This post is sponsored by Pacific Foods. The opinions expressed are honest and all my own.
Ooooh, boy, do I have a special treat for you guys!
I recently partnered with Pacific Foods to create a recipe using one of their non-dairy beverages. I had my choice of different varieties from the more common almond and soy that are really popular right now, to the less well-known, including hazelnut, hemp, and oat.
I eventually decided to use Vanilla Hemp Non-Dairy Beverage””mostly because it was a little something different, but also because of its stellar nutritional profile. Made from hemp seeds, it’s a great source of plant-based nutrition, including Omega 3 and 6 and essential amino acids. The vanilla variety is lightly sweetened with brown rice syrup and has a smooth, creamy, and nutty flavor. It’s really tasty and made an awesome addition to this recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana “Ice Cream” Cookie Sandwiches.
These “Ice Cream” Cookie Sandwiches are a healthier version of your usual ice cream cookie sandwiches because they’re made with banana “ice cream” instead of the traditional high-calorie, high-fat stuff. The banana “ice cream” is also a great dessert alternative for people who can’t have a lot of dairy in their diets.
Chocolate Chip Banana “Ice Cream” Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup Vanilla Hemp Non-Dairy Beverage
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips + more for rolling cookie sandwiches
- 6 frozen bananas
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine ingredients, except for the bananas, in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Coat an ice cream sandwich pan with non-stick cooking spray and then divide batter evenly between the 12 cups. (It’ll seem like you don’t have enough batter to fill the cups, but the cookies will expand and puff up.)
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown and firm to the touch. Allow cookies to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the banana “ice cream” using the frozen bananas. (Tip: Remove bananas from freezer about 10-15 minutes before you need them, so they defrost a little.) To make the banana “ice cream,” you can use a food processor, blender or Yonanas machine. Just add the frozen bananas, one at a time, to the machine of your choice and blend until smooth. If the frozen bananas are too firm, you can add a splash of the Vanilla Hemp Non-Dairy Beverage to help them blend better.
- Place a large spoonful (about 1/4 cup) of banana “ice cream” on top of a cookie and then use another cookie to squish it down evenly. Then, roll the cookie sandwich in mini chocolate chips. Place cookie sandwich on a plate or tray in the freezer immediately. Continue to make the rest of the cookie sandwiches this same way.
- Allow cookie sandwiches to freeze for at least 3+ hours. Serve frozen.
Makes 6 sandwiches
