Carrot Cake Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
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I don’t know about you but I love ice cream year-round and these Carrot Cake Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches are so fun as we transition into Spring and Summer.
Carrot Cake is a Spring essential, you’ll have to try my Carrot Cake Bread, Carrot Cake Oatmeal, Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars, or my Carrot Cake Bars.
You will love these carrot cake cookies; they are soft, moist, and bursting with the sweet and aromatic flavors of carrot cake. They are made with grated carrots of course, ground cinnamon and brown sugar for depth of flavor.
I love this Carrot Cake Cookie recipe for Spring but those cookies are more on the soft and cakey side, and I wanted this recipe to have a thinner and chewy cookie base. You can’t just make any ordinary cookie recipe and scoop ice cream in the middle and call it a day. Crisp or thicker cookies will not work as well and there is some science behind a really good ice cream cookie sandwich.
You will love how the creamy ice cream adds a cool and refreshing contrast to the warm, spiced cookies, creating a perfect balance of flavors and textures. I typically use a vanilla bean ice cream but I also think a homemade cheesecake ice cream would be delicious too!
Why this recipe works
- It offers the nostalgia of carrot cake with a fun twist, making it a favorite among both carrot cake enthusiasts and ice cream lovers alike.
- They are fun and easy to make.
- I developed the cookie to be easy to bite into; it’s thin, super soft and chewy!
- The cookie is a no-chill recipe, so it saves you time.
- They’re absolutely DELICIOUS!
Ingredient Notes
For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Carrots: Freshly grate the carrots using the small holes on a box grater for the best flavor and texture. You’ll want to finely grate them so they blend into the cookie dough seamlessly.
- Cinnamon: necessary for the carrot cake flavor. Feel free to additionally add ground nutmeg, ginger or cloves too!
- Flour: All-purpose flour works well for these cookies. You can experiment with whole wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend if desired, but note that it may affect the texture of the cookies.
- Oats: I like to use quick oats so the cookies have a softer, tender and more uniform texture. I like how they blend more seamlessly into the cookie dough.
- Sugars: A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar adds sweetness and moisture to the cookies. You can adjust the ratio of sugars based on your preference for sweetness.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred for better flavor control, but if you only have salted butter, you can reduce the amount of added salt in the recipe accordingly.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Make the cookie dough and bake cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely.
- Take one cookie and place a scoop of ice cream on the flat side, top with the flat side of another cookie to assemble the sandwich.
- Freeze at least 3-6 hours then enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Since the ice cream cookie sandwiches need a chewy cookie, be careful not to over bake the cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before assembling the sandwiches. You can pop the cookies in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to make them easier to work with.
- Use an offset spatula to smooth out the edges of the ice cream.
- Roll the edge of your ice cream sandwiches in your favorite ice cream toppings (such a sprinkles, nuts, shredded coconut, or mini chocolate chips) to create a homemade Chipwich.
- Be sure to freeze the cookies after assembling because the ice cream will probably slip out the sides when you bite into it when enjoyed straight away. I recommend at least 3-6 hours of freeze time or preferably overnight (12 hours).
- Ice cream sandwich hack: Slice a pint of ice cream into 4 rounds, peel the ice cream carton away and discard, and place the ice cream circles in between 2 cookies to make your sandwich.
- Since there are not many ingredients involved in cookie ice cream sandwiches, be sure to use a good quality vanilla ice cream for your sandwiches for best taste.
Variations
- Mix-ins: Feel free to add raisins, chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans), and shredded coconut to the cookie dough for added texture and flavor!
- Or you can roll in toppings: If desired, roll the edges of the ice cream sandwich in chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or any other toppings of your choice!
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Instead of using plain ice cream, sandwich the carrot cake cookies with a layer of creamy cream cheese frosting. This adds a tangy and indulgent element that complements the spiced cookies perfectly.
- Carrot Cake Batter Ice Cream: For the ultimate carrot cake experience, use carrot cake batter ice cream as the filling for the sandwiches. This ice cream flavor combines the flavors of carrot cake with creamy ice cream for a decadent and indulgent treat.
Storage
- Individually wrap cookie sandwiches with plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container or large stasher bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The cookie dough can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.
