These decadent ice cream sandwiches are such a fun, flavor-packed treat! With a double-dose of pistachio, and a drizzle of white chocolate to tie it all together, these are always a hit!
![a stack of pistachio ice cream sandwiches](https://saltinmycoffee.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pistachio-ice-cream-sandwiches-1-2.jpg)
These over-the-top ice cream cookie sandwiches are my all-time favorite. They're so fun, so wildly decadent, and yet SO easy to make.
Just like with the Stroopwafel Ice Cream Sandwiches we made earlier this summer, these are such a snap to make, one really can't even call this a recipe.
It's summer, so we're keeping this EASY. I even cheat and use store bought cookie dough when I make these. Let me walk you through it!
Step 1: The Cookies
I like to make these with really good sugar cookies, that are soft and squishy, rather than crisp and crumbly.
If you're making your own, or baking from pre-made cookie dough, I like to make these a little larger and thinner than the recipe or package directions usually specify.
For this batch, I used Sweet Loren's gluten free sugar cookie dough, and while the instructions say to place cookie dough portions on the sheet and bake, I never do. To make these nice and big, but not too thick, I let the cookies bake for 2 minutes, then quickly remove them and score with a fork just like you would for peanut butter cookies--first one way, then the other. Pop them right back in the oven and finish baking.
This flattens them just enough to come out with a PERFECT shape for making into ideal ice cream sandwiches. Be careful not to overbake, so they'll stay soft and flexible. I've found that if I try to do this with pre-portioned cookie dough before baking, the dough crumbles. Those two minutes make it so flattening them just a bit is a breeze.
Once the cookies are cool, place them in the fridge to firm up a little extra. Overnight is great, but even an hour will do it. You want them to hold up well, when being sandwiched with the ice cream, but don't want the cookies to actually be baked crisp and hard, or they'll be so much less magical when you're actually biting into the finished ice cream sandwich. Refrigerating them is the key.
Step 2: The Ice Cream
Go for your favorite pistachio ice cream as the filling for these lovely sandwiches. I love Talenti "Pacific Coast Pistachio" Gelato, and that's what I used here. It's just my favorite, and is flavored perfectly, without being cloyingly sweet (or artificially bright green, like so many brands!)
Before filling, I like to let the ice cream sit on the counter for a few minutes, so that it's getting just a little bit soft. Not drippy-sloppy, but just a little less like a brick.
Once it's more malleable, go ahead and start filling! Place a cookie on a hard surface, with the pretty side down. Top with a scoop of ice cream. A large cookie scoop is perfect for these larger ice cream sandwiches, since we're going for a scant ¼ cup of ice cream in each one.
(If you have 18 cookies, a pint of ice cream perfectly fills 9 ice cream sandwiches, using just a little less than ¼ cup in each one.)
Top with another cookie, pretty side up. Slowly and carefully press down just until they're nicely sandwiched, then put the whole thing right back in the freezer. Repeat with each set of cookies and ice cream, until all the ice cream sandwiches are made.
Steps 3 & 4: The Chocolate Drizzle and Chopped Pistachios
These two steps need to be well synchronized. While the ice cream sandwiches are firming up in the freezer, melt the white chocolate for the drizzle. 2 ounces of chocolate is just about right for 9 ice cream sandwiches.
While it's melting, chop some pistachios for the garnish. ¼ cup of pistachios is about perfect for 9 ice cream sandwiches.
Once the chocolate is melted, you're ready to roll. Work quickly, one sandwich at a time, returning to the freezer after each one is done.
Take a sandwich from the freezer, drizzle liberally with white chocolate, then immediately sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Lightly press them into the chocolate with your hand, then put the sandwich back in the freezer and grab the next one.
That's all there is to it! I like to make these a bit before I want to serve them, so they can rest and firm up, and the flavors can mingle a bit. Wrapped in freezer paper or plastic wrap, or stored in the freezer in bakery boxes, they can be made up a week in advance.
These are a fun treat to bring out when you really want to wow your family or friends. They're definitely a favorite with my kids!
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 18 sugar cookies
- 1 pint pistachio ice cream
- 2 ounces white chocolate
- ¼ cup pistachios
Instructions
- Place cookie top down on a flat surface. Top with scant ¼ cup ice cream. Top with another cookie, and gently press to slightly flatten. Place each sandwich in the freezer as you complete it, then allow them to freeze at least 20 minutes before garnishing.
- Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate and chop the pistachios.
- Working one sandwich at a time, drizzle the top of each ice cream sandwich with melted chocolate, then immediately sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Lightly press the nuts into the chocolate, then return to the freezer for the sandwich to firm up.
- For best results, let the ice cream sandwiches rest in the freezer for half an hour or so before serving. To store, wrap in freezer paper, plastic wrap, or store in baker's boxes in the freezer, for up to a week.
If you liked this recipe, here are some others you might enjoy:
- Stroopwafel Ice Cream Sandwiches
- 21 Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
- 21 Easy Coffee Desserts Anyone Can Make
- The Ultimate Summer Bucket List of Homemade Popsicle Recipes
- Dairy Free Espresso Ice Cream with Fudge Swirl
- 5-Ingredient Summer Desserts That Are Unbelievably Easy
- 21 Tempting No-Bake Desserts That Look as Good as They Taste
- 21 Heavenly Raspberry Recipes To Try While They're In Season
Anna Chesley
Anna Chesley is a freelance writer living a homestead lifestyle, with a special love for family travel, old books, vintage skills, and seaside living. In addition to founding Salt In My Coffee, she runs the website, New England Family Life, as well as The 1800's Housewife, a website devoted to re-creating authentic 1800's recipes.
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