As if I had a choice…
Last week I made Vegan Chai Ice Cream* and fell in love. The creamy, spicy-sweet goodness that is this cashew-based dessert has made me a vegan ice cream belieber. I’m never going back.
While I could’ve just eaten the entire batch as is, I had a sneaking suspicion it could somehow be elevated. Fate would have it that John asked me that same day whether or not we had any ice cream sandwiches on the site.
The short answer was: yes. Yes, we do. However, there could always be more, right?
*Learn more about the origins of chai here!
What pairs well with chai?
My mind immediately went to these gluten-free vegan ginger cookies I shared over Christmas. When made into circles instead of cutout shapes, they tend to be a little more tender and easy to work with. Plus, hello! Ginger cookies + chai ice cream? Match made in heaven!
I intentionally under-baked the cookies just a tad so they would be extra soft and tender when biting into, especially when frozen. It worked wonders for the texture! However, if you’re into a crispier bite, bake them another 1-2 minutes. Either way, the flavor will be amazing.
Friends, I am SO stinking excited about how these turned out! They’re:
Creamy
Slightly spicy
Sweet
Tender
Perfectly ginger-y
Beautifully infused with molasses flavor
Spot-on chai tastiness
Super satisfying
& Kind of perfect
I take that back. Absolutely perfect.
And when you bite in?! Oh man! The cookie texture is tender and moist and the ice cream melts perfectly – super velvety and creamy. Plus, the chai-ginger combination is to die for.
You must try these babies! And if you do, tag #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I’d love to see!
Chai Ginger Ice Cream Sandwiches
Creamy ice cream sandwiches made with a sweet-and-spicy chai ice cream and tender ginger cookies. So simple and entirely vegan and gluten-free! Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 1 hour Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes Servings 8 (sandwiches)Course DessertCuisine Gluten-Free, VeganFreezer Friendly 2 WeeksDoes it keep? Store in freezer.
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Ingredients
US Customary – Metric~2.5 cups Vegan Chai Ice Cream16 whole Vegan Gluten-Free Ginger Cookies (made in circles, not shapes)
Instructions
See cookie recipe and follow instructions. Once prepared cookies are cooled, pop them in the freezer to harden.In the meantime, soften chai ice cream until scoopable. Then form into disc shapes by scooping 1/4 cup amounts into the lid of a peanut butter jar or similar-shaped object, lined with plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap to completely cover the ice cream, remove from lid and shape into a loose disc. Pop in the freezer to re-harden. Alternatively, if you don’t care about the shape, just smash a big scoop between the cookies.After about 30 minutes, unwrap the ice cream discs and sandwich them between two cookies of similar size/shape. Press down to flatten and then use a spoon, knife or clean finger to smooth the sides and make them more uniform.Pop back in the freezer to set momentarily. Will keep in the freezer in freezer bag or container for up to a couple weeks, though best within the first several days.To eat, let them set out for 5-10 minutes to soften. If you’re impatient like me, microwaving them for 8 seconds makes them perfectly soft. Oh my word.
Notes
*If you are unable to make the chai ice cream, sub another similar flavor in your favorite store-bought brand.
*If you are unable to make the ginger cookies, sub a store-bought version of vegan and/or gluten-free ginger cookies.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)
Serving: 1 sandwiches Calories: 417 Carbohydrates: 46 g Protein: 2.6 g Fat: 23 g Saturated Fat: 17 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 235 mg Sugar: 21 g