Any sort of peppermint and chocolate dessert is always my favorite…especially in the winter! I just love the rich flavor of chocolate combined with the refreshing, light flavor of the peppermint.
Since cookies are our favorite dessert, I thought it would be fun to make homemade ice cream sandwiches using a peppermint ice cream and some brownie cookies. I mean you can’t go wrong with that combo, am I right?!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means, if you purchase something from a link I provided, I will receive a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you! Thank you for your support!
Tips for Making Homemade Peppermint Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
The Peppermint Ice Cream
I used a food processor to blend the milk with the candy canes, but you could also use a blender or just crush them by hand and mix them in the with milk!
If you like little chunks of candy cane in your peppermint ice cream, then crushing them yourself is the way to go! It’s totally personal preference!
After you make the peppermint ice cream mixture, you’ll want to chill it in the refrigerator before churning.
Ideally, you’ll want to chill it for at least a few hours. It’s even better if you can let it chill for a full 24 hours. This is what I do because it makes for a creamier, more flavorful ice cream!
The Brownie Cookies
I used this brownie cookie recipe to make these homemade peppermint brownie ice cream sandwiches.
Fun fact: I made these cookies for the first time back in 2017 when I went to go meet my (now) husband’s entire family on Easter. Let’s just say I won them over and I think it had a lot to do with these cookies… 😉
Just make sure you read through the recipe carefully and pay attention to her notes. If you do- I promise they’ll turn out perfect.
I took mine out of the oven 1-2 minutes earlier than suggested so the ice cream sandwiches weren’t too hard. I also flattened them out a little bit.
Assembling the Ice Cream Sandwiches
I used a normal ice cream scoop to place the ice cream on the cookies! If I had excess I tried to scrape that out so it was flush with the cookies.
You want to work fast because the ice cream will melt!! I put each one in plastic wrap and right into the freezer!
Homemade Peppermint Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker
Ingredients
Peppermint Ice Cream
- 6-8 candy canes (or 1/2 cup peppermint candy)** divided
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Brownie Cookies*
- 12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Peppermint Ice Cream
- Place 6 candy canes (or 1/2 cup of peppermint candy) and milk into a blender or food processor and pulse until the candy is dissolved or mostly broken down
- Whisk together the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until the sugar is completely dissolved (use your finger to check for granules)
- Whisk in the milk mixture
- Cover and put in the fridge for at least a few hours (I almost always let my ice cream base chill for about 24 hours to produce a creamy texture)
- Add the chilled ice cream mixture to your frozen ice cream bowl and churn for about 20 minutes or to the consistency of your liking
- Put ice cream in a freezer safe container and freeze for at least a few hours before assembling the ice cream sandwiches
Brownie Cookies
- See notes for the brownie cooke recipe
- Slightly undercook the cookies so they're nice and soft as an ice cream sandwich
- Spray the bottom of a glass with cooking spray and smoosh the cookies flat when they come out of the oven
- Let cool and set aside until you're ready to assemble your ice cream sandwiches!
Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Place one cookie top side down, add a scoop of ice cream, place another cookie on top
- Optional: Roll the sides in crushed candy canes
- Individually wrap the ice cream sandwiches with plastic wrap and place in the freezer!
Notes
Homemade Ice Cream FAQ
I’m no professional (like, at all), but i’ve been sharing about my homemade ice cream journey on Instagram since 2020. Many people in my community have been inspired to start making their own homemade ice cream and it makes me so happy!! If you’re one of those people, these questions might be helpful to you!
Do you need an ice cream maker?
You don’t need an ice cream maker to make homemade ice cream. However, if you want quality, creamy ice cream, I promise it’s worth investing in an ice cream maker! Once you have an ice cream maker, you won’t have any interest in buying ice cream from the grocery store ever again. Okay, except maybe when you need a quick Ben & Jerry’s run…
What is the best budget ice cream maker?
Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is the best ice cream maker for a beginner. It’s affordable, easy to use, incredibly cute, and most importantly- makes the creamiest ice cream! It’s been really good to me. I’ve had many friends and family members purchase this machine and they always thank me later! All of my homemade ice cream recipes are specific to this Cuisinart ice cream maker.
Do you have recipes that don’t require an ice cream machine?
I don’t, but if you’re in interested in one of my flavors, look up “no churn” homemade ice cream recipes for that flavor. There are plenty of options out there… most use sweetened condensed milk!
I’ve made no-churn ice cream in the past, and it definitely doesn’t provide the same creamy texture as when you churn ice cream. To me, the texture seemed more firm and icy.
How long does it take to make homemade ice cream?
You have to be a little prepared when you make your own ice cream. The most important thing to remember is to put your ice cream maker bowl in the freezer for 24 hours before churning.
So as long as the bowl is frozen, you could make the ice cream batter in the morning and refrigerate for a few hours before churning. (The churning process only takes about 20 minutes) However, if you leave your ice cream mixture in the fridge longer, it will result in a creamier, more flavorful, ice cream. I almost always leave my mixture in the fridge overnight. Here’s an example of my homemade ice cream making schedule:
- Friday Afternoon– place the freezer bowl in the freezer then make the ice cream mixture, cover, and refrigerate. (Both for 24 hours)
- Saturday Afternoon– churn the ice cream mixture! It’ll be ready to eat in soft-serve consistency at this point, but I prefer more of a hard ice cream texture so I put it back in the freezer for at least a few hours
- Saturday Evening– enjoy the ice cream!
What if my ice cream isn’t thickening?
Without fail, the most common mistake when making homemade ice cream is forgetting to put the bowl in the freezer ahead of time.
Or, not giving the bowl enough time to freeze before churning. It really needs a full 24 hours. Trust me, I’ve made this mistake myself and it’s incredibly frustrating. You’re all excited to enjoy your ice cream and then you realize your ice cream mixture is not thickening at all and you have to wait another 24 hours to try again.
What’s the difference between ice cream and custard?
They’re almost the same, except that custard has egg yolks cooked into the ice cream, making it smoother and creamier. Making custard does require a little extra technique. Here are my tips for making a custard:
Tempering the Eggs
In order to prevent having scrambled eggs in your ice cream (ew!), you have to temper the eggs. Basically, the egg yolks and heated custard mixture have to be very carefully combined together. You’ll do this slowly while continuously whisking or stirring.
Strain the mixture
It’s not uncommon to get just a few small chunks of egg yolk that cooked, so it’s essential that you strain the mixture!
Can I use non-dairy or low-fat milk?
Yes and yes! Regarding non-dairy recipes, you’ll have to look those up. I made a non-dairy homemade vanilla ice cream once and it was pretty good. It definitely had a different flavor…more nutty! But the texture was great and I think if you’re used to non-dairy alternatives, you would enjoy it! As for low-fat milk, that is definitely an option as well. You would just replace the whole milk amount with the low-fat option. It won’t be the same creamy texture as a full-fat ice cream.
How do you store homemade ice cream?
When I first got our machine I used to just leave it in the freezer bowl and put a plastic wrap over it. It wasn’t the best method, but it did the job. I recommend putting it in an air-tight container. It will keep longer than just using plastic wrap! These are the containers I use!
How long does homemade ice cream last?
Homemade ice cream will be best to eat within one week, but it can last up to two weeks. After that, it starts to get icy and grainy.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these ice cream recipes: dark chocolate peanut butter brownie ice cream, strawberry brownie ice cream, or my chocolate peanut butter s’mores ice cream.
Let me know in the comments if you gave these a try!
