Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches

These Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches are the best of both worlds! With lots of root beer flavor, these treats are less messy than the original drink!

Last summer I taught several cooking camps for kids and wanted the recipes to be simple, but a bit out of the box. The classes were hands-on and each child prepared his/her own lunch each day including a protein rich entree, a vegetable, a fruit, and a dessert. Knowing how picky kids can be, I made sure to keep the recipes flexible. I tried to offer options, but was surprised to find so many kids who didn’t eat ketchup, carrots, and potato chips.  Who knew? I guess their parents.

The one recipe that all 50 kids loved, without exception, was for these Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches. The kids were so excited by this unique twist on an ice cream sandwich, that many of them held off eating the entire thing so that they could save the last bite for the parent or grandparent who was picking them up from class. I heard from many parents that the kids convinced them to drive straight to the store to get the ingredients to make these for their family.

Although the kids learned to make cookies from scratch during the camp, I wanted these cookies to be very simple, so we used a pouch of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix and added some A & W Root Beer Float Dessert Topper to the basic ingredient list to give the cookies a distinct root beer flavor. I found the Root Beer Float Dessert Topper in my grocery store aisle alongside the ice cream toppings.  If you can’t find this dessert topper, you can also use  4 1/2 teaspoons of root beer extract, just be sure to add a bit more flour or the dough will be too sticky.

I added a bit of red and green food coloring to my cookies, so that they would have a nice rich brown color.  It is not necessary and can easily be skipped. These cookies are great on their own, but once sandwiched around some vanilla ice cream, they offer a fun alternative to a root beer float.

Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches (makes 12 ice cream sandwiches)

Ingredients:

1 – 17.5 oz pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
or 2 – 8.5 oz. pouches Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 tablespoon all purpose flour, plus more to dust work surface
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 tablespoons A & W Root Beer Float Dessert Topper
6 drops red food coloring, optional
6 drops green food coloring, optional
3-4 cups vanilla ice cream

Special Equipment Needed:

baking/cookie sheets (I used 2 – 13″x18″ pans)
parchment paper
sifter, optional but advised
food handling gloves, optional
rolling pin
3″ round cookie cutter, fluted or plain

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Note: I would highly recommend you sift the cookie mix before you begin or you will have white lumps in your cookies. I forgot this step and had to work out the lumps by rubbing the dough in between my fingers.

In large bowl combine cookie mix, flour and butter.  In a small bowl gently whisk together egg, A & W Root Beer Float Dessert Topper, and red and green food coloring, if using.  Add to cookie mix and stir until a soft dough forms. I find it easiest to use my hands to mix the dough. I do wear food handling gloves to keep my hands from turning color.

Dust work surface liberally with flour.  Roll dough to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. Cut dough using a 3″ round cookie cutter.  Re-roll dough as necessary to create 24 cookies.

Place cookies, about an inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set (slightly firm to the touch.) Cool completely before proceeding.

Scoop a heaping 1/4 cup ice cream onto a cookie.  Top with another cookie.  Repeat to make 12 Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches. Eat immediately, or wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.

You can cut your cookies into special shapes for special occasions. To make perfect shaped ice cream sandwiches remove the ice cream from the carton and slice it into 1/2″ slices.  Use your cookie cutter to cut out ice cream shapes, and place in between cut out cookies.

Embrace the beautiful weather that we are having and make some of these gorgeous and scrumptious Summer Fun Recipes.