Using extra rich homemade brownies and your favorite flavor ice cream, you can make brownie ice cream sandwiches at home. My #1 tip: Give the assembled brownies plenty of time to freeze so they slice into neat squares or rectangles.
Complete with 8-ingredient homemade brownies, these brownie ice cream sandwiches are inspired by the store-bought version we all know and love. In addition to letting the assembled brownies freeze overnight, I recommend slightly under-baking the thin sheets of brownies so they aren’t rock solid after freezing. What a difference it makes!
I have a full list of success tips, as well as a video tutorial and step-by-step photos, so make sure you browse this post before getting started. I can’t wait for you to try these at home!
These Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches Are:
- Fun to make
- Inspired by the store-bought version
- Made with extra rich homemade brownies
- Awesome with vanilla ice cream, but you must try coffee or strawberry!
- Like my ice cream cake or these chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches, they’re a wonderful make-ahead treat
- Great in the freezer for up to 1 month
**Though the full detailed instructions are written below, let me walk you through the process so you understand what you’re doing.
Overview: How to Make Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
I found this recipe idea on Tasty and was thrilled to try it with homemade brownies. The most difficult part of recipe testing was finding the perfect brownie recipe that would (1) be thin enough (2) be soft enough and (3) taste good enough. A hard code to crack, but I started with my seriously fudgy homemade brownies and built on that foundation.
- Make homemade brownie batter. Using my homemade brownies as the base, I increased the butter, left out the melted chocolate, and added a bit of baking powder. I left out the chocolate so these brownies could be softer and, well, more convenient. (They’re made with only cocoa powder, so if you ever need a 9×13-inch pan of brownies that uses just cocoa powder, here’s your recipe—and you can use the same baking/cooling instructions as my homemade brownies. I don’t recommend a 9×13-inch baking pan for making these ice cream sandwiches, though. See next step.) I also added butter to make up for the loss of liquid chocolate and added baking powder to give the brownies a little lift and extra softness.
- Bake in two 9-inch baking pans. Use 2 9-inch square baking pans for the correct thickness. I only have one 9-inch square baking pan, so I bake the batter in batches. I do not recommend one 9×13-inch pan for this recipe. Though the brownie batter will fit and you could cut the cooled sheet of brownies in half, the “sandwich” will still be too thick. An 8-inch pan is too small. You could try two 9-inch round pans of brownies, but you won’t have even ice cream sandwich squares. Before baking, place a piece of parchment directly on top of the batter—this helps the brownies stay flat and prevents the brownies from puffing up too much.
- Under-bake. A quick 15-16 minutes per thin square sheet of brownies. As the brownies cool for a few minutes, remove your ice cream from the freezer so it slightly softens.
- Scoop ice cream on top of one layer of brownies. Carefully spread into an even layer.
- Place 2nd square sheet of brownies on top.
- Freeze. Place the whole pan in the freezer for at least 12 hours. I find 12-18 hours is the perfect amount of time. Any less and the ice cream will still be pretty soft and squish out when you try to cut them. The longer after 18 hours, the harder the sandwiches are to cut.
- Cut. Use a very sharp knife and some arm muscle!
Step-by-Step Photos:
The brownie batter is thick, so do your best to spread it into your lined pan(s). Lining with parchment paper is imperative so you can easily lift the brownie square out of the pan as a whole. Bake with parchment paper directly on top, too. This prevents the brownies from puffing up too much.
You’ll have two square sheets of super thin and soft brownies.
Soften ice cream, then spread it on top.
Cover with 2nd square sheet of brownies.
Freeze, then cut into squares or rectangles.
Success Tips (Follow These Closely)
- Use parchment paper: You need parchment paper to line the square baking pan(s) with enough overhang on the sides so you can lift the warm brownies out as a whole for assembly. You also need parchment paper placed directly on top of the brownie batter to keep them flat. I swear by these pre-cut sheets of parchment.
- Use 9-inch square pans: Best thickness for these ice cream sandwiches. See recipe notes below!
- Under-bake the square sheets of brownies: To prevent the brownies from turning break-your-teeth hard in the freezer, slightly under-bake them. Pay very close attention to this bake time. They will be very soft coming out of the oven.
- Freeze for 12-18 hours: As mentioned above, any shorter than this and your ice cream will squeeze out of the sandwich as you cut. Any longer and they’ll be delicious, just very hard to cut.
- Use your sharpest knife to cut: A super sharp knife and arm muscle works. At 8 months pregnant, this was a workout!
These are always so much fun to serve when the weather begins to warm up, especially for pool parties, Father’s Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, and every gathering in between! For more summer dessert inspiration, see my roundups of favorite Memorial Day recipes and BBQ cookout dessert recipes.
See Your Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches!