- The cookies can be baked 1 day in advance. Keep them at room temperature and assemble when ready. If cookies are too soft, freeze them for 15-20 minute to make them easier to work with.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon (you can also add a pinch of ground nutmeg, ground cloves and ground ginger, if desired)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter (not completely softened, I sit mine on the counter for just 10-15 minutes, we want it still slightly cool. )
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated carrots (finely grated on the small holes of the box grater )
- 1 gallon vanilla bean ice cream
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1/2 cup quick oats, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugars.8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed, 1/2 cup white sugar
- Beat for ~2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. It will look somewhat like a paste.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix again until incorporated.1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix.
- Add the carrots.1 cup grated carrots
- Mix with a rubber spatula just until combined.
- Using a 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop, scoop the dough and place on prepared baking sheet. I like to bake 6 cookies at a time so you're not over crowding the pan which can lead to your cookies spreading.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. They will look very soft, it's OK, they set up as they cool. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place the cookies in the freezer for just 15-20 minutes so they are easy to work with when assembling the sandwiches. If the cookies are warm or super soft, it can be hard to work with.
- Assemble the cookie sandwiches: scoop about 1/2 cup of ice cream onto the bottom of one cookie, then sandwich another cookie on top of it. Gently press the cookies together so the ice cream is even along the edges of the cookies.1 gallon vanilla bean ice cream
- Tightly wrap each cookie sandwich individually in plastic wrap and freeze until the ice cream is firm, at least 2-3 hours or ideally up to overnight. If you enjoy the cookies right away without freezing, the ice cream will squeeze out the sides and it becomes very messy.
- You can enjoy the ice cream sandwiches straight from the freezer, or I like to wait just a few minutes before I take my first bite!
Video
Notes
- Storage: individually wrap cookie sandwiches with plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container or large stasher bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The cookie dough can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.
- The cookies can be baked 1 day in advance. Keep them at room temperature and assemble when ready. If cookies are too soft, freeze them for 15-20 minute to make them easier to work with.
- I love using this ice cream scoop for ice cream sandwiches.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
These were super easy to make and so delicious! I added toasted walnuts and used KA gluten-free measure for measure flour which worked out great.
Very good!! My cookies spread quite a bit though, and I think it’s because I packed the carrot into the measuring cup a bit, as I followed the recipe in all other respects. So my only comment would be to make sure you’re measuring the carrot loosely, or dry it a bit after grating to avoid adding extra water to the cookie dough.
Wow this was just great! All the flavors of carrot cake in a cold, refreshing ice cream sandwich. It almost was oatmeal cookie-esque too which we loved! This was such a great idea, super creative!
Could I make these with a 1:1 gluten free flour?
I haven’t tried yet, but I bet you could 🙂 let me know how it goes!
I have never had anything carrot cake before due to most having nuts. This recipe was so easy to follow and made such good cookies! I haven’t been able to put them down! And with the ice cream in the middle, 10/10!
Amazing! thank you soo much Leah!!
Delicious and refreshing! I knew I had to make these after making and loving your chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches! It’s so nice to be able to grab one out of the freezer when you’re craving something sweet!
they look perfect Emily! thank you soo so much!
These are such a fun and tasty take on carrot cake, one of my favorites! Added some spring sprinkles for decoration, but they definitely didn’t last long in my house!
so fun! thank you so much for leaving a review and for the photo 🙂 yum!
These were fun to make and easy to follow. I added the suggested spices of cloves, ginger and nutmeg. They made the cookies have such wonderful depth of flavor. The oats added great texture! I added pecans to my vanilla bean ice cream to give more of a crunch on the outside. The cookies are perfectly chewy on the inside and crisp slightly on the edges. Loved these!
so glad you enjoyed them!! thank you so much for the review 🙂 they look great!
I wanted to bring these to work for my co workers.. So I obviously couldn’t fill the cookies with ice cream or they would melt 🤣 So I put spiced cream cheese frosting in the middle and they are still so good! I also added raisins and pecans to the cookies which is nice texture. Overall, really yummy and festive for spring!
love that! such a good idea. thank you!!
Was just looking up carrot cake recipes for a bake sale and happened upon this one. Love your recipes! Keep up the good work 🙂
Thank you so much Jacqueline!