Blackberry-swirled cashew milk ice cream sandwiched between two crisp oatmeal cookies — a frozen take on classic blackberry crisp.
In the summers where I grew up, blackberries grew everywhere. We picked them as fast as we could eat them. My mother made beautiful blackberry pies, and she often baked a bubbling pan of blackberry crisp: sweet, juicy berries topped with a crunchy oat topping. It was always served warm with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. That warm, fruity, crunchy-with-cream dessert is one of my favorite summer memories.
I transformed that simple summer treat into an ice cream sandwich. I pressed a gluten-free oat crisp mixture into two 8×8 pans and baked them until they were golden and crisp. After cooling, I spread rich cashew milk vanilla ice cream on one layer and swirled in a seedless blackberry sauce, then topped it with the second oat layer and froze everything until firm. The result is a portable, sliceable dessert that tastes like blackberry crisp in ice cream sandwich form.
This recipe was created as part of the Raise a Pint recipe contest, where bloggers showcased dairy-free frozen desserts made with coconut or cashew milk ice creams. I entered these blackberry crisp ice cream sandwiches alongside another entry, gluten-free vegan cherry limeade ice cream cupcakes. The contest highlighted creative dairy-free frozen treats and encouraged people to share their favorites on social media.
If you love fruity, crunchy, dairy-free desserts, these sandwiches are a wonderful summer treat. My daughter’s reaction when she tasted one — “Mom, these are the BEST ice cream sandwiches I have ever had!” — says it all.
- oatmeal crisp
- 1 cup Sarah’s gluten free flour blend
- 1 cup certified gluten free rolled oats
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 5 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening* (such as Nutiva)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- blackberry ice cream
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 2 pints very vanilla cashew milk ice cream
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two 8×8-inch square baking pans with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour blend, oats, almond flour, cane sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the shortening and work it in with a fork until the mixture is well combined and crumbly.
- Stir in the maple syrup and almond or coconut milk until just combined.
- Divide the oat mixture between the two prepared pans and press into an even layer. Bake 18–22 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool the baked oat layers on a rack for about 15 minutes, then remove from the pans using the parchment overhang. Cool completely.
- To make the blackberry sauce, combine the blackberries and cane sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil, then simmer 5–10 minutes, stirring, until the berries break down and the juices thicken.
- Strain the berry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to remove seeds. Chill the seedless blackberry sauce until completely cool.
- Line a cooled 8×8-inch baking pan with plastic wrap or parchment. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature about 10 minutes to soften, then scoop into a large bowl and stir until smooth.
- Place one oat layer in the bottom of the prepared pan, spread the softened ice cream evenly over it, then immediately drizzle the chilled blackberry sauce over the ice cream. Use a butter knife to swirl the sauce gently into the ice cream.
- Top with the remaining oat layer, top side up, then freeze for 4–5 hours or until completely firm.
- To serve, lift the frozen block from the pan using the overhanging parchment or plastic wrap. Use a large sharp knife to slice into sandwiches. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Be sure to check out the other bloggers who participated in the Raise a Pint recipe contest — they created many delicious dairy-free frozen treats this summer.
This post was sponsored by Go Dairy Free and So Delicious Dairy Free. All opinions are my own.