These pumpkin pie ice cream sandwiches are made with a no-bake biscoff cookie crust and creamy no-churn pumpkin ice cream. They taste like a delicious spiced pumpkin pie without the pie!
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After my viral Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe, I've been on the hunt for more ice cream sandwich ideas that are just as easy to make with another great flavour.
These pumpkin pie ice cream sandwiches fit the bill! They're ideal for the Fall season, Thanksgiving, and the holidays when you're overwhelmed with baking and just want something no-bake that you can make ahead of time and pull out of the freezer.
I hope you love this pumpkin-spiced twist on these beloved ice cream sandwiches!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Biscoff cookie crust. The crust is super simple and easy to make. It's no-bake and sets in the freezer. The spiced and caramelized flavour of biscoff biscuits is PERFECT for enhancing the pumpkin pie flavour.
- No-churn pumpkin ice cream. You don't need an ice cream maker! No-churn ice cream can be made by whipping air into heavy cream. It's so easy - the hardest part is waiting for it to freeze.
- Most ice cream sandwich recipes require you to bake a separate batch of cookies or cake to form the two sides of the sandwich. Not with this recipe!
- These pumpkin pie ice cream sandwiches taste like pumpkin pie filling - arguably the best part of pumpkin pie, in my opinion. They're delicious!
Tools
- 9x9" square pan - This recipe is scaled for a 9x9" pan but you can use almost any container of a similar size. It's very easy to eyeball how thick your cookie crust and ice cream layers are as you're filling up the pan. Adjust as needed to fit into your container size and shape.
- Rolling pin - You'll need a rolling pin or something similar to whack your cookies into a crumb. It should be something sturdy and hard.
- Food processor - Optional. Alternatively, if you don't have a rolling pin or want to do this an easier way, you can use a food processor to grind the biscoff cookies down.
- Electric hand mixer - A hand mixer makes whipping cream to soft peaks quick and easy. If you don't have one, you can still make this recipe with a regular whisk. It'll just take longer and your arm might get sore.
Ingredients
As always, the full recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to the recipe.
- Biscoff cookies - We're using Lotus biscoff cookies for the outer part of the ice cream sandwiches. They're great because the spiced flavour compliments the pumpkin flavour well. You can also use other similar biscuits like speculoos or digestive biscuits.
- Unsalted butter - You'll need to melt your butter in the microwave or on a stovetop before using it. This keeps the cookie crust together when frozen. If you find that your cookie crumb mixture is too dry and crumbly, you can add a bit more melted butter.
- Heavy cream - You can use heavy cream or whipping cream for a lighter taste. The fat content in heavy cream prevents no-churn ice cream like this one from becoming icy.
- Pumpkin purée - Use canned pumpkin purée (the easiest!) or homemade pumpkin purée if you have some on hand.
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin pie spice - You can buy pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice mix or make your own spice mix with ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. See the notes in the recipe card for the measurements!
- Condensed milk - Use canned sweetened condensed milk. It adds a caramelized sweetness that goes well with the spices and the sugar content prevents the ice cream from becoming icy.
How to make pumpkin pie ice cream sandwiches
Prep - Line a 9x9" pan with parchment paper, leaving overhangs outside the pan for easier removal. Secure the extra parchment paper to the pan with binder clips and set aside.
Crush biscuits - Use a food processor (optional) or place the biscoff cookies in a large ziploc bag. Use a rolling pin to whack the cookies thoroughly until they're finely crushed. Transfer the crushed cookies to a medium bowl.
Add butter - Pour melted butter into the crumbs and stir together until it resembles wet sand.
Press into pan - Add half of the crumb mixture to your lined pan. Spread it out into an even layer and then use the flat bottom of a cup to press it down into a flat layer. Place the pan in the freezer while you make the filling. Keep the bowl with the remaining crumb mixture at room temperature or in a warm place for later.
Whip ice cream mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add heavy cream, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the mixture on low speed until it leaves trails and becomes soft peaks.
Fold in condensed milk - Drizzle the condensed milk into the cream mixture while folding it in with a spatula in your other hand until it's all incorporated.
Freeze - Pour the ice cream mixture into the pan on top of the cookie layer. Freeze for at least 2-3 hours until the mixture is no longer jiggly and the surface is firm to the touch.
Press cookie layer on top - Add the remaining crumb mixture on top of the ice cream layer. Spread it out evenly on the surface and then gently press it down again with the bottom of a cup.
