Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches

We grew up with the occasional ice cream bar from a package – those ones with the slightly sticky chocolate outside and vanilla filling. These vegan and gluten free ice cream sandwiches are a healthy-ish spin on those, with a date sweetened sandwich layer and coconut cashew raspberry swirl filling.

A little bit higher in protein and fibre, with the almond flour and cashews, you should feel pretty good after eating one of these ice cream bars! No sugar headaches, thanks. Definitely a dessert but I think they work if you want a breakfast dessert, too.

They’re also completely grain-free, if that’s important to you, with coconut flour adding a bit of bulk. I think these can be paleo friendly depending on the type of nut or seed butter you use.

For some more gluten-free and vegan ice cream recipes, try chocolate coconut milk ice cream (sandwiched in GF peanut butter cookies), vegan cookie dough ice cream, or easy vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Ice cream: if you don’t want to make your own ice cream, just use store bought! Thaw it for about ten minutes before scooping out and spreading over the bottom brownie layer, top with the second brownie, freeze, and slice as usual.
• Almond flour: hazelnut flour makes a good substitution for almond flour. For a nut-free option, you could try blending sunflower or other seeds, but I think it might be too bitter.
• Cocoa: baking cocoa and raw cacao can be used interchangeably for this recipe. The flavour will change very slightly but it’s barely noticeable.
• Coconut flour: if you want to use an alternative to coconut flour, use double the amount, as coconut flour is twice as absorbent as most other flours. Oat flour is a good option. Don’t use a wheat-based flour unless you cook it beforehand, as it can’t be consumed raw.
• Dates: soften in hot water if necessary. I use deglet noor, a smaller variety that’s less expensive (measure by weight if using another type).
• Nut or seed butter: peanut butter makes for a nice combination with the raspberries, but tahini, sunflower seed butter, hazelnut butter, or whatever you like best can be used.
• Maple syrup: as usual, honey can be substituted for maple syrup and will make for a softer ice cream filling. I use more honey these days because it’s local rather than imported from across the Atlantic. Date or coconut syrup would also work.
• Raspberries: I made my own raspberry jam (our autumn fruiting raspberries are ready) by simmering until thickened with a drizzle of honey. If you don’t have or don’t like raspberries, use a different fruit. Blackberries, strawberries, blueberries (any berries), and peaches or other stone fruits are all great. Store-bought jam can be used.

Step by Step

Step 1: blend the date mixture until very smooth. It should look like date caramel.
Step 2: add the remaining ingredients and blend into a ball of dough.
Step 3: roll out into a thin layer.
Step 4: cut to fit the container the bars will be assembled in.

Step 5: add the cashew filling ingredients to a food processor.
Step 6: blend into a very fine mixture.
Step 7: spread over the base layer.
Step 8: top with the jam layer and swirl in slightly.

Step 9: top with the second brownie layer.
Step 10: freeze before cutting into bars and serving.

Recipe Notes

These are easy to cut and serve after 3-4 hours in the freezer. They won’t be frozen solid yet, but the ice cream doesn’t melt as rapidly as vegan ice cream usually does.

My tin is 20x20cm (8 in.). A larger, smaller, or differently shaped container can be used. Keeping it approximately the same size will have the best ice cream to brownie ratio.

A sharp knife will make for nicer looking ice cream sandwiches, but this isn’t hugely important. If the bars are frozen solid, dip the knife in hot water each time before slicing.

Using jam instead of simply mashing the raspberries is due to the frozen texture. Cooking the berries reduces the water content, which in turn reduces the iciness after freezing.

To shorten the soaking time for the cashews, use very hot or even boiling water. This can reduce the time needed to an hour or two.

The filling layer is adapted from my friend Natalie at Feasting on Fruit.

Blending Cashew Cream

You don’t need a high end, super powered blender for this recipe (I don’t have one). I do find that my immersion blender makes a creamier filling than the food processor, but my processor is also really cheap.

If possible, either use a higher wattage immersion blender, or a standing blender. A food processor can work well but it needs to be mixed for a longer time. In any case, pretty much anything with a blade can mix the cashew cream, it just might need some time.

Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches Video

More No-Bake Recipes

Creamy Lemon Blueberry Popsicles
No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars
Edible Vegan Cookie Dough
Vegan Chocolate Truffles with Ginger and Orange

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by Alexandra Daum

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