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Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches

Macaron ice cream sandwiches with perfectly ruffled French macaron shells—crisp outside and chewy inside—sandwiching matching ice cream. This French dessert uses the macaronage technique for a lava-flow batter and finishes with a short freeze for clean, jewel-bright frozen slices.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
resting + freezing 3 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the macarons
  • 1.75 cup powdered sugar Sift to remove lumps and achieve a smooth shell texture.
  • 1 cup almond flour Sift and discard any large almond pieces for a refined crumb.
  • 3 egg whites Age at room temperature so they whip more reliably.
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar Add gradually to build a stable, glossy meringue.
  • 0.5 tsp cream of tartar Helps the egg whites reach soft peaks and hold structure.
  • 1 gel food coloring Use as desired to match the ice cream flavor (pink, green, lavender, etc.).
Ice cream filling
  • 0.5 gallon ice cream Match the macaron flavor; e.g., strawberry for pink, pistachio for green.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the macaron batter
  1. Sift the powdered sugar and almond flour together, then discard any large almond pieces to keep the shells smooth and uniform.
  2. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add the granulated sugar gradually and continue beating to stiff, glossy peaks.
  3. Add gel food coloring and mix until the meringue is evenly colored.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the meringue using the macaronage technique until the batter flows like lava and ribbons disappear slowly.
Pipe, rest, and bake
  1. Pipe 1.5-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, then firmly bang the pan to release trapped air bubbles.
  2. Rest the piped macarons for 30-60 minutes until the tops form a dry skin that does not stick when gently touched.
  3. Bake at 300F for 14-16 minutes until the shells are set and have developed their classic feet.
  4. Cool the macarons completely before filling so the shells stay crisp outside and chewy within.
Assemble and freeze
  1. Sandwich a generous disc of matching ice cream between two shells, pressing lightly so the ice cream slightly reaches the edges.
  2. Freeze for 2 hours until firm, then serve straight from the freezer for the cleanest bite and easiest portioning.

Notes

For best ruffled feet, aim for a true lava-flow batter before piping and do not skip the dry-skin rest. Store assembled sandwiches covered in the freezer up to 2 months (best texture within 1 month); freeze only (no fridge thawing). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat ice cream to keep the same flavor-match while reducing calories.