Dairy free blackberry swirl ice cream is sandwiched between gluten free blackberry cookies for a decadent, but healthy summer dessert. These blackberry ice cream sandwiches highlight an underrated berry in the most beautiful way.
Last summer, I started a homemade ice cream sandwich series where I made lots of different flavored dairy free and gluten free ice cream sandwiches (they are all linked at the bottom of this post). I'm continuing to add to that series every summer. These blackberry swirl ice cream sandwiches have quickly become one of my top favorites and I would consider them to be the grown-up ice cream sandwiches of this series.
The cookie base is basically my healthy sugar cookies recipe with blackberries folded in. Then we make a homemade blackberry jam and swirl that into a pint of vanilla ice cream before sandwiching that between the cookies. Sometimes I truly amaze myself with the delicious recipes I am able to develop while keeping things healthier. The blackberry cookies are even a wonderful baked treat on their own!
Why You'll Love These Blackberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Allergy friendly: these homemade cookie ice cream sandwiches are gluten free, dairy free, corn free, nut free, and refined sugar free. My goal is always to create allergy friendly treats that everyone can enjoy. They taste absolutely amazing while being allergy free!
- Low sugar and healthier: these healthier cream sandwiches contain a fraction of the sugar of traditional sammies and contain no refined sugars. The blackberry swirl ice cream highlights delicious blackberries with a homemade jam and the blackberry cookies recipe uses coconut sugar to sweeten them. We also only use ¼ cup of fat in the cookies, substituting half of that with applesauce for a lower fat and calorie gluten free cookie.
- Easy to make: although there are a few steps, they are all easy! We make a 10-minute homemade blackberry jam to swirl into your favorite sweet vanilla ice cream then whip up a batch of basic mix and bake cookies. Sandwich the ice cream between the cookies, freeze, and you're done!
- Unique: these gluten free dairy free ice cream sandwiches are a unique flavor you won't find in stores and there are hardly any other similar recipes on the internet. I love a different, but still delicious and easy, dessert recipe and I hope you will love these too!
More Blackberry Recipes
Gluten Free Blackberry Jam Donuts
Gluten Free Berry Crumble Cake
Gluten Free Blackberry Ice Cream Sandwich Ingredients
Blackberry swirl ice cream:
- Vanilla ice cream: I use my Ninja Creami Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream recipe- but you can also make my Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream in a traditional ice cream maker or use whatever vanilla ice cream you love!
- Blackberries: fresh or frozen berries work.
- Coconut sugar: just 2 tablespoon of unrefined sweetener is used for the jam, relying on the natural sugar from the blackberries to provide the sweetness.
- Tapioca starch: this helps thicken the jam.
Blackberry cookies:
- Gluten free flour: be sure to use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum for best results.
- Tigernut flour: this is a nut free alternative to almond flour, but you can use almond flour instead if you tolerate almonds.
- Coconut sugar: the unrefined sweetener in these cookies.
- Coconut oil: to keep these cookies dairy and nut free, we use coconut oil as the fat.
- Applesauce: applesauce helps cut the fat content and keep the cookies light and chewy when frozen.
- Egg: 1 large egg.
- Blackberries: I prefer using in-season, fresh blackberries in this recipe, but you can use frozen for both the jam and cookies.
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract
How to Make Blackberry Ice Cream Sandwiches:
- First, make the blackberry jam by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Cook 5-10 minutes, mixing and mashing the blackberries until you have a sticky, jam consistency. To make a seedless blackberry jam, strain the cooked jam through a fine mesh strainer (optional). Let cook completely.
- When cooled, soften ice cream and swirl jam through it. Place back in the freezer.
- Next, bake the blackberry cookies. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350F.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients, except the sugar, in a medium bowl.
- Beat together the coconut oil, applesauce and sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Fold in the blackberries.
- Use a 2 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet. You should get about 16 cookies (you will need to bake in batches)
- Bake for 10 minutes then remove and let cool on cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- When cookies are cool, place one large scoop of ice cream between two cookies and sandwich to spread the ice cream to the edges of the cookies. You should have enough portions of ice cream with one pint to make 8 ice cream cookie sandwiches.
- You can use a spoon, knife, or offset spatula to clean up the edges if desired for a smooth surface of the ice cream around the sandwiches.
- Place gluten-free ice cream sandwiches back in the freezer on a level surface to firm up.
Substitutions and Variations
- Flour: you can use almond flour instead of tigernut flour if you tolerate nuts.
- Coconut oil: I have not tested this recipe with butter or dairy free butter, but I think it should work.
- Applesauce: if you don't have any applesauce on hand, (dairy free) yogurt should work in a pinch.
- Egg: I have not tested a vegan version of these blackberry cookies. If you try an egg substitute, let me know how it went!
- Sugar: if you don't have coconut sugar, you can use light brown sugar instead.
- Jam: you can use a store-bought jam if you prefer.
- Variations: you can certainly try using another berry like blueberries or raspberries. Add white chocolate chips or dark chocolate to the cookie batter for a twist or even add some food grade lavender to the ice cream for hints of lavender flavor.
Storage
Keep ice cream sandwiches stored in an airtight container or bag in the freezer until ready to eat. I prefer to leave my ice cream sandwich out for 10-20 minutes before eating so it can soften slightly. Feel free to wrap each sandwich in a small piece of plastic wrap or in sheets of parchment paper or wax paper before storing.
FAQ
Can I use frozen blackberries?
Although I think using in-season fresh berries is ideal, you can use frozen berries (especially if you want to make these when blackberries aren't in season).
Do I have to make my own jam?
No, you don't have to. You can use a store-bought blackberry jam instead if you are short on time.
More Gluten Free Dairy Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Gluten Free Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwiches
Banana Pudding Ice Cream Sandwiches
Golden Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches
If you try this recipe, leave a rating and review below. Tag me on social media too!
Blackberry Ice Cream Sandwiches (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Equipment
- Ninja Creami or
Ingredients
- 1 pint Vanilla ice cream*
Blackberry jame**
- 1 heaping cup blackberries (fresh is best, frozen works too)
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch arrowroot or corn works too
- 2 tablespoon water
Blackberry Cookies
- ¼ cup softened coconut oil
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup applesauce
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour
- ½ cup tigernut flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup blackberries, chopped (fresh is best, but you can use frozen in a pinch)
Instructions
Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream
- First, make the blackberry jam by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Cook 5-10 minutes, mixing and mashing the blackberries until you have a sticky, jam consistency.
- To make a seedless blackberry jam, strain the cooked jam through a fine mesh strainer (optional). Let cook completely.
- When cooled, soften ice cream and swirl jam through it. Place back in the freezer.
Cookies
- Next, bake the blackberry cookies. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350F.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients, except the sugar, in a medium bowl.
- Beat together the coconut oil, applesauce and sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Fold in the blackberries.
- Use a 2 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet. You should get about 16 cookies (you will need to bake in batches).
- Bake for 10 minutes then remove and let cool on cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Assembly
- When cookies are cool, place one large scoop of ice cream between two cookies and sandwich to spread the ice cream to the edges of the cookies. You should have enough ice cream with one pint to make 8 ice cream cookie sandwiches.
- You can use a spoon, knife, or offset spatula to clean up the edges if desired.
- Place gluten-free ice cream sandwiches back in the freezer on a level surface to firm up.
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