Vegan Ice Cream Sandwiches (Allergy-Friendly Options)

Step 1

Planning: If making banana nice cream, do this at least 2 to 3 hours in advance so the ice cream has time to firm up in the freezer. If making any of the other homemade ice creams mentioned in the post above, it's best to make it the day before, or at least 5 hours in advance.

Step 2

To make the strawberry nice cream: add the bananas, strawberries, and a splash of milk to a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 3

It will be similar to soft serve at this point. Scoop it into a freezer-safe container and freeze for about 2 hours. This will give you a firmer, scoopable texture for building the ice cream sandwiches.

Step 4

If using store-bought ice cream or one of the other homemade ice creams: set out at room temperature to soften right after you put the cookies in the oven (next step). If you prefer a perfectly smooth disc of ice cream, spread the softened ice cream in a freezer-safe dish so that it's about 1-inch thick. Freeze it again for about 45 minutes or until firm enough cut into circles using a knife or biscuit cutter. *Use one of the cookies as a guide to see how large the discs of ice cream need to be.

Step 5

Bake the cookies: select a cookie recipe and bake the cookies. Once the cookies are cool, place in the refrigerator until cold.

Step 6

Once the ice cream is firm enough, place one scoop or one disc of ice cream on a cookie and place another cookie on top, gently pressing them together. If needed, place ice cream sandwiches on a baking sheet or plate in the freezer for a few minutes. The amount of time needed depends on how soft the ice cream is when you make the sandwiches.

Step 7

Enjoy ice cream sandwiches right away or wrap the individual sandwiches in plastic wrap and place inside an airtight freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. Transfer hard-frozen ice cream sandwiches to the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before serving.