Key Lime Ice Cream Sandwiches (Printable)
Creamy key lime filling between crisp graham crackers, frozen until firm for a bright, portable summer treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Key Lime Ice Cream
01 - 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
02 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold
03 - 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
04 - 1/3 cup fresh key lime juice
05 - 1 tablespoon key lime zest
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of salt
→ Graham Cracker Cookies
08 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
09 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
13 - 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
14 - 1 large egg
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, Greek yogurt, key lime juice, lime zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until fully blended.
02 - With an electric mixer or whisk, whip the cold heavy cream in a separate chilled bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the lime mixture until smooth and homogenized.
03 - Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper. Pour in the lime ice cream mixture, smoothing the top evenly. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until solid.
04 - Set oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
05 - In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
06 - In a separate bowl, beat unsalted butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and continue mixing until incorporated.
07 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until fully combined; avoid over-mixing.
08 - Scoop 16 tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, flatten each slightly. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden at the edges. Allow cookies to cool completely.
09 - Once frozen, remove the ice cream slab from the pan and use a round cookie cutter matching the cookies' size to cut out ice cream rounds.
10 - Place one ice cream disc between two cooled graham cracker cookies, pressing gently to adhere. Serve immediately or wrap each sandwich and freeze until ready to enjoy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These sandwiches taste like a frozen slice of pie, but you can eat them with your hands.
- Creamy, tart, and a little bit crunchy, they always vanish faster than I expect.
02 -
- If the cookies are still warm, your ice cream will melt on contact and make a mess—learned that one by experience.
- Cutting the ice cream directly in the pan is easiest if you dip the cutter in warm water between rounds.
03 -
- Let the ice cream mixture freeze solid before cutting or it will stick to everything.
- Line each sandwich with a square of parchment for easy serving and storage—no wrestling sandwiches out of sticky wrap.