Dark Cherry Ice Cream Sandwiches

Indulge in the perfect summer treat with these delightful Dark Cherry Ice Cream Sandwiches. Combining rich, chocolatey cookies with creamy, homemade cherry ice cream, this recipe is sure to impress family and friends at any gathering.

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 12 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup plus 2 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Confectioner’s sugar for rolling

For the Ice Cream:

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 cups fresh dark cherries, stemmed and pitted, divided

Directions

For the Cookies:

1. Prepare Dry Ingredients:
   • Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar:
   • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add Wet Ingredients:
   • Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until combined.
4. Form Dough:
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms.
5. Chill Dough:
   • Press the dough into a flat rectangle on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, about 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Roll and Cut:
   • Roll out the chilled dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles.
7. Bake:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. Allow them to cool completely before assembling the sandwiches.

For the Ice Cream:

1. Heat Cream:
   • In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it is hot but not boiling. Dissolve the sugar in the hot cream.
2. Prepare Cherry Puree:
   • Blend 1 1/2 cups of the cherries into a puree. Strain the puree into the cream mixture to remove any solids.
3. Chill and Churn:
   • Chill the cherry-cream mixture in the refrigerator until cold. Then, churn it in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
4. Add Chopped Cherries:
   • Fold in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of chopped cherries into the churned ice cream. Freeze until firm.

Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwiches:

1. Assemble:
   • Place a generous scoop of cherry ice cream between two cooled cookies. Press gently to form a sandwich.
2. Serve:
   • Enjoy immediately or wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for later.

Prep and Cooking Time

• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cooking Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

These Dark Cherry Ice Cream Sandwiches are a luxurious treat perfect for any occasion. The combination of rich, chocolate cookies and creamy, fruity ice cream is simply irresistible. Enjoy!