Creamy vanilla ice cream swirled with cream cheese frosting and loaded with sugar cookie dough!
Welp, we’re just a few days away from saying “So long 2020 (more like F*** you, 2020), and HELLO 2021!
Normally, the new year means nothing to me. I could care less about making healthy new year’s resolutions or partying all night long. However, THIS year is different, as I’m sure it is for literally EVERYone on this planet. Although a new year alone probably won’t make too much of a difference, I can’t help but feel like we’ve finally made it out of the trenches. Next year HAS to be ten times better than 2020. At least that’s what I’m hoping for…
With that being said, I think it’s absolutely crucial to do everything we can to make 2021 feel welcome. Lord knows we don’t want a repeat of 2020…so what better way to greet the new year than with something as divine as THIS!
SUGAR.
COOKIE DOUGH.
ICE CREAM.
Need I say more?
This ice cream combines TWO of my favorites–cookie dough ice cream and sugar cookies! With a creamy vanilla custard base, rich swirls of cream cheese frosting, and absolutely no shortage of sugar cookie dough, this ice cream is dripping with yumminess.
If you’ve been around this blog enough, you know how much I adore loading my ice creams up with all kinds of goodies. You won’t find any plain jane ice creams around here! I’ll take all the nuts, candies, chocolates, dough balls, and swirls of deliciousness I can get. That’s why I love making ice cream at home–you have complete control over the flavors and add-ins, and the possibilities are truly endless. Not to mention, homemade ice cream is much creamier and more velvety than store-bought ice cream.
Although this ice cream involves three different components–vanilla ice cream, sugar cookie dough, and cream cheese frosting–it’s really not as time-consuming as it might seem. Trust me!
The vanilla ice cream begins by whipping some sugar, salt, and egg yolks together until pale and thick. The heavy cream and milk are then brought to a simmer over the stove before gradually being added to the yolk mixture. Once a little vanilla and almond extract have been stirred into the mixture, it goes into a container and chills in the refrigerator for a few hours until completely chilled. My tip for speeding up the chilling process is to pour the ice cream into a large shallow plastic container and place it in the freezer. Every 20 minutes, check on it and stir/swish the custard around so that it chills evenly. Within an hour, my custard was completely chilled.
As the custard is chilling, it’s a good time to make the cookie dough. It pretty much contains all of the standard sugar cookie ingredients with the exception of egg and baking soda/powder. First the butter and sugar are combined. Then the flour, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and a splash of milk are added. And finally, a handful of colorful sprinkles are stirred into the dough! To prevent the dough from sticking to your hands, allow it to chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Once the dough is cold and easier to work with, roll it into several marble-sized balls.
Now it’s time to make the cream cheese frosting!
First, beat some cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Then add some powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little salt, beating until completely incorporated. To make the frosting easier to swirl into the custard, a little milk is added to thin it out just a bit. And because I wanted the swirls to show up better in the ice cream, I dyed the frosting three different colors–turquoise, pink, and purple!
Now that you have your sugar cookie dough balls and cream cheese frosting, your vanilla custard base should hopefully be chilled and ready to go into the ice cream maker for churning. I used a Kitchenaid stand mixer with an ice cream bowl attachment, and it took about 15 minutes to reach a soft-serve-like consistency. Depending on the type of ice cream maker you use, it might take more or less time.
Once you’ve got your ice cream, cookie dough balls, and frosting ready to go, it’s time for the best part–putting it all together!
Begin by stirring almost all of the cookie dough balls into your vanilla ice cream, reserving about 15-20 balls for the top. Pour a third of the ice cream into a freezer-safe container/pan, and dollop spoonfuls of a third of the frosting all over. Repeat this process two more times before using a skewer or butterknife to gently swirl the frosting into the ice cream. Try not to do too much swirling because you don’t want to risk combining the ice cream and frosting. Add a shower of sprinkles at the very end, then place the whole thing in the freezer until firm–about 6 hours. Overnight is best though!
Ultra creamy vanilla ice cream brimming with soft bits of sugar cookie dough and delicious pockets of tangy cream cheese frosting…can you think of a better way to properly ring in the new year?
I didn’t think so…
Sugar Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 5 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- â…› teaspoon almond extract
- â…” cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 2 Tablespoons sprinkles
Vanilla Ice Cream:
- 4 egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 â…” cup milk
- 1 â…“ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 ounce cream cheese softened
- Pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- â…› teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- Food Coloring: Pink, Turquoise, and Purple
To Finish:
- Sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla, almond extract, flour, salt, and milk, mixing until combined. Stir in the sprinkles. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Roll the cookie dough into small balls, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill in the freezer while you work on the ice cream and frosting.
Make the Ice Cream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks, sugar, and salt on high speed until yolks lighten in color and thicken into a ribbon as you lift the whisk out of the bowl, about 2 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan combine milk and heavy cream. Stir over medium heat and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes. With mixer on low, gradually pour 1 cup of warm liquid into egg mixture. Add egg mixture to saucepan. Stir and and continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble slightly and is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Immediately pour custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or large glass measuring cup. Whisk in the extracts. Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator* while you make the frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese, and salt together until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla, almond extract, powdered sugar, and milk, beating until combined.
- Divide the frosting into 3 small bowls. Dye each frosting with desired color.
To Finish the Ice Cream:
- Once the custard mixture is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Once ice cream is done churning, stir in most of the cookie dough balls by hand, reserving 15-20 balls for the very end. Pour a third of the mixture into a freezer-safe container. Spoon blobs of a third of the frostings evenly over the ice cream. Add another third of the ice cream on top, followed by a third of the frosting. Pour the remaining ice cream on top, and spoon the rest of the frosting evenly over ice cream. Swirl the frosting into the ice cream with a skewer or butter knife.
- Top with remaining cookie dough balls and sprinkles. Freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Scoop and enjoy!