A healthier ice cream sandwich recipe that actually tastes as good as it looks? Yes, we did it! Made with oat milk ice cream and no refined sugars, this is a simple dessert recipe that you’re gonna want to make for many summers to come.

WHY I MADE THESE OAT MILK ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Who doesn’t love an ice cream sandwich in the summer? Especially those big, chewy, Trader Joe’s Ice Cream Sandwiches that every other chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich is measured against–I bet you know exactly which ones I’m talking about.

I used to LOVE those grocery store freezer section ice cream sandwiches, but I haven’t had one in years ever since I started leaning towards a gluten free and refined sugar free lifestyle.

And that’s exactly why I decided to make these healthier chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches at home. This homemade ice cream sandwich cookie recipe can easily be made gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free… all of the frees! This recipe is wonderfully versatile, and I encourage you to play around with it to make it perfect for your diet and lifestyle.

So, what exactly makes these ice cream sandwiches so good?

A great ice cream sandwich starts with great chocolate chip cookie. The ingredients for our healthier chocolate chip cookies uses coconut sugar in place of brown sugar, which creates a beautifully chewy cookie that’s perfect for a frozen ice cream sandwich.

But I’m really proud of this recipe because of the oat milk and honey ice cream that I tested three different times to get it just right. The homemade refined sugar free and dairy free ice cream that we use for this recipe is so good you’ll want to eat it straight out of the ice cream machine.

Made with oat milk, honey, and vanilla, this homemade healthier ice cream pairs perfectly with our homemade chocolate chip sandwich cookies. So, let me show you how to make it!

MY CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM RECIPE

You have to follow a few steps to successfully make these chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches at home. The full recipe is in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview:

OAT MILK ICE CREAM

• Soak the cashews: Combine the oat milk and cashews together in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge overnight.
• Blend the ice cream mixture: Blend the oat milk-cashew mixture along with some honey, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth.
• Churn the ice cream, or don’t!: Pour the ice cream mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to your machine’s instructions. Or, simply pour the ice cream mixture into a freezer-safe container and chill in the freezer while you make your chocolate chip cookies.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

• Beat the butter and coconut sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and coconut sugar together until pale and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla, and beat again until combined.
• Pour in the dry ingredients, and chocolate chips: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir the cookie dough together until the flour streaks disappear. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Bake: Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the edges. Cool completely before using for ice cream sandwiches.

ASSEMBLE THE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

• Add the ice cream: Flip half of the cookies over and top with a generous scoop of oat milk ice cream. Place another cookie on top to create an ice cream sandwich.
• Roll the ice cream sandwiches in chocolate chips: Carefully roll the outer edges of the ice cream sandwiches through the mini chocolate chips to get chocolate chip edges.

HEALTHIER ICE CREAM SANDWICH INGREDIENTS

OAT MILK ICE CREAM

• Cashews: Instead of using traditional milk and heavy cream for our healthier homemade ice cream recipe, we use a combination of cashews and oat milk to achieve a similar taste and texture. The cashews provide the thickness and richness that you would typically get from traditional dairy ingredients.
• Oat Milk: We use oat milk as our non-dairy milk alternative because it has the best taste, texture, and richness (imo) of any non-dairy milk. Be sure to use a full fat oat milk (or barista edition) for ultra creamy vegan ice cream. I find Oatly to be the best brand for this.
• Honey: Instead of granulated sugar, we use honey as the sweetener for our ice cream. I love how the subtle taste of honey pairs with this oat milk ice cream, but you can use maple syrup or agave syrup, if vegan.
• Vanilla: Use vanilla bean paste to get little specks of vanilla in the ice cream for the ultimate summer treat. I really like the vanilla bean paste from Trader Joe’s, or you can try this one from Vanilla Bean Kings.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

