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Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwiches

Patriotic ice cream sandwiches made with red and blue velvet cookies layered with creamy vanilla ice cream and strawberry swirl. Bake tender, slightly underdone cookies, assemble with sprinkles, then freeze until firm for messy, festive slices of red-white-blue goodness.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Freezing 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Red Velvet Cookies
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp red gel food coloring
  • 2 tbsp buttermilk
Blue Velvet Cookies
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp royal blue gel food coloring
  • 2 tbsp buttermilk
Filling
  • 1 qt vanilla bean ice cream, slightly softened
  • 1 cup fresh strawberry ice cream or strawberry swirl ice cream
  • 0.5 cup red, white, and blue sprinkles (for rolling the edges)
  • 0.25 cup mini white chocolate chips (optional, for edge coating)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Make the red velvet cookie dough
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt for the red velvet cookies in a medium bowl, then set aside.
  3. Beat softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
  4. Add the large egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
  5. Mix in red gel food coloring and buttermilk until the batter turns a deep, vivid red.
  6. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until a soft dough forms, taking care not to overmix.
Bake the red velvet cookies
  1. Repeat the scoop-and-flatten step by portioning 2-tablespoon balls of red dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  2. Flatten each portion slightly with your palm.
  3. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until edges are set but centers look slightly underdone.
  4. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before assembling.
Make and bake the blue velvet cookies
  1. Repeat the dough process for blue cookies using the same dry ingredients, softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, large egg, vanilla extract, royal blue gel food coloring, and buttermilk.
  2. Scoop 2-tablespoon balls of blue dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart, and flatten slightly.
  3. Bake for 9–11 minutes at 350°F (175°C), until edges are set but centers look slightly underdone.
  4. Cool the blue cookies completely on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before assembling.
Assemble the ice cream sandwiches
  1. Line a baking sheet or cutting board with parchment paper.
  2. Match cookies by size and pair one red cookie with one blue cookie for each sandwich.
  3. Scoop a generous mound of slightly softened vanilla bean ice cream onto the flat side of one cookie.
  4. Press the second cookie gently on top until the ice cream reaches the edges.
  5. Roll the exposed ice cream edges through red, white, and blue sprinkles until fully coated.
  6. If using mini white chocolate chips for edge coating, press them onto the sprinkles-covered edges immediately after rolling.
Freeze and serve
  1. Place the assembled sandwiches on the parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 2 hours, or overnight, until completely firm.
  2. Serve straight from the freezer and store wrapped individually in plastic wrap for up to 1 week.

Notes

For clean, even sandwiches, soften the vanilla bean ice cream only until scoopable (not melted), then work in small batches so the edges don’t smear. Keep baked cookies airtight at room temperature for 2 days or freeze baked cookies up to 1 month; assembled sandwiches freeze well for up to 1 week. To make this dairy-light, swap in lactose-free vanilla bean ice cream and lactose-free strawberry swirl, keeping the same freeze-and-roll method.