This is a guest post from Lauren of Oatmeal with a Fork:
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My brother-in-law is a hardcore junk food enthusiast with a penchant for Oreos and ice cream.
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One day, when a mild lunacy set in, I was led to believe I could create an alternative treat that might satisfy both of his banes without clogging an artery. This mindset led to raw desserts, which then led to these little beauties.
The nut-free, chocolate-y cookies combine well with the vanilla avocado ‘ice cream’, creating a raw ice cream sandwich good enough to rival anything you’d find in a gas station freezer. Our whole family loves these gluten-free ice cream sandwiches, and because they’re nut-free, we can all eat them without itching and scratching.
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These are good at room temperature, but they are GREAT frozen! The filling tastes reminiscent of vanilla avocado ice cream.
If you’re not a fan of pumpkin seeds, you can use another nut or combination of nuts and seeds. I’ve had success with a combination of almond meal and pine nuts, as well as walnuts and pecans.
These are perfect for the hot summer days when you want something to cool you off, but not weigh you down.
Here in Tucson, it stays in the 100s through August, so we’ll be enjoying these for weeks to come. Image may be NSFW.
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What’s your favorite food in the summer?
Yields makes 4 ice cream sandwiches
A healthy, raw ice cream sandwich with paleo options.
20 minPrep Time
4 hrCook Time
4 hr, 20 Total Time
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup gluten-free oats (substitute another nut such as pecans if paleo)
- 9 - 10 Medjool dates (about 6 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 teaspoons water
- 1 avocado (be sure to use one that's completely green inside for the best flavor)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Using a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the pumpkin seeds and oats into a meal. Remove and set aside.
- Add the dates to the food processor and process until they resemble a paste.
- Add back the pumpkin seed layer along with the cocoa powder, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Process until well combined, adding the water a little at a time to create a dough.
- Form the dough into eight cookie-shaped disks. It's helpful to moisten your hands with water for this step.
- Put the disks on a plate covered with waxed paper and set in the freezer while making the filling.
- Process the avocado, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.
- Divide the ice cream between four of the eight cookies.
- Top with the remaining four cookies and press them together lightly, making sure not to squeeze the filling out.
- Freeze the sandwiches for 4 to 8 hours before serving.
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Lauren Goslin is the savvy chef behind Oatmeal with a Fork. She is a business graduate and culinary enthusiast. She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband, a local firefighter, and their two daughters, Jade and Natalie.
While Lauren’s passion for healthful cooking and baking originated with her father, who also enjoyed both, it didn’t truly blossom until her health took a turn for the worse. In her late teens, Lauren began experiencing an onslaught of symptoms that rapidly decreased the quality of her day to day existence including acne, depression, eczema, and thyroid dysfunction.
Though Lauren still struggles with various food allergies, her health much better. She loves to create recipes for Oatmeal with a Fork and hopes to help others discover tasty ways to eat in spite of their own allergies and sensitivities.