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Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches are everything you love about a classic ice cream sandwich, only better, with a thick layer of vanilla ice cream tucked between two ultra fudgy homemade brownie layers. My girls inhale these the second the temperature climbs on a hot summer afternoon. If you love a rich brownie treat, our fudgy turtle brownie pie is another chocolate favorite.
Two thin pans of homemade brownies and a tub of softened ice cream are all it takes for this fun frozen treat.
Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 18 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 6 hours 33 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 9 bars
- ⚡ Calories: 755kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, fudgy chocolate brownie with cold, creamy vanilla ice cream
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, about as simple as our no bake Oreo cheesecake
Quick Answer
Bake two thin batches of homemade brownies in lined 9×9 pans and let them cool completely. Spread softened vanilla ice cream over one brownie layer right in the pan, then top with the second brownie and press down gently. Wrap and freeze until solid, about 6 hours, then lift out, cut into bars, and serve.
Jump to:
- Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Frozen Desserts
- Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Two thin brownie layers. Baking the batter in two pans gives you perfectly even, thin brownie slabs that are easy to sandwich and bite through once frozen.
- Slightly underbaked is best. Pulling the brownies a touch early keeps them fudgy and soft so they do not turn rock hard in the freezer.
- Softened, not melted ice cream. Letting the ice cream soften just enough makes it easy to spread into an even layer without it running everywhere.
- The pan does the shaping. Assembling right in the lined pan gives you clean, straight edges and makes it simple to lift out and slice into neat bars.
- Totally make ahead. These frozen sandwiches keep for weeks in the freezer, so they are the perfect dessert to stash for hot days and last minute treats.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are a fun homemade upgrade to the classic ice cream sandwich.
- Fudgy homemade brownies are so much better than store bought wafers.
- They are just as easy and freezer friendly as our no churn cookie dough ice cream.
Key Ingredients
Simple brownie ingredients plus a tub of ice cream are all you need for these frozen sandwiches.
- Semi sweet chocolate chips: Melted with butter for a rich, deeply chocolatey brownie base.
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened cocoa boosts the chocolate flavor and gives the brownies their fudgy texture.
- Vanilla ice cream: The cold, creamy center, softened just enough to spread, though any flavor works.
- Eggs: Four eggs give the brownies structure and that classic shiny, crackly top.
- All purpose flour: Just enough to hold the fudgy brownies together without making them cakey.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These brownie ice cream sandwiches are easy to make your own.
- Swap the vanilla ice cream for mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, or coffee ice cream.
- Press mini chocolate chips or sprinkles into the exposed ice cream edges before freezing.
- Use a boxed brownie mix in two thin pans if you want an even faster shortcut.
- Drizzle the bars with chocolate or caramel sauce just before serving.
How to Make Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two 9×9 baking dishes with parchment paper. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips in 15 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Whisk the sugar into the melted chocolate, then whisk in the eggs one at a time, fully mixing in each before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined with no dry patches.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Slightly underbaking keeps them fudgy. Cool completely in the pans.
- Spread softened ice cream over one brownie still in its pan, top with the second brownie, and press gently. Wrap with foil and freeze until solid, about 6 hours, then lift out, cut into 9 bars, and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Slightly underbake the brownies so they stay fudgy and soft once frozen instead of turning hard.
- Cool the brownies completely before adding the ice cream, or it will melt on contact.
- Soften the ice cream just until spreadable, not soupy, for the cleanest layer.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the whole sandwich out for easy, clean slicing.
- Run a warm knife through the bars, wiping between cuts, for neat edges.
- Freeze solid before serving, at least 6 hours, so the bars hold their shape and do not squish.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These brownie ice cream sandwiches are best served straight from the freezer, cut into thick bars so you get that perfect ratio of fudgy brownie to creamy ice cream in every bite. They are a guaranteed hit at summer barbecues and pool parties.
Set them out on a platter next to our oatmeal cream pie ice cream bars and no churn cookie dough ice cream for a frozen dessert bar.
They are the perfect make ahead treat to keep stashed in the freezer for hot days, right alongside our turtle brownie pie for a chocolate lover’s spread.
Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches FAQs
Slightly underbake the brownies so they stay fudgy in the freezer. Let the bars sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes before serving so they soften just enough to bite through easily.
Classic vanilla is the most versatile, but any flavor works. Mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, coffee, and salted caramel are all delicious between the fudgy brownie layers.
Yes. Prepare a boxed mix and divide it between two thin 9×9 pans. Homemade gives the fudgiest result, but a mix is a great time saver.
Freeze the assembled sandwiches until solid, about 6 hours or overnight, so they hold their shape and slice cleanly into bars.
Wrap the cut bars individually in parchment or foil and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 weeks.
Make sure the brownies are completely cool before adding the ice cream, and work quickly with ice cream that is just softened, not melted. Pop everything back in the freezer right away.
Tried these brownie ice cream sandwiches? I would love to hear how they turned out, leave a comment and a star rating below!
Pair them with our oatmeal date cookies for a wholesome snack spread.
Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter cut into tablespoons
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ quarts softened vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 9×9 baking dishes with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl add the butter, and chocolate chips. Microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth.
- Whisk in the sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing in the first one fully before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla.
- In a large bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir them both together until fully combined with no dry patches.
- Add half the batter to each prepared baking dish and bake for 16-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. It is better to slightly underbake, so if there are a couple of crumbs on the toothpick that is perfect.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pans.
- You want the ice cream to be softened but not completely melted. Smooth the ice cream on top of one of the brownies while still in the pan.
- Take the second brownie out and remove the paper. Place it on top of the ice cream and gently press it down.
- Wrap with foil and place in the fridge until frozen solid about 6 hours.
- When ready to serve, remove the foil and lift it out using the parchment paper to help. If it is sticking in the pan, run a butter knife along the sides of the pan and the parchment paper to release it.
- Take off the paper, and cut into 9 even bars, serve immediately or pop back into the freezer until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use any ice cream that you like, see some ideas above.
- You can use a boxed mix for these brownies or your favorite brownie recipe.
- This can be doubled, make in 2 9×13-inch baking pans.
- Mix-ins can be added to your ice cream, see some ideas above.
- These need to be frozen at all times.
- These need to freeze for at least 6 hours.
Nutrition
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