Baking 101
Even though I am home full time raising my family, we are still so busy that I don’t often get an opportunity for quality kitchen time with my children. Particularly for my daughter, we hardly get a chance to play together when cooking or baking. Sometimes it’s just more efficient for me to cook with them out of the way, sometimes I cook when they’re at school or during activities, sometimes they’re too busy playing. Whatever the case, one of the nice things about summer vacation is that I can include the kids more in my kitchen escapades.
This afternoon, I let my daughter have free reign (almost) over tonight’s dessert. She decided she wanted to try cookies, ideally with chocolate chips. We took the recipe step by step – I showed her the basics of mise en place, how to measure dry ingredients, how to crack an egg, how to use an ice cream scoop to place the dough on the cookie sheets. She did it all.
Then we talked about flavors and how we could have fun with our basic cookie dough. We agreed that Chocolate Chip-Banana Cookies sounded enticing, and as the temperatures rose, the whole family agreed that ice cream was in order. My sous chef’s cookies easily transformed into Chocolate Chip-Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches! Moist and chewy, creamy and refreshing, the ice cream sandwiches were a perfect summer vacation dessert (and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon with my 7-year old).
Chocolate Chip-Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon banana extract
- 1 very ripe banana
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
For the sandwiches:
- vanilla ice cream
Sift or whisk together flour, salt and baking soda, set aside.
Cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add brown and white sugars, and beat until incorporated. Add egg, vanilla extract, banana extract and banana. When fully incorporated, slowly add the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda), be careful not to over-mix. Add the chocolate chips.
Cover the cookie dough and set in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or until ready to bake.
Drop a tablespoon of cookie dough on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack, then place in a tightly sealed container in the freezer.
Assemble the ice cream sandwiches when the cookies are firm. Place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies, press together. Return to freezer until ready to serve.
So glad you and your daughter enjoy cooking and baking together – this is something she’ll remember for sure. Ice cream is always a great addition to cookies, looks great!
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
I do hope she remembers these times. I know I fondly remember the times my mom would actually let me help her bake — though I know she preferred to bake alone, LOL.
sounds like a great way to spend some time together while helping her learn to enjoy cooking! and those ice cream sandwiches look so very good!!
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:18 pm
I need more of these moments with her, Chef Dennis! And I also need to remember to keep cooking/baking fun – I hope she enjoys the kitchen as much as I do one day.
Oh. Yeah. I’ll have some!
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:18 pm
Wish I could send some over!
Oh yum, these Ice Cream sandwiches look soooo yummy!
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:19 pm
Thanks! They are – had one for dessert tonight again, even better the next day :)
This is the perfect summer dessert, no matter your age! And there’s few things so satisfying as instilling a love of cooking and good food in your children. Your daughter did a marvelous job with these!
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:20 pm
Hey, Tracey! You’re right, all ages love ice cream sandwiches :) My daughter was really proud of herself – especially since the concept of fractions was hard when it came to looking at the recipe. But she did a great job!
Hom made ice cream sandwiches have kid written all over them. I am sure they were much loved. GREG
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:20 pm
Hi Greg – yes, the kids (and the grown ups) really loved them :)
I can’t wait for those types of days. Addie like’s to “help” already, but she’s a long way from being in charge.
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:21 pm
It’ll be here before you know it, Liz (sob!). They grow up way too fast. I can’t wait for Addie to learn all your recipes!!!
Oh no…these look too good! Cookies and then using bananas (banana whatevers are my fav)! Such a memorable activity to share with your daughter. :)
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:21 pm
LOL, I know you love bananas! It was almost like having banana bread + chocolate chip cookies + ice cream sandwiches all in one. Yum!
This looks so much better than the chipwiches from HS
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:22 pm
YES! Though I’ll always have a special place in my heart and tummy for Chipwiches. What I liked about these was that they’re bite sized – so easy to eat! A little too easy…
Sounds like another one I’m gonna have to save! My girls love doing stuff like this! Thanks for sharing!
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:23 pm
This is definitely kid friendly – your girls will have fun!!
