These gluten free ice cream sandwiches are a gluten free + dairy free copycat of the classic Chipwich ice cream sandwich. Make them at home using homemade vanilla ice cream or your favorite brand of ice cream. They are the perfect nostalgic low FODMAP dessert!
Gluten free ice cream sandwiches are the perfect indulgence on a hot day, or really anytime the craving strikes. Made using homemade gluten free chocolate chip cookies they can be made using homemade dairy free ice cream or your favorite shop-bought brand. This recipe uses vanilla ice cream, but feel free to get creative with your gluten free ice cream sandwiches and try different flavors!
What Flavor Ice Cream Should I Use?
Here are some delicious flavor options for gluten free ice cream sandwiches:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter: If you love chocolate and peanut butter then using chocolate peanut butter ice cream in these ice cream sandwiches will be the ultimate in decadence.
- Maple Bourbon Pecan: An upgrade from traditional vanilla ice cream, maple bourbon pecan is a flavor combo that can’t be beat.
Looking for different gluten free cookie options? Try making your gluten free ice cream sandwiches using these Paleo Neapolitan Cookies for a deliciously nostalgic treat!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post, but rest assured these are all products I personally use and very highly recommend. I will never link to anything on this site unless it is something I love!
Tips + Tricks for the Best Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Allow cookies to cool completely before adding ice cream. Whether you are using homemade dairy free vanilla ice cream or your favorite shop bought brand of ice cream, ensure that the cookies have cooled completely before scooping on the ice cream to avoid any melting. You can cool the cookies down quickly by popping them in the fridge or freezer until they are cold to the touch but not fully frozen.
- Soften your ice cream. But don’t let it melt! Softened ice cream is the easiest to scoop and will adhere to the cookie better without the risk of crumbling when pressing the ice cream onto the cookie. If you are making homemade dairy free ice cream, note that you will need to scoop it onto the cookie immediately after churning. If the homemade ice cream has already been frozen, allow it to come up to room temperature, about 20-30 minutes.
- Freeze before serving: Freezing the gluten free ice cream sandwiches for an hour prior to serving helps the homemade dairy free ice cream harden a bit and makes for a sturdier ice cream sandwich. You can skip this step if you are using store bought ice cream.
Special Ingredients + Tested Substitutions
For the homemade dairy free vanilla ice cream:
- Full Fat Coconut Milk + Coconut Cream: It is very important when making homemade dairy free ice cream to use full fat coconut milk and coconut cream from a can. The extra fat content is what helps make the ice cream creamier. Do not attempt to use boxed or bottled coconut milk as it will NOT work for this recipe.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: It is preferable to use vanilla bean paste for a bold vanilla flavor, however if you only have vanilla extract available, that will work just fine.
- Gelatin: If you are following a vegan diet, you can substitute agar agar for the gelatin in the ice cream. Alternatively, you may omit altogether, but I find that using gelatin/agar agar helps the dairy free ice cream maintain creaminess.
- Monk Fruit Sweetener:I use monk fruit in all of my low FODMAP dessert recipes in place of refined white sugar. If you prefer + tolerate, you may swap this for white sugar.
For the gluten free chocolate chip cookies:
- Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is used as a lower glycemic substitute for refined brown sugar + can be substituted with brown sugar if it is something you tolerate + prefer.
- Monk Fruit Sweetener: This is used as a calorie free, keto-friendly sweetener that is an unrefined 1:1 substitute for white sugar in baking. White sugar can be used in its place if you tolerate + prefer.
- Vegan Butter: If you prefer dairy free gluten free chocolate chip cookies, you can use your favorite vegan butter in this recipe in place of butter. I find that Miyoko’s Creamery vegan butter works best.
- Eggs: I have tested this recipe using this vegan egg replacement, however the texture will change slightly. That being said, if you do not tolerate eggs or you are vegan it does work as an acceptable egg replacement. I have not tested this recipe using flax eggs.
- Chocolate Chips: Dark chocolate is my preferred chip of choice but you may use milk, white, or vegan chocolate chips if you prefer.
Low FODMAP Tip: If you are following low FODMAP for SIBO, you are likely avoiding refined sugars. Stock your pantry with unrefined sugars like granulated monk fruit, coconut sugar, and powdered monk fruit sugar. These are the perfect 1 to 1 substitutes for white sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar. It’s important to note personal tolerances when choosing ingredients.
Tips For Making Homemade Dairy Free Ice Cream
- Use a quality ice cream maker. I made the mistake of purchasing an inexpensive ice cream maker a while back, thinking that I didn’t really need to spend on something I wasn’t going to use on a regular basis. That ended up being such a waste! The machine did not work well and required extra special steps and ingredients like dry ice (seriously?! no thank you) that made it feel like such a chore to use. I gave in and purchased this ice cream maker for just under $100 and I could not be more pleased with how easy it is to use.
- Ensure you have the proper ingredients. Always make sure you are using full fat coconut milk and coconut cream when churning your own dairy free ice cream. The ice cream needs the extra fat content in order to stay as creamy as possible. I also add gelatin to aid in this process.
- Use a quality ice cream scoop. It doesn’t need to be the fanciest model around, but investing in a proper ice cream scoop not only helps you to get the perfect scoop every time, but it also makes it easier to pack ice cream onto your gluten free cookies! I prefer the kind of ice cream scoops with the trigger on the side to be the easiest to use. Run your scoop under hot water for 30 seconds to warm it up for the perfectly creamy scoop!
Storing Your Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Gluten free ice cream sandwiches are best served and enjoyed immediately, however if you would prefer to make them ahead of time it is best to wrap them individually with wax paper or plastic wrap.
Store the ice cream sandwiches in a zip top bag or airtight container and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes prior to enjoying if you have used homemade dairy free ice cream. If you are using store bought ice cream, you can enjoy immediately.
Looking for more homemade dairy free ice cream recipes? Try this Dairy Free Cookies + Cream recipe or this Dairy Free Salted Caramel ice cream!
Did you have a chance to make this recipe? If so, please leave me a rating and review below. I always love and appreciate hearing from you!
Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker (if making homemade ice cream)
- Ice Cream Scoop
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
For the Homemade Ice Cream
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 1 can coconut cream
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp gelatin
- 1/4 cup monk fruit
- pinch sea salt
For the Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 2 1/3 cup gluten free 1:1 flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup monk fruit
- 1 cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda until fully combined.
- Beat butter, sugars, vanilla extract and salt until creamy in a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer.
- Add eggs to mixer one at a time scraping the edges of the bowl to ensure all is well incorporated.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Add chocolate chips and fold in with a rubber spatula.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and refrigerate 2 hours up to overnight prior to baking.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 and scoop out cookies onto parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
- Optional: sprinkle with sea salt just before serving.
For the Homemade Ice Cream
- Over low heat, pour canned coconut milk + cream into a small pot, whisking until smooth. Allow to heat but not fully boil.
- While still heating, stir in vanilla, pinch of salt, and gelatin whisking again to combine.
- Pour ice cream base into heat proof container, cover and allow to set in the fridge about 45 mins.
- Once the coconut mixture is cool, add to frozen bowl of ice cream maker + churn according to machine instructions.
- Scoop ice cream onto cookies and sandwich. Store in the freezer in a ziplock bag.
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