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge! Feel free to email or share your recipe photos with us on social media. 🙂
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Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 13 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-12 sandwiches
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Using extra rich homemade brownies and your favorite flavor ice cream, you can make brownie ice cream sandwiches at home. My #1 tip: Give the assembled brownies plenty of time to freeze so they slice into neat squares or rectangles.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (82g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder*
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 quart container (1/2 gallon) vanilla ice cream (slightly softened—you can use any flavor and you’ll have a little leftover)
Instructions
- Preliminary note: For best success, I recommend reviewing the recipe notes and video tutorial above before beginning.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the warm brownies out. Set aside. (If you have 2 identical 9-inch square baking pans, you can line both and bake the batches of brownie batter at the same time.) I don’t recommend other size baking pans. See my recipe note.
- In a microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan on the stove, melt the butter. After melting, whisk in the sugar until completely combined, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. The batter will be a little dull looking.
- Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Fold it all together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. It will come together, I promise! Batter will be very thick. You will have about 4 cups of batter.
- Spoon and spread half of the batter (about 2 cups) into prepared pan. (Lightly cover remaining batter and keep at room temperature.) The batter is thick and heavy, so do your best to spread it evenly in the lined baking pan. I find the back of a spoon is most helpful. Place a small sheet of parchment paper directly on top of the brownie batter, smoothing it down as pictured in the photos and video tutorial above. The top parchment paper helps the brownies stay flat and prevents the brownies from puffing up too much.
- Bake for 15-16 minutes. I find any longer over-cooks the brownies, making the ice cream sandwiches difficult to cut and eat. Remove brownies from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Carefully, using the overhanging parchment paper on the sides, lift the warm and soft square sheet of brownies out of the pan as a whole. Remove top piece of parchment. (You can reuse it for the top of the 2nd sheet of brownies in the next step, if desired.) Set aside.
- Line the warm pan with another sheet of parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the warm brownies out. Give the remaining brownie batter a stir. It will be very thick at this point. Add a teaspoon of water to thin out if necessary. (No more.) Spoon and spread the remaining brownie batter in the pan. Place a small sheet of parchment paper directly on top of the brownie batter, just as you did before.
- Bake for 15-16 minutes. Remove brownies from the oven and cool for 15 minutes in the pan. During this cooling time, I remove the ice cream from the freezer so it has a chance to soften.
- Scoop the softened ice cream onto the warm brownie layer in the pan. You’ll use almost all of the 1/2 gallon of ice cream. Using the back of a spoon or your ice cream scoop, gently spread it into an even and thick layer.
- Carefully pick up the 1st square sheet of brownies and place on top of the ice cream layer. Gently press it down into the ice cream to help it stick. Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 12 hours and up to 1 week. I find 12-18 hours is the perfect amount of time. Any less and the ice cream will still be pretty soft. The longer after 18 hours, the harder the sandwiches are to cut.
- Remove the pan of ice cream brownies from the freezer. Carefully lift them out as a whole using the parchment paper overhang on the sides. Using a very sharp knife and some arm muscle, cut into 8-12 squares or rectangles. Enjoy immediately.
- Wrap each leftover sandwich individually and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. They get a little harder the longer they sit in the freezer—if they’re super solid, let them sit out for a few minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Ice Cream Scoop
- Two 9-inch square pans of extra thin brownies is best. I only have one 9-inch square baking pan, so I bake the batter in batches. I do not recommend one 9×13-inch pan for this recipe. Though the brownie batter will fit and you could cut the cooled sheet of brownies in half, the “sandwich” will still be too thick. An 8-inch pan is too small. You could try two 9-inch round pans of brownies, but, obviously, you won’t have even ice cream sandwich squares. For success, I recommend following the recipe.
- Cocoa Powder: You can use either natural or dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Best Ice Cream to Use: Homemade ice cream works wonderfully, but avoid homemade no churn ice cream (made with heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk) because it’s too soft. I usually use store-bought such as Breyers vanilla (or any flavor) or Dreyers/Edys classic or slow churned varieties.
Inspired by Tasty
This recipe came out so great! I didn’t have 9×9 pans so I baked the brownies in a half sheet pan for 15 minutes and they came out perfectly. I wouldn’t make any changes – everyone loved these and came back for seconds.
Can you make the brownies a day ahead and then put the sandwich together to freeze for 12 hours the next day?
Hi Kaily, absolutely, you can make the brownie layers a day in advance. Just keep them covered at room temperature until ready to assemble.
This recipe was so good! I was a little intimidated at first because I had never made ice cream sandwiches before, but the helpful tips in the recipe made it really easy!
This wasn’t my favorite recipe. It was hard to tell how underbaked to make the brownies. I think mine were not baked enough. As another reviewer said, the top layer of brownies broke apart into several pieces when transferring to the top of the ice cream layer. I should have tried freezing that layer before transferring so it wouldn’t crack apart so much. The final product tasted good, but the brownie was a bit chewy. I probably would not make this one again. Personally, I’d rather bake regular brownies and serve with ice cream.
I am wanting to make heart shaped brownie sandwiches with strawberry buttercream in the middle instead of icecream, so they will not be frozen. Should I still underbake the brownies or should I give them a bit longer?
Hi Lily, you might err on the side of underbaking them just a bit, since you’ll want to refrigerate the brownie sandwiches because of the buttercream in the middle. Hope they’re a hit!
