Save These mini Jack-o-Lantern ice cream sandwiches bring a festive touch to any Halloween gathering. Soft pumpkin cookies and creamy vanilla ice cream combine for a bite-sized treat kids and adults always reach for. The playful faces add spooky charm and make these sandwiches a fun kitchen project during the fall season.
My nieces love helping cut the cookie faces and decorating each sandwich. Last year we brought a batch to a neighbor's Halloween party, and they disappeared instantly. Everyone raved they were the best edible pumpkins around.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: ensures the cookies are tender but hold their shape choose unbleached for best flavor
- Baking soda and baking powder: give cookies just enough lift so sandwiches are soft but sturdy
- Salt: enhances all the autumn spices in the dough use fine sea salt for even distribution
- Ground cinnamon ginger and nutmeg: layer cozy warmth and a classic pumpkin cookie taste buy the freshest spices you can for truer flavor
- Unsalted butter: makes the cookies moist and rich always use room temperature so it creams well
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: together for crisp edges and caramel undertones opt for light brown sugar if possible
- Large egg: binds everything while giving chew keep eggs at room temp for smoother mixing
- Pumpkin purée: captures the season's spirit and imparts softness look for pure pumpkin with zero additives
- Vanilla extract: rounds out and sweetens the flavor go for real and not imitation for the best results
- Premium vanilla ice cream: firms up well without icy crystals use full-fat styles for creamy filling
- Black decorating gel or melted chocolate: finishes each face choose gel for convenience or chocolate for deep flavor
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients:
- Whisk flour baking soda baking powder salt cinnamon ginger and nutmeg in a medium bowl making sure spices do not clump so flavor disperses equally
- Cream Butter and Sugars:
- Beat butter granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl for a good four minutes until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Proper creaming guarantees a soft cookie and helps dissolve sugar fully
- Combine Eggs and Pumpkin:
- Add the egg pumpkin purée and vanilla to the butter mixture. Blend until smooth to avoid streaks and ensure even texture in every bite
- Integrate Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- On low speed or with a spatula gradually add the dry mix to the wet mix. Stop the mixer once you see no dry flour. Overmixing can toughen cookies so keep it gentle
- Chill Dough:
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour. This firms it up for rolling and helps the flavors blend
- Shape and Cut Cookies:
- With a floured rolling pin roll chilled dough to quarter-inch thickness. Use pumpkin-shaped or round cutters to make about 24 cookies. Gather dough scraps and re-roll to maximize yield
- Cut Jack-o-Lantern Faces:
- Transfer cookies to parchment-lined sheets. Use a small paring knife to carve simple Jack-o-Lantern eyes and mouths onto half the cookies creating a matched set for topping
- Bake:
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees on the center rack for ten to twelve minutes. Cookies should be set but still soft. Let them cool fully on wire racks to keep their texture
- Assemble Sandwiches:
- Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the flat side of a plain cookie. Gently press a Jack-o-Lantern cookie on top letting a little ice cream peek through the carved face
- Freeze Sandwiches:
- Freeze all assembled sandwiches on a tray for half an hour minimum so filling sets and faces stay defined
- Decorate:
- Once frozen you may use black gel or chocolate to add extra detail to faces. Let sandwiches rest for five minutes before serving so cookies slightly soften for best taste
Save I always look forward to the warm notes cinnamon brings to these cookies. The scent fills the kitchen and makes it feel like fall instantly. Every year we make jack-o-lantern faces together and laugh about whose pumpkin is the silliest.
Storage Tips
Store finished sandwiches in a lidded container with parchment between layers to prevent sticking. Return to the freezer after serving and enjoy within seven days for best taste. If cookies get slightly frosty let them sit at room temp for two to three minutes before biting in.
Ingredient Substitutions
You can swap out pumpkin purée for sweet potato purée for a slightly earthier flavor. For gluten-free use a quality blend of gluten-free flour and add a pinch of xanthan gum to boost the chew. If avoiding dairy try coconut-based ice cream with a similar vanilla profile.
Serving Suggestions
These mini sandwiches pair perfectly with mugs of hot apple cider or a steaming pumpkin spice latte. For parties line them up on a platter with candy corn or dried leaves for a festive look. If making for kids customize faces with colored gel or sprinkles.
Save Serve these delicious little pumpkins straight from the freezer for the perfect Halloween sweet. They will be a spooky hit at any fall celebration.
Recipe Questions
- → How do I prevent cookies from spreading?
Chilling the dough for at least 1 hour helps the cookies hold their shape. Bake on parchment-lined sheets and avoid over-mixing.
- → Can I make the sandwiches ahead of time?
Yes, assemble and freeze the sandwiches up to a week in advance. Store in an airtight container for maximum freshness.
- → Is it possible to make gluten-free versions?
Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend to cater to dietary needs while maintaining texture.
- → How do I create pumpkin shapes for the cookies?
Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter or carve pumpkin faces with a small paring knife before baking.
- → What other ice cream flavors work well?
Try cinnamon, caramel, or chocolate ice cream for delicious variations alongside the pumpkin cookies.
- → Can I use sweet potato instead of pumpkin?
Sweet potato purée is a tasty alternative, offering similar flavor and texture for these autumn-inspired sandwiches.