Funfetti Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches
*Cook Time is 8 minutes per batch. Total Time includes 1 hour cooling time.*The Notes section below includes Recipe Substitutions, Make Ahead & Storage tips.If you grew up on Funfetti boxed cake, you’ll love these Funfetti Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches. They're gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and grain-free - but you'd never know it. Hope you love 'em!
Servings 18 - 20 mini ice cream sandwiches
Equipment
- medium + large mixing bowls
- 1-tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 ¼ cups almond flour
- ½ cup arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup ghee melted and cooled to room temperature (I like 4th & Heart)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup natural sprinkles
To Assemble:
- 2 pints dairy-free vanilla ice cream
- ½ cup natural sprinkles
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- In a medium bowl, add the almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the melted ghee, maple syrup, coconut sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Whisk for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth and totally combined. Allow to sit for a few minutes before whisking for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Using a wooden spoon, stir together until just combined. Add the sprinkles and stir to combine, ensuring the sprinkles are evenly distributed.
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into 38-40 balls, placing them on one of the prepared cookie sheets. Transfer to the freezer for 20 minutes to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and place 8-10 cookies onto the other prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between. Bake on the middle rack for 8 to 9 minutes. The cookies will be soft in the middle and crisp on the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat until all the cookies are baked. Allow to fully cool before assembling.
To Assemble:
- Pour the sprinkles onto a plate.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of vanilla ice cream onto one of the cookies. Gently press the other cookie on top until the ice cream reaches the edges of the cookies.
- If desired, roll the edges of the assembled cookie sandwiches in the sprinkles and immediately transfer to the freezer. Repeat to make the remaining sandwiches.
- Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Option to make regular-sized ones by simply using a 2-tablespoon scoop.
Recipe Substitutions:
Bake cookies up to 2 days in advance (store at room temp or freeze). Once assembled, freeze sandwiches in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let sit at room temp 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Swap almond flour for all-purpose flour for a traditional gluten version.
- Replace arrowroot starch with tapioca starch or cornstarch if needed.
- Use softened butter instead of ghee if not dairy-free.
- Substitute maple syrup with another liquid sweetener like honey or agave syrup.
- Substitute coconut sugar with a dry sweetener like maple sugar, date sugar, or brown sugar (if not refined sugar-free).
- For egg-free or vegan, use a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water).
- Use any dairy or dairy-free vanilla ice cream, or try frozen banana “nice cream” for a lower-sugar option.
Bake cookies up to 2 days in advance (store at room temp or freeze). Once assembled, freeze sandwiches in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let sit at room temp 5–10 minutes before serving.