My Grandmother's Chocolate Wafers for the Ultimate Homemade Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches
Tender, fudgy chocolate wafers wrapped around a creamy vanilla Oreo ice cream center. The perfect frozen treat for summer that stays soft in the freezer.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Two half-sheet baking pans
- 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan
- Ice cream maker
- Sharp chef's knife
- Parchment Paper
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for the ice cream)
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (for the ice cream)
- 12 Oreo cookies, crushed into chunks
For the cookies:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Flaky sea salt (for finishing, optional)
Instructions
- Make the ice cream: In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and whole milk. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat.
- Whisk egg yolks and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together in a large bowl until pale and thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Temper the eggs: Slowly pour about 1 cup of hot cream into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture back into saucepan with remaining cream.
- Cook custard over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5-7 minutes. Do not let it boil.
- Strain custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Churn in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions until soft-serve consistency. Fold in crushed Oreo chunks.
- Spread ice cream evenly into a parchment-lined 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Make the cookies: In a stand mixer, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to wet mixture on low speed until combined.
- Turn dough onto plastic wrap and shape into a 2-inch diameter log. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 3 days).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment. Slice dough into 1/4-inch rounds. Place 2 inches apart on sheets. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes – cookies should look puffed and slightly underdone in center. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble: Remove frozen ice cream block from pan using parchment. Cut into 12 squares with a hot knife. Place a square on the flat side of one chocolate wafer, top with another wafer, flat side down. Press gently. Repeat.
- Place assembled sandwiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour to firm up before serving. Let sit at room temperature 2-3 minutes before eating.
Notes
Hard-Earned Advice:
- Bake cookies slightly underdone – they continue to set as they cool. Pull when puffy and soft in center.
- Don't skip chilling the dough. Warm dough spreads into thin, crispy disks; cold dough gives thick, fudgy wafers.
- Use a hot knife for cleanest cuts through the ice cream block.
- Let assembled sandwiches rest in freezer for at least 1 hour before serving to let cookies and ice cream bond.