Dessert time: Chipwich Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

Chipwich Ice Cream Sandwiches

• Packed 1 1/2 cups pitted dates (160g) (I like SunMaid, which are softer)
• 3/4 cup raw nuts (Try walnuts, cashews, macadamias, or a combination.)
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• at least one circle cookie cutter
• 1 ice cream recipe (or vanilla ice cream of choice)
• mini chocolate chips, for decoration

If using my homemade ice cream recipe (linked above), prepare it about an hour ahead of time, so that it is soft but not melty, and keep frozen.

Add the first 4 ingredients to a high-quality food processor (the mixture comes out much stickier in a blender, but it technically can be done). Process until fine crumbles form. If mixture is too dry, add up to 1 tbsp water—but no more. Pour the entire mixture into a gallon-sized plastic bag, and smush into a ball. Still in the bag, roll out the dough. Cut open the bag and use a cookie cutter to make circles. Put the cookie cutter over one of the cut-out cookies, then spread a scoop of ice cream on top, filling the cookie cutter to the edges. Place a second sandwich cookie on top and freeze 10 minutes. When ice cream firms up, pop the sandwich out of the cookie cutter, decorate with mini chocolate chips, and store in the freezer in an airtight container. Repeat to make the other Chipwiches. (Note: you will only use about half the ice cream recipe, but it’s important to make the entire batch for optimum blending. The only way I could’ve used the whole recipe would’ve been to double the crust recipe… and that would make for a very angry food processor!)These can be frozen for up to a month—the ice cream will harden; so be sure to thaw, until ice cream is soft again, before eating.

By Chocolatecoveredkatie.com