Dressed like penguins that thrive in the deep freeze, these frosty ice cream sandwiches feature chewy, no-bake cookies that are fit for a South Pole dessert and blow away anything you’d find in a gas station freezer.
Ingredients
1 cup pitted dates
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder
2 tbsp honey
1/8 tsp salt
1 pint vanilla protein ice cream, such as Halo Top
1/3 cup cacao nibs (optional)
Directions
Place dates in a bowl, cover with warm water, and let soak 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
Place pecans and oats in a food processor and grind into small bits. Add dates, flaxseed, cocoa, honey, and salt and process until mixture sticks together when pinched between your fingers.
Form the dough into 12 cookie-shaped discs. (It’s helpful to moisten your hands with water for this step.) Place the discs on a baking sheet covered with parchment or waxed paper and press down on them to flatten further into discs about 2 inches wide. Place sheet in freezer for 1 hour. Lift cookies from sheet and store in a zip-top bag in the freezer until ready to serve.
To assemble the ice cream sandwiches, scoop some ice cream onto a cookie disc and top with another disc. Press down gently to slightly flatten. Roll sides of sandwich in cacao nibs if using.
