Just in Time for Valentine's Day: Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Can I just get something off my chest? Valentine's Day is my least favorite holiday. There, I said it. I'd take early morning Church and deviled eggs galore on Easter Sunday any day over the cheesy candy hearts and all things chocolate hallmark holiday. I also prefer the beer fests and green-dyed rivers of St. Patrick's Day to the "lovey dovey" 14th of February.
Chris and I don't even really celebrate Valentines Day. He's pretty fortunate that I don't mind that either - since my birthday falls just a few days before. We've rarely acknowledged the event and when we have, I'm fairly certain it was just an extension of my birthday festivities.
But, as a food blogger, there are just certain things I must oblige to. So, I'm sucking it up and making something festive. Because while I don't love Valentine's Day....I do love...love.
I also freaking adore chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. My, oh, my how they are my most favorite sweet treat to indulge in. And, they're everywhere these days. So on those rare occasions when I have that serious sweet tooth, they're one of the first things I think of when choosing a bad...but oh so good dessert to devour.
I never ever bake. Like, never. But, since it's Valentine's day and since I do love those ice cream sandwiches so much, I decided to give it a whirl.
I can't believe how good these scratch-made beauties came out. After baking the cookies and letting them cool completely (I waited an entire night), I used a sharp serrated knife and cut "discs" from a pint of vanilla bean ice cream. I found this little trick on Pinterest and it actually works beautifully - like magic! Then, I simply sandwiched the ice cream between the two cookies and like, that, I had picture perfect Valentine's Day sweets.
Eat them the second they become sandwiches or wrap them up and freeze them for later- either way, you can't go wrong. With a recipe for an ultra sturdy cookie, you can be sure there will be no crumbly mess.
Happy Valentines Day all you love birds!!!
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
13 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons beet extract (or 1 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring)
1 1/3 cups chocolate chips
1 pint Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Add butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or use a quality hand mixer) and mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, egg yolk and mix until combined. Then add vinegar, vanilla and food coloring. Mix until well blended.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop dough out and roll into golf ball sized balls. Place balls on greased baking sheet.
4. Bake cookies for 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Later on, add to an air-tight container.
5. The following day (or several hours later), prepare the ice-cream sandwiches. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut 1/2 inch directly into ice cream container. I twist the container as I'm cutting to be sure it's an even "disc" of ice cream. Then, carefully make a small cut into one edge of the container and unwrap the ice cream disc from the carton. (Photo of the trick here)
6. Using two cookies, sandwich the ice cream. Eat right away or tightly wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for later.
7. ENJOY!!!