These look awesome…my next project is ice-cream sandwiches. Except I am going to buy the cookies and make the ice-cream :)
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:23 pm
Ah, I know where you’re going to get the cookies! Great choice! Have fun – they’ll go great with the condensed milk ice cream.
What a great post!! I love to hear about other’s experiences cooking with their children. And what kid wouldn’t love your Chocolate Chip-Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches!? So great that your daughter likes to bake with you!! :)
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:24 pm
It’s definitely nice being able to bake with my kids. I have to remember to let them make mistakes…sometimes I forget and just dive in to help them. I’ll learn one day :)
These look good! I like the recipe for chocolate chip banana cookies and your photographs are beautiful:-)
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:24 pm
Thank you, Patty!
I love recipes that include banana’s and ice cream. thanks for the recipe!
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:24 pm
You’re so welcome! I think next time I’ll be tempted to make banana ice cream for the filling.
Wow! these look yummy! Great choice. We hardly have ice cream sandwiches here in nz, so here’s a good motivation for me to make my own :)
Liren replied: — June 26th, 2010 @ 10:25 pm
Really, not a lot of ice cream sandwiches in NZ? Well, I’m so happy to inspire you to make your own :) They’re so simple but so fun!
These look fantastic. What a great idea your kids came up with!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 10:58 pm
Thank you!
I prefer to cook and bake with the kids out of the way too… yesterday was much to hot for being outside so we stayed inside where it was cooler. I let me 4 year old help me with baking cookies – i don’t know why we were baking when it was so hot – but couldn’t resist the treat i guess. we also made chocolate chip cookies. we thought since it’s so hot we will make them with ice cream as sandwiches tonight -i’m really looking forward to eating them :) yum
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 10:59 pm
Oh I know, it can be much easier to cook and bake with the kids out of the kitchen, but I struggle because I want them to learn to enjoy it, too! Glad you guys had fun baking and making ice cream sandwiches, too.
This is perfection! Covers all the major food groups: eggs, sugar, butter, flour, ice cream. Love it!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 10:59 pm
Don’t forget the dairy :)
can not wait to try these! banana is barilliant.
love banana ice cream! can’t wait to try these.
How nice to have these special moments with your daughter. Not having one myself, I’m looking forward to my nieces’/nephews’ visit so I can do the same.
Your ice cream sandwiches are, I’m sure, delicious!
Congrats on Top 9!
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:00 pm
Thank you Jean! When your nieces and nephews visit, this will be a fun project!
That is what I call a great sandwich! Looks super yummy, which I could have a little bite.
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:00 pm
Thanks Linn! I agree, wish I could eat these sandwiches every day, LOL.
I’ve never really thought of putting banana in with chocolate chip cookies – I’m going to have to give this a try! Thanks for sharing (and aren’t little sous chefs nice to have?) :)
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:01 pm
The banana makes the cookies nice and moist, which is perfect for ice cream sandwiches (easier to bite into!). And yes, I love my little sous chefs :)
These look fantastic! I kinda wish I was having one right now :)
Fabulous recipe! and pictures too! i love the banana ice cream part! YUM! I made some banana pudding this weekend! i cant wait to eat it :)
I was instantly struck with awe when I saw the picture of these ice cream sandwiches… they are so, so gorgeous and playful and just the perfect example of what a “treat” ought to be! And honestly, anything that involves chocolate, peanut butter, and ice cream is perfect in my book.
Only one question remains: where’s the peanut butter!??!
Can’t wait to poke around your site and see what else you’ve created.
— Lauren, Lauren’s Little Kitchen
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:15 pm
Hi Lauren! Thank you for your kind comments! But actually, there’s no peanut butter…just bananas, chocolate chips and vanilla ice cream. But I like how you think! My next batch will have to have some peanut butter.
Great recipe. I loved that you used banana ice cream.
your daughter did a good job.. tell her tita malou want some lol!great mommy-daughter bonding activity that she will always remember.
oh i miss those days when my daughter would help in the kitchen.. but yeah im guilