These spiced cider waffled and caramel ice cream sandwiches are bursting with fall flavor and warm spices. Using spiced apple cider in fall desserts brings out a wonderful seasonal flavor. For me, caramel and apple go together like peanut butter and jelly. Sandwiched between two spiced cider waffles is creamy caramel ice cream and drizzled off with even more homemade caramel. A MUST save for easy fall dessert recipes.
As much as I wish we did, California doesn’t really see a ‘true’ fall like other states. Even though the temps hardly drop below 70 and we can’t quite break out our chunky cable knit sweaters quite yet, we still make the most of the season. Some of my favorite west coast traditions include pumpkin carving parties (usually outside in shorts) and heading up to an apple picking farm for some apples and homemade apple cider donuts. I seriously look forward to those apple cider donuts every. Single. Year. The farm is a good hour and a half drive up into the mountains but always makes for a memorable day trip each season.
After each apple picking trip I am so inspired by the seasonal creations from the farm. This year we had traditional apple spiced cider donuts (a must!) and they were served with a creamy caramel ice cream. I was reminded just how delicious and classic this flavor combo is. Last years apple chai bread pudding bundt cake with vanilla bean caramel was a prime example. Needless to say I knew that an apple-caramel ice cream sandwich situation was totally in my future…
Are homemade ice cream sandwiches hard to make?!
No, my friend! It’s as easy as making waffles in a waffle iron and freezing ice cream in cake tins! I’m serious!
The first time I ever thought about making homemade ice cream sandwiches I pictured a melted ice cream mess all over the counter, but you just have to be smarter than the ice cream! To keep things easy, let your ice cream soften for 10-15 minutes or until it’s ‘stirrable’ then line a small cake tin (I used a six inch) with plastic wrap. Smooth out a 1-inch layer of ice cream and freeze for at least an hour or two, or until hardened. This will give you an easy ice cream ‘disk’ to work with once you sandwich together with your waffles!
While your ice cream is freezing, break out that waffle maker! Today I am using my Chefman Belgium Waffle Maker for the spiced cider waffles. This waffle maker is one of my favorites because it’s non-stick coating is the real deal. I get perfectly crisp waffles every time. Make sure your waffles have had proper cooling time before putting the sandwiches together!
Spiced Cider Waffle & Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches Ingredients:
- All purpose-flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- Cardamom
- Apple Cider
- Egg
- Heavy Cream
- Unsalted Butter
- Bourbon
- Sea salt
- Caramel Ice Cream
How to make Spiced Cider Waffle & Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches:
- For Caramel: heat sugar until melted and amber in color (5-10 mins). Add in butter until melted, slowly whisk in the heavy cream and continue to boil for another minute until caramel has thickened. Remove from heat and add in bourbon and sea salt. Place in an airtight jar until serving.
- Soften caramel ice cream for 10-15 minutes on the counter and then spread a 1 inch layer into six inch cake tins lined with plastic wrap. Return to the freezer for 2 hours or until completely hardened.
- In one medium and one large mixing bowl combine your wet and dry ingredients. I love using my Zak Nested Mixing Bowl Set for baking because they come in four different sizes, are lightweight and store super easily!
- Add about ½ cup or ladle full of waffle batter to the waffle iron. Allow waffles to cool completely before making sandwiches.
- Layer up one ice cream disk between two waffles and slice with an extra sharp knife into triangles. Freeze for another 1-2 hours (overnight is best) to give the sandwiches time to come together.
- Drizzle with caramel just before serving!
Spiced Cider Waffle and Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches
ingredients
- 1 Cup of all purpose flour
- 1 Tsp of baking powder
- ½ Tsp of baking soda
- ½ Tsp of salt
- 2 Tbs of sugar
- 1 Tsp of cinnamon
- ½ Tsp of nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp of ground cloves
- ¼ Tsp of cardamom
- 1 Cup apple cider
- 1 Large egg
- 1-2 Pints of caramel ice cream
for caramel:
- 1 Cup of granulated sugar
- ½ Cup of heavy cream
- 6 Tablespoons of unsalted butter diced
- 2 Tablespoons of bourbon
- 1 ½ Teaspoons of sea salt
instructions
for caramel:
- In a heavy bottom saucepan heat one cup of sugar until melted 5-10 minutes. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon and be VERY careful not to burn. The color should be an amber brown. Any darker and you have burned your sugar. Add in butter slowly and stir until melted. Very slowly add in heavy whipping cream.
- *Note the butter and cream will splatter and bubble up because they are a different temp to the sugar, so be careful!*
- Continue to boil and stir for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. At this point we are just trying to thicken the caramel. Remove pan from heat add in salt and bourbon and stir. Transfer caramel to a glass jar and cool completely before refrigerating. To reheat the caramel place jar in microwave for two 30 second increments, stirring after the first.
- For ice cream:
- Soften caramel ice cream for 10-15 minutes on the counter and then spread a 1 inch layer into six inch cake tins lined with plastic wrap. Return to the freezer for 2 hours or until completely hardened.
- For waffles:
- In two medium and large mixing bowls whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and cardamom. In a separate bowl whisk together egg and apple cider. Whisk in wet mixture to dry mixture until just combined.
- Heat ½ cup or small ladle full of waffle mixture into waffle iron until cooked. Allow waffles to cool completely before sandwiching together with ice cream. Layer up one ice cream disk between two waffles and slice with an extra sharp knife into triangles. Freeze for another 1-2 hours (overnight is best) to give the sandwiches time to come together.
- Before serving drizzle with homemade caramel.
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