Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Sprinkle Cookie Sandwiches
If there’s one dessert that tastes like summer wrapped into every bite, it’s these Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches. Soft, buttery lemon sugar cookies rolled in cheerful pink and yellow sprinkles are sandwiched around creamy strawberry ice cream for the ultimate nostalgic treat. They’re bright, refreshing, colorful, and guaranteed to disappear fast on a hot summer day.
Instead of making homemade strawberry ice cream from scratch, I simply mixed freeze-dried strawberry powder into softened vanilla ice cream. It creates an intensely strawberry-flavored filling without any extra work, while the homemade lemon cookies add the perfect balance of sweet citrus flavor. They’re bakery-worthy, incredibly fun to make, and perfect for birthdays, backyard barbecues, baby showers, or any summer celebration.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, buttery lemon sugar cookies
- Creamy strawberry ice cream filling made with just two ingredients
- No ice cream maker required
- Bright, nostalgic strawberry lemonade flavors
- Rolled in naturally colored pink and yellow sprinkles
- Perfect make-ahead summer dessert
- Bakery-style treats that are as beautiful as they are delicious
Ingredient Notes
Lemon Zest
Fresh lemon zest gives these cookies their bright citrus flavor and makes them truly taste like homemade lemonade.
Vanilla Ice Cream
Start with a high-quality vanilla ice cream. Allow it to soften slightly before mixing so the freeze-dried strawberry powder incorporates smoothly.
Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder
This is the secret ingredient! It gives the filling an incredibly vibrant strawberry flavor without making the ice cream icy or watery like fresh strawberries would.
Sprinkles
Pink and yellow sprinkles make these cookie sandwiches extra festive and perfectly capture the cheerful strawberry lemonade theme. I love using naturally colored sprinkles whenever possible.
Butter
Room-temperature butter creates soft, tender cookies that stay delicious even after freezing.
Tips for Success
- Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate cookie dough.
- Don’t overbake the cookies—they should stay light in color for the softest texture.
- Cool the cookies completely before filling.
- Freeze the assembled sandwiches until firm before serving.
- If the ice cream becomes too soft while assembling, place it back in the freezer for 15–20 minutes before continuing.
- Wrap each sandwich individually if freezing for longer storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! They’re actually meant to be made ahead. Keep them frozen until you’re ready to serve.
Can I use store-bought strawberry ice cream?
Absolutely! I prefer mixing freeze-dried strawberry powder into vanilla ice cream because it creates a richer strawberry flavor, but store-bought strawberry ice cream works too.
Why use freeze-dried strawberries?
Freeze-dried strawberries provide concentrated fruit flavor without adding excess moisture, helping the ice cream stay creamy.
Can I use different sprinkles?
Of course! Customize the colors for birthdays, holidays, or baby showers.
Storage
Store the assembled cookie sandwiches in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks.
Let them sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before enjoying for the perfect texture.
Freezing
These cookie sandwiches are made to be frozen!
For best results:
- Freeze until firm after assembling.
- Wrap each sandwich individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper.
- Store in an airtight freezer container for up to 2 months.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
If you make this recipe, you’ll find all of my favorite baking tools linked in my Amazon storefront! Shopping through those links helps support Bonia Bakery at no additional cost to you and allows me to continue creating and sharing free recipes. Thank you so much for supporting my small business!
Here are a few of my favorite baking tools for making these cookie sandwiches:
• Supernatural Dye-Free Pink Sprinkles
• Supernatural Dye-Free Yellow Sprinkles
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
- 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pink and yellow sprinkles, for rolling
Strawberry Ice Cream Filling
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
- 2–3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder (or to taste)
- I use this brand! Strawberry Freeze Dried Powder
Instructions
Make the Lemon Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon extract.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until combined.
- Scoop the dough into equal-sized balls and roll each one in the sprinkles.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are just set.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the Strawberry Ice Cream
- Allow the vanilla ice cream to soften for about 10 minutes.
- Fold in the freeze-dried strawberry powder until evenly combined.
- Return the ice cream to the freezer for 15–20 minutes if needed so it’s scoopable but not melted.
Assemble the Cookie Sandwiches
- Match cookies into pairs of similar sizes.
- Scoop a generous amount of strawberry ice cream onto the flat side of one cookie.
- Top with another cookie and gently press until the ice cream reaches the edges.
- Place the assembled sandwiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze for at least 2 hours, or until completely firm.
Recipe Notes
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder creates the strongest strawberry flavor without affecting the texture.
- Use high-quality vanilla ice cream for the creamiest filling.
- Freeze the cookies completely before serving for clean, bakery-style sandwiches.
- These are best enjoyed within two weeks for the freshest flavor and texture.