The ice cream isn't solid throughout at this point so press firmly but not too hard in one spot. The longer you freeze the ice cream layer before adding the top crust, the harder you can press, and the more compact your crust layer will be.
Freeze again - Freeze again for at least 6-8 hours or preferably overnight until solid all the way through.
Slice - Lift the ice cream sandwich block out of the pan by lifting it up with the parchment paper overhangs. If any corners are stuck to the pan, slide an offset spatula around the pan to release. Slice into as many ice cream sandwiches as you'd like before enjoying!
Storage
These pumpkin pie ice cream sandwiches can be stored wrapped in parchment paper and/or aluminum foil in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Since homemade ice cream sandwiches don't contain preservatives and stabilizers, they are susceptible to drying out and becoming harder after the first week. They are best enjoyed within about a week.
Tips for success
- Crush the biscoff cookies very finely. The smaller your cookie crumbs, the more they'll soak up the melted butter, and the better they'll compact together. A food processor can do this easily and quickly. If you're crushing them manually, be sure to whack them very thoroughly, shifting the crumbs around the bag to find any larger pieces.
- Add a bit more melted butter to the crumb mixture if it seems dry. This is helpful for the top layer since your crumb mixture will have sat out for a few hours at that point. If you find that it seems a bit too dry, feel free to add a bit more melted butter to it to moisten it. This will help prevent it from being too crumbly and falling apart in the final ice cream sandwiches.
- Freeze for several hours. These ice cream sandwiches are thickkkk. They really need several hours of freezing time before you add the top layer followed by freezing overnight to make sure they're solid all the way through.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this recipe can be easily scaled for a larger pan by doubling it or for a smaller pan by halving it. You can use a similar sized pan without any modifications to the recipe - it will just result in thinner or thicker ice cream sandwiches.
The cookie crust can be crumbly after freezing if it's too dry or if it isn't pressed down enough. This can be a common problem with the top crust, in particular. You can prevent this by adding a bit more melted butter to the crumb mixture for the top crust if it has dried out. And you can press it down harder if your ice cream layer is more solid (freeze it for longer before adding the final crust layer).
Yes! You can mix your own spice mix with ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice if you already have them on hand. See the recipe notes for measurements.
More ice cream sandwich recipes to try
Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Equipment
- 1 food processor, optional
Ingredients
- 350 g biscoff cookies, about 44 cookies
- 115 g unsalted butter, melted
- 350 g heavy cream or whipping cream
- 300 g canned pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, see notes to mix your own
- 200 g sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Prep: Line a 9x9" pan with parchment paper, leaving overhangs outside the pan for easier removal. Secure the extra parchment paper to the pan with binder clips and set aside.
- Crush biscuits: Use a food processor (optional) or place the biscoff cookies in a large ziploc bag. Use a rolling pin to whack the cookies thoroughly until they're finely crushed. Transfer the crushed cookies to a medium bowl.
- Add butter: Pour melted butter into the crumbs and stir together until it resembles wet sand.
- Press into pan: Add half of the crumb mixture to your lined pan. Spread it out into an even layer and then use the flat bottom of a cup to press it down into a flat layer. Place the pan in the freezer while you make the filling. Keep the bowl with the remaining crumb mixture at room temperature or in a warm place for later.
- Whip ice cream mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add heavy cream, pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the mixture on low speed until it leaves trails and becomes soft peaks.
- Fold in condensed milk: Drizzle the condensed milk into the cream mixture while folding it in with a spatula in your other hand until it's all incorporated.
- Freeze: Pour the ice cream mixture into the pan on top of the cookie layer. Freeze for at least 2-3 hours until the mixture is no longer jiggly and the surface is firm to the touch.
- Press cookie layer on top: Add the remaining crumb mixture on top of the ice cream layer. Spread it out evenly on the surface and then gently press it down again with the bottom of a cup. The ice cream isn't solid throughout at this point so press firmly but not too hard in one spot. The longer you freeze the ice cream layer before adding the top crust, the harder you can press, and the more compact your crust layer will be.
- Freeze again: Freeze again for at least 6-8 hours or preferably overnight until solid all the way through.
- Slice: Lift the ice cream sandwich block out of the pan by lifting it up with the parchment paper overhangs. If any corners are stuck to the pan, slide an offset spatula around the pan to release. Slice into as many ice cream sandwiches as you'd like before enjoying!
Notes
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
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