Lemon Ice Cream Bars are made with a delicious lemon ice cream filling sandwiched between two layers of homemade lemon cookie crust. This ice cream sandwich recipe is so simple to make, it makes a perfect summer treat!
Every bite of this lemon ice cream sandwich is bursting with incredible citrus flavor. Make this ice cream sandwich cookie recipe for a delightful chilled treat this summer.
Lemon Ice Cream Bars
This lemon ice cream cookie recipe is easy to make and has the most perfect lemon flavors. This dessert is part cookie, part ice cream, and all parts are equally delicious. Put it all together, and enjoy an ice cream sandwich that is better than anything you could ever find in a store. The filling is made with vanilla ice cream and lemon curd – yum! Make a homemade lemon cookie recipe in two square pans and then place the ice cream filling in the middle of the two cookie layers. Freeze, slice, and serve! This frozen dessert is perfectly refreshing for summer!
Why we think you will love this Ice Cream Cookie recipe
In case you were not already sold on giving this recipe a try, here are a few more reasons that are sure to convince you to.
- It is so easy to make! This recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients and a few steps from start to finish.
- This dessert is packed with lemon flavor! These are the BEST lemon ice cream bars ever. So much lemon, without being overpowering, and a wonderful combination of sweet and tart.
- They taste amazing on a hot summer’s day. Well, this could be true. Some more testing is needed, but feel free to try the recipe soon and form your own conclusions. Don’t be afraid to repeat the process… in the name of science, of course.
Lemon Ice Cream Bar Ingredients
COOKIE LAYERS:
Butter: You will need ½ cup of softened butter for a nice rich cookie taste. This is equal to one stick of butter.
Sugar: Add in ¾ cups of granulated sugar to make the cookie sweet and chewy.
Lemon zest: For fresh lemon flavor, you will want to use 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, but it will be divided among the steps. I used the zest from two lemons, and it worked out perfectly.
Leavening agents: You will need to use ½ teaspoon of baking soda, as well as ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar. This will help the cookie bar to puff up nicely as it bakes.
Egg: Adding in 1 egg is needed to help bind the cookie dough and create a great texture.
Vanilla extract: Use ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to enhance the flavors well in this dough.
Flour: The structure and base of the cookie is 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.
ICE CREAM LAYER:
Vanilla ice cream: You will need ½ gallon (or 1 ½ quarts) of vanilla ice cream.
Lemon curd: The recipe calls for 10 ounces of lemon curd to add to the ice cream. The lemon curd adds the most delicious lemon flavor to the vanilla ice cream.
How to make Lemon Ice Cream Bars
Prep
Begin by getting the oven preheating to 350°F. Then line two 8 x 8 pans with foil and set aside.
Cookie dough
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds.
Add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Mix again until combined.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again for 2-3 minutes.
Add in the flour and mix until well combined.
The dough will be a little crumbly as shown in the picture below.
Bake
Proceed to press half of the dough into each of the foil-lined pans and bake for 12 minutes.
Once baking is complete, use the foil to lift the cookie bars from each of the pans and cool on a wire rack.
Ice cream filling
Once the cookies are cooled, soften the ice cream and place in a large bowl. To soften the ice cream, you can either let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or microwave for about 30 seconds.
Add in the lemon curd and the remaining lemon zest and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth and combined.
Assemble
Now, line one of the 8×8 pans with plastic wrap (I used wax paper, but I think plastic wrap or parchment paper would work too) and place one of the cookie 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, and 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!
LEMON ICE CREAM BARS
Ingredients
- 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
- 1 ½ quarts vanilla ice cream or ½ gallon
- 10 oz lemon curd
Instructions
- Prep: Begin by getting the oven preheating to 350F. Then, line two 8 x 8 pans with foil and set aside.
- 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 tablespoon of lemon zest, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Mix again until combined. Next, add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix again. After that, add in the flour and mix until well combined. The dough should be a little crumbly as shown in the picture below.
- Bake: Proceed to 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: Once the cookies are cooled, 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. Then, add in the lemon curd and the remaining lemon zest, stir well to combine.
- Assemble: Now, line one of the 8×8 pans with plastic wrap (I used wax paper, but I think plastic wrap would work better) and place one of the cookies squares back in the pan. Proceed to 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!
Notes
Nutrition
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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.
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!
Check out these other Frozen Dessert Recipes!
- LAYERED PUMPKIN ICE CREAM DESSERT
- NO BAKE KOOL AID PIE
- REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUP ICE CREAM
- CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM CAKE
- CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM PIE
- BANANA MILKSHAKES
- FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER PIE
- HOLIDAY PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM CAKE ROLL
- PUMPKIN MILKSHAKES
- RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE SHAKES
- EASY JELLO MILKSHAKES
- ICE CREAM SANDWICH CAKE
Lemon Ice Cream Bars are made with a delicious lemon ice cream filling sandwiched between two layers of homemade lemon cookie crust. This ice cream sandwich recipe is so simple to make, it makes a perfect summer treat!
Terry says
How do you get such nice, clean cuts,without the top cookie layer shattering/crumbling? Thanks!
Nellie says
A really sharp knife!