Lemon Ice Cream Bars made with vanilla ice cream & lemon curd inside a sweet cookie crust, all infused with fresh lemon zest! A tangy, sweet frozen dessert perfect for lemon lovers!
Get ready to enjoy the refreshing sweetness of lemon ice cream bars that will raise your dessert game! This ice cream sandwich recipe creates a delightful cookie base layered with creamy vanilla ice cream and tangy lemon curd, a perfect balance of flavors. These ice cream bars are not just a dessert; they are a celebration of summer in every bite!
Tips for those who’ve never made Cookie Ice Cream Bars
- Choose Quality Ingredients. Using fresh lemons for the zest is so important, it brightens the flavor of your ice cream bars. Also, select a high-quality vanilla ice cream as this impacts the final taste. The better the ingredients you use, the higher quality of results you’ll have.
- Baking Techniques. While making the cookie base, make sure the butter is properly softened. Creaming the butter is an important step in ensuring is incorporates air into the mixture, creating air pockets that help the cookies rise and achieve a light, fluffy texture when baked. Be careful to not over-mix the dough as well, mix until just combined for the best results.
- Slice with Care. When the bars are ready for cutting, use a sharp knife to ensure a clean cut for perfect serving. I recommend warming the knife in hot water between cuts for a smoother slicing.
Lemon Ice Cream Bar Ingredients
Cookie layers
Butter: You need ½ cup of softened butter, this is equal to one stick.
Sugar: Add in granulated sugar to make the cookie sweet and chewy.
Lemon zest: For fresh lemon flavor, you will want to use some lemon zest, divided among steps. I used the zest from two lemons and it worked perfectly.
Leavening agents: You will need to use ½ tsp of baking soda, as well as ½ tsp of cream of tartar.
Egg: Adding 1 egg helps bind the cookie dough ingredients together well.
Vanilla extract: Use vanilla extract to enhance the flavors in this dough well.
Flour: The base of the dough is 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.
Ice cream layer
Vanilla ice cream: You will need a ½ gallon (or 1 ½ quarts) of vanilla ice cream. Any brand you love or have on hand will be great.
Lemon curd: This recipe calls for 10-ounces of lemon curd, it adds the most delicious lemon flavor to the vanilla ice cream.
Important tips for making Lemon Ice Cream Bars
- Prepare the Cookie Base. The cookie dough comes together quickly and easily, but it is important to take your time and measure your ingredients carefully and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Creaming the butter is an essential step in making a soft cookie base. As well as incorporating the rest of the ingredients, finding a balance between mixing well but being careful to not overmix and create a tough dough. You’ve got this, I promise it’s as simple as can be!
- Ice cream & lemon curd layer. When you are mixing the ice cream and lemon curd, make sure the ice cream is softened enough to be easily mixed. I find the best technique is to let the ice cream sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes before starting this step, let it naturally soften. If you forget to do this, it’s ok! Just microwave the carton for 30 seconds, it should soften it right up. Add in the lemon curd and the two ingredients will meld together beautifully!
- Patience is key. For the last step of this recipe you must dig deep and find your patience, I know, it’s hard when dessert is involved! But letting the ice cream bars freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight, is a step worth taking.
How long are lemon ice cream bars good for?
These ice cream bars can be kept stored in the freezer for up to a few weeks if desired. Cover the top with plastic wrap and foil, or a lid if you have one.
Individual bars can be wrapped tight in plastic wrap and then stored in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn.
LEMON ICE CREAM BARS
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 TBSP lemon zest divided (I used the zest from 2 medium lemons and it worked perfectly)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups flour
Ice cream layer
- 1 ½ quarts vanilla ice cream or ½ gallon
- 10 oz lemon curd
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then line two 8 x 8 pans with foil and then set aside. Grate the two lemons to procure the lemon zest needed throughout the recipe.
- Cookie dough: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds and then add in the sugar, 1 TBSP of lemon zest, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Mix again until combined. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix again. Add in the flour and mix until well combined. The dough should be a little crumbly.
- Bake: Press half of the dough into each of the foil lined pans and bake for 12 minutes. Once baking is complete, using the foil, lift the cookie bars from each of the pans and cool on a wire rack.
- Ice cream filling: Soften the ice cream and place in a large bowl. To soften the ice cream, you can either let it sit at room temperature for10-15 minutes or microwave for about 30 seconds. Add in the lemon curd and the remaining lemon zest, stir well to combine.
- Assemble: Line one of the 8×8 pans with wax paper (plastic wrap or parchment paper works too) and place one of the cookies squares back in the pan. Spread the ice cream mixture on top of the cookie evenly to cover the entire surface. Then place the remaining cookie square on top of the ice cream, press down gently to create the sandwich.
- Chill & serve: Cover the pan and place it in the freezer overnight. For easier serving, cut the frozen bars into squares and wrap each square in plastic wrap, freezing each one individually until ready to eat! Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Can I use a different flavor of ice cream?
Absolutely! Feel free to swap out the vanilla ice cream for a different flavor (like strawberry) for a delicious blend of summer flavors perfect for beating the heat outside!
How do I store ice cream bars to avoid freezer burn?
To prevent freezer burn, wrap each ice cream bar tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Place them in an airtight container or a resealable bag. Keep them in the coldest part of your freezer, away from the door.
If I can’t find lemon curd, is there another ingredient that will give a similar taste to the ice cream layer?
If lemon curd is unavailable, try using a lemon-flavored yogurt or lemon pudding. These alternatives can mimic the tartness and sweetness of lemon curd, ensuring your bars still taste delicious.
Check out these other amazing lemon flavored desserts:
- For a cool, refreshing treat this summer try these delicious raspberry lemonade ice cream smoothies.
- Are you obsessed with lemon as much as we are? If so, make this homemade lemon cream pie for your next gathering or event and watch how quickly it disappears!
- Our recipe for creamy berry lemon Jell-o makes a wonderful Spring or Summertime treat! The tangy Jell-o combined with berries and cream creates a delightful dessert everyone enjoys.
- Change up your dessert for a simple cookie that packs tons of flavor! Whip up a batch of these lemon thumbprint cookies and see just how tasty they are.
- This lemon pound cake is moist, easy to make treat that calls for ingredients most likely in your pantry. It is a perfect dish to serve for brunch, holiday events, and everything in between.
Lemon Ice Cream Bars is luscious lemon ice cream sandwiched between two layers of buttery cookies. These ice cream bars have a burst of tangy flavor that everyone is sure to love!
Terry says
How do you get such nice, clean cuts,without the top cookie layer shattering/crumbling? Thanks!
Nellie says
A really sharp knife!