• Butter: The very best chocolate chip cookies are made with butter (sorry)! If you’re an experienced baker, go ahead and experiment with a substitute like almond butter or coconut oil, if desired. Although a full stick of butter being used in the recipe may seem like a lot, note that this recipe makes 12 cookies, which means there’s less than two tablespoons of butter per ice cream sandwich, which isn’t bad at all when eaten in moderation.
• Coconut Sugar: My favorite sugar substitute for baking and cooking. The coconut sugar in this recipe can be replaced with brown sugar for the ultimate soft and chewy traditional chocolate chip cookie (use a 1:1 ratio). Even better, I love to do a combination of coconut sugar and brown sugar for these cookies, but you can use 100% coconut sugar and still get a great result.
• Egg: Binds the chocolate chip cookie ingredients together, while also adding moisture and richness. If vegan, you can try substituting the egg with a flax egg or chia egg.
• Flour: Use all purpose flour, or gluten free flour to make these cookies gluten free. My favorite brand is King Arthur’s Baking Gluten Free Flour.
• Mini Chocolate Chips: We can’t make chocolate chip ice cream cookie sandwiches without chocolate chips! I love the brand Enjoy Life’s Mini Chocolate Chips because they are dairy free and allergen free, too. They do contain cane sugar, so choose a refined sugar free brand like Lily’s Sweets of you’re strictly refined sugar free.

And don’t you think these would be so good with my Easy Vegan Caramel Sauce, too? Yum!

HOW LONG DO THESE TAKE TO MAKE?

Not counting the time that it takes to soak the cashews in the oat milk overnight for our homemade ice cream, these ice cream sandwiches will take about 45 minutes to make, start to finish.

Here’s the breakdown of how long it takes to make this recipe:

• Overnight time: 8 hours
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Bake time: 15 minutes
• Assembly: 10 minutes

This is if you use an ice cream machine for the ice cream. I have steps for how to make a no churn version of this ice cream below, but note that making this recipe no churn will add an additional 4 hours as the ice cream needs to freeze before use.

HOW TO STORE THESE HEALTHY ICE CREAM SANDWICHES?

I like to wrap each ice cream sandwich individually in parchment paper so that they’re easy to store and eat. Place the wrapped ice cream sandwiches in a large Ziploc bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I recommend allowing the ice cream sandwiches to thaw at room temperature for a couple of minutes before enjoying!

ICE CREAM SANDWICH FAQ

1. Can I make this recipe without an ice cream maker?
Absolutely! Here’s what you do: after blending the ice cream mixture in the blender, simply pour it into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3–4 hours. It may freeze a bit harder, so let it sit at room temperature for 15–25 minutes before scooping and using for your ice cream sandwiches.

2. I’m vegan—can I make this recipe fully plant-based?
Yes! To make this recipe vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey in the ice cream, swap the butter for vegan butter in the cookies, and replace the egg with a flax or chia egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia + 3 tbsp water, mixed and set aside for 5 minutes) for the cookies. Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips, too. I love the mini chocolate chips from the brand Enjoy Life.

3. Can I make the cookies gluten free?
Yes Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, such as King Arthur’s Gluten Free Flour (my favorite)!

4. How long do the ice cream sandwiches keep in the freezer?
For the best texture and flavor, enjoy within 1–2 weeks, or up to 3 months. Wrap each sandwich tightly in parchment paper and store them in a Ziploc bag to prevent freezer burn. Thaw them for a few minutes at room temperature before enjoying.

5. Can I make the ice cream ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it up to a week in advance. Just let it sit on the counter for 15–25 minutes before scooping if it’s frozen solid straight from the freezer.

6. Can I substitute oat milk for another milk?
You can, but oat milk gives the creamiest texture, in my opinion. Almond milk or cashew milk work too, though the ice cream may be slightly icier and not as rich and creamy as oat milk.

7. Do I have to soak the cashews overnight?
Soaking the cashews overnight softens the cashews and makes the ice cream base super smooth. If you’re short on time, you can quick-soak them in hot oat milk for 1 hour instead. Just make sure the mixture is completely cool before blending.

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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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