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Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Waffle ice cream sandwiches made with golden, crispy-edged buttermilk waffles and vanilla bean ice cream. Maple syrup drizzled on the warm waffle meets the cold center for a syrup-pocket bite you can serve fresh or freeze into firmer sandwiches.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
freezing 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Waffles
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.333 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
  • 0.5 gallon vanilla bean ice cream slightly softened
  • 1 maple syrup for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 waffle iron

Method
 

Make the waffle batter
  1. Preheat the waffle iron until hot, following your manufacturer’s instructions. Visually confirm it’s ready by the indicator light (or steam/heat) before cooking.
  2. Whisk the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until evenly distributed. The dry mix should look uniform in color with no clumps.
  3. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Then pour into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined, with a few small lumps allowed.
Cook and shape the waffles
  1. Cook the waffles in the preheated waffle iron according to its instructions until golden with crisp edges. The surface should look set and lightly browned.
  2. Transfer the cooked waffles to a wire rack and cool completely. Coolness prevents the ice cream from melting too fast and keeps the waffle squares crisp.
  3. Cut each waffle into 4 even squares. Aim for consistent sizes so the sandwiches stack neatly.
Assemble and serve or freeze
  1. Sandwich a thick scoop of vanilla bean ice cream between two waffle squares and press gently to adhere. The ice cream should peek slightly at the edges.
  2. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve immediately for maximum crispness. For a firmer sandwich, wrap and freeze for 1 hour, until the centers are set.

Notes

For the crispiest texture, cool the waffles completely on the wire rack before assembling. Store assembled sandwiches in the freezer, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 weeks (freezing is best; thaw briefly for 2–3 minutes at room temperature before eating). For a dietary swap, use a dairy-free vanilla frozen dessert in place of vanilla bean ice cream.