Hi Sally! Have you ever made only the brownie part of this recipe, without the ice cream? If so, do you use the same pan size and bake times or would a 9×13 pan make more sense? Thank you!
Hi AN, you can absolutely do that! If using a 9×13-inch pan instead of the 2, 9-inch square pans, you can use the same baking/cooling instructions as these homemade brownies.
Perfect summer treat! Recipe turned out great.
This is one of the best ice cream sandwiches recipe I have made so far. THANKS.
My daughter has requested a brownie themed ice cream cake for her 18th birthday. Can I cook 2 9″ round pans and use one as the base layer and use the second pan as brownie chunks incorporated into the ice cream? Would I need to cook the second pan slightly longer so the brownie pieces are a bit more solid? I plan to assemble in a springform pan with the brownie as base layer, home made ice cream layer, fudge layer, and second ice cream layer.
Hi Janet, that should work just fine. The brownies are pretty dense as is so you shouldn’t really need to bake the second pan any longer, although you can if you’d like. Please do let us know how it goes!
Success!! I increased ingredients by 1/3 & cooked in 10” round pans. One pan was used as bottom layer of ice cream cake, most of the second layer was incorporated as brownie bites in the ice cream. I folded the pieces into a layer of homemade milk chocolate ice cream and a layer oh homemade white chocolate ice cream. A fudge layer with chocolate crunchies was in between ice cream layers, then the whole thing covered in sweetened whipped cream & topped with chocolate curls. The brownie layer stayed soft as did the brownie chunks! A labor of love, but turned out awesome & was a delicious. Would love to share a picture of the finished cake & a slice!
Hi Sally, I have not made these yet , they are on my to-do dessert list! I personally prefer my desserts less sweet, if I cut back on the sugar a bit will it dry out the brownies at all? And if I choose to use a little less butter, do you recommend any substitute or just lessen it? Thanks! BTW, your flourless chocolate Cake recipe has made me very popular!!
Hi Beth! Reducing the butter or sugar will both negatively change the results of these brownie ice cream sandwiches. We recommend sticking with the recipe as written for best results.
Sally, I have made several of your recipes and they came out perfect. But I don’t know what in the world happened with this one use the right size pans and double check my ingredients my Ice cream was a good brand sorry to say did take as much ice cream and the brownies went to the trash.I know some where some how I made a mistake and don’t know where I love Icecream sandwiches.Love your recipes.
Thank you for your recipes Sally! My brother and dad said these were one of his favorite things that I have baked! The brownies were chocolaty and fudgy. I was worried that they would become hard in the fridge, but they did not. They tasted more like a brownie sundae than a store bought ice cream sandwich. They are also much thicker than a store bought ice cream sandwich. In fact, they practically filled the pan to the top, so they are quite large. I cut mine into 18 pieces instead of 8 to 12, but it’s up to personal preference. The salt added to the recipe wonderfully balances the sweetness. These were so delicious!
This is so good and easy. I am NOT a fan of the store-bought ice cream sandwiches, but these are THE BEST. I am planning to make a few different flavors for my mom’s 77th Surprise Birthday Party.
Can you tell me HOW LONG they can stay in the freezor and still taste moist and great?
Hi Tash! We recommend storing them in the freezer for up to 1 month. Enjoy!
That is great to know. My mom’s surprise party is next Saturday so I individually wrapped in saran wrap and then put in large ziplock.
Any other tricks or suggestions? I am going to make 2 more batches with other flavor ice cream
These were outstanding! I used homemade strawberry ice cream. They were a huge hit at our family get together.
I made these for a church staff get-together this past weekend. Since I have 2 identical 9” square pans, that made it easy and I followed the recipe exactly and used Blue Bell Natural Vanilla Bean ice cream. The dessert was delicious—a little too sweet for me, but everyone else enjoyed it. However, I cut mine into 16 squares rather than 8-12 recommended and they were plenty big enough as a dessert serving after a full meal. Any bigger pieces would have been too much. Just my opinion, though!
Yumm …… these’s look yummy! I have not tried to mak em yet But LOVE your resipes sally!
I want to make in a sheet pan to have enough for a luncheon. How thick is the batter in the 9″ pan? Has anyone double/tripled or more the recipe?
Hi Diana! The best way to make larger batches is to do it in shifts in the 9 inch pan, all separately. Otherwise, the thickness will differ and may make the sandwiches difficult to cut and / or eat. Hope these are a hit for your luncheon!
I am planning to make an ice cream cake using these brownies but I saw somewhere that brownies are impossibly hard to slice when frozen. Yet I believe these are specifically made to be frozen. Should I be worried or will this recipe work? It will be brownie base, ice cream, brownie, ice cream then marscapone cream on top.
Hi Vanessa, these brownies should work wonderfully for your ice cream cake. It just takes a very sharp knife and a bit of arm muscle to cut these, but it can certainly be done! We also recommend slightly underbaking the brownies which helps to make them easier to cut through. Let us know if you give it a try!
Okay great. Thanks! Looking forward to trying this.
Its difficult to make it. but good to eat.