, water, vanilla, and salt in a small pot. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, then set aside to cool completely.

4. Make the yogurt “ice cream”: Mix yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla together. Divide the mixture in half, and stir cherry jam into one of the halves.

5. Layer the cake: Pour the chocolate syrup on top of the brownie base, then sprinkle on the chocolate cookie crumbs, and finally the cherry yogurt ice cream mixture. Freeze for 30 minutes to harden.

6. And Repeat: Add another layer of chocolate syrup, more chocolate cookie crumbs, then the plain vanilla yogurt mixture. Freeze overnight to set.

7. Soften before serving
Move the cake to the fridge for about 1 hour before serving so it’s easier to slice.

8. Make the whipped topping: Whip the whipping cream, honey, and vanilla to stiff peaks (3–4 minutes), then fold in the Cool Whip (if using).

9. Top and serve
Spread or pipe the whipped cream topping all over the tops and sides of the cake. Slice, and enjoy!

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM CAKE KEY INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list is in the recipe card below, so make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see what you need to make this recipe!

Here is a quick overview of what you need to make this healthy ice cream cake at home:

Brownie:

• Tahini: The base of the brownie batter, replacing both the flour and the butter that is traditionally used in brownie recipes. Tahini provides structure, moisture, and a rich, fudgy texture to this delicious brownie! It’s also a great source of healthy fats and protein.
• Egg: Helps bind everything together and provides lift and structure as the brownie cooks.
• Maple Syrup: Adds moisture, sweetness and a subtle depth of flavor to the brownies.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances and rounds out all the other flavors, especially the chocolate!
• Coconut Sugar: Adds a deeper, slightly molasses-like sweetness that complements the cocoa, and also adds structure to the batter.
• Cocoa Powder: The primary source of chocolate flavor. Be sure to use a pure, unsweetened cocoa powder to reduce the overall sugar content of this recipe.
• Baking Soda: Reacts with the cocoa powder to help these brownies rise and set properly.
• Dark Chocolate Chips: Creates pockets of yummy melted chocolate throughout the brownies, boosting the richness and texture.

Chocolate Cookies:

• Almond flour: Our lower carb, gluten free flour base.
• Cocoa powder: I recommend using Dutch processed cocoa powder for the best color and flavor!
• Coconut oil: Binds the dough together and helps the cookies crisp up when baked.
• Maple syrup: Our all natural, refined sugar free sweetener which also adds moisture and helps to bind the dry ingredients together.

Chocolate Syrup:

• Cocoa powder: For the chocolate flavor! I recommend using Dutch processed cocoa powder for the deepest color and chocolatey flavor!
• Maple syrup: Sweetens the syrup and gives it a pourable consistency.
• Water: Thins the syrup to the right drizzling consistency

Ice Cream:

• Greek Yogurt: The base of the “ice cream” layer, replacing actual ice cream. Greek yogurt is naturally thick and creamy, and freezes into a tangy, dense layer that has the same taste and texture as creamy ice cream! Greek yogurt is also a great source of protein and probiotics.

HOW LONG DOES THIS BROWNIE ICE CREAM CAKE TAKE TO MAKE?

This healthy ice cream cake recipe has a few different components to it, so it’s definitely a labor of love. If you choose to go the fully homemade route, you’ll need to prepare a few different elements:

• Brownie Base
• Chocolate Cookies
• Chocolate Sauce
• Greek yogurt “ice cream”
• Whipped Topping

… Which is a lot of stuff when you think about it. To make your life as easy as possible, you can prep the brownie, chocolate cookies, and the chocolate syrup a day in advance to make day-of assembly even easier (that’s what I did)!

The full recipe is below, but here’s the gist of how long everything will take:

• Prep time: 30 mins
• Bake time: 45 minutes
• Assembly: 30 minutes

In total, this ice cream cake will take about 2 hours total to make! And that’s if you use your time efficiently, but as I mentioned I recommend breaking it up over two days.

This does not count the time that it takes for the cake to freeze in the freezer (8 hours), or defrost before serving (about 1 hour and 30 minutes).

HOW TO STORE THIS ICE CREAM CAKE?

The longer the ice cream cake stays in the freezer, the icier it will naturally get over time, so I don’t recommend making it too far in advance or storing it in the freezer for too long.

It tastes best and has the best texture within 1-2 days of being made. However, if you do have leftovers you can store individual slices in the freezer, tightly wrapped, to prevent icicles from forming, for up to a week. Just remember to move it to the fridge about an hour or two before serving so it’s easier to slice.

HEALTHY ICE CREAM CAKE FAQ

1. Is this brownie ice cream cake actually healthy?
In my opinion, yes! It’s a lighter take on a classic Carvel ice cream cake you may have grown up with. This healthier ice cream cake skips ingredients like refined flour and processed sugar in favor of almond flour, coconut sugar, and maple syrup, and swaps traditional ice cream for a Greek yogurt “ice cream” base. It has more protein and less added sugar than a typical store-bought ice cream cake, and it’s made with wholesome ingredients that you can feel really good about enjoying.

2. Can I use a different sweetener instead of maple syrup or coconut sugar for this recipe?
Yes, you can. Honey generally works well as a 1:1 swap for maple syrup. For coconut sugar, brown sugar works as a substitute, though it will change the flavor slightly and won’t be quite as low-glycemic as coconut sugar.

3. What kind of yogurt works best for the ice cream layers?
A thick Greek yogurt gives the creamiest texture once frozen. Low-fat or non-Greek yogurt will work too, but the final texture will be icier rather than creamier.

4. Do I have to use tahini in the brownie layer?
Tahini is what keeps this brownie flourless and adds richness, but if you don’t have it (or don’t like the flavor), a smooth natural almond butter or even peanut butter can be used instead.

5. Can I make this ice cream cake dairy-free?
Yes, you can! Instead of Greek yogurt, you can use a dairy-free yogurt (like coconut or almond-based) for the ice cream layers, swap the whipped cream for a dairy-free whipped topping, and use dairy-free chocolate chips.

6. How far in advance can I make this cake?
The longer the ice cream cake stays in the fridge, the icier it will get over time, so I don’t recommend making it too far in advance. However, you can make it up to 1-2 days ahead and keep it in the freezer, tightly wrapped, to prevent icicles from forming. Just remember to move it to the fridge about an hour or two before serving so it’s easier to slice.

To make your life even easier, you can prep the brownie base, the chocolate cookies, and the chocolate syrup a day in advance to make day-of assembly even easier (that’s what I did)!

7. What is the easiest way to slice and serve this ice cream cake?
This ice cream cake will be rock hard straight from the freezer, and pretty impossible to slice. Place it in the fridge an hour ahead of time so it can soften up. Then, leave it on the counter for another 15-30 minutes so you can slice it easily, without having to worry about the cake melting too much.

8. Can I skip the whipped cream topping?
Yes, the whipped cream topping is entirely optional. This cake still tastes delicious without it, but I like including it because then it looks (and tastes) even more like the classic Carvel ice cream cake.

9. How long will leftovers keep in the freezer?
Stored covered in the freezer, leftover cake will keep well for a few days. Transfer the slices to the fridge for about an hour and then to the counter for about 15 minutes before serving so they’re soft enough to eat.

10. Can I use a different fruit instead of cherry jam?
Definitely. Raspberry, strawberry, or blackberry jam would all work well as a swap for the cherry ice cream layer. Use whatever flavors you like!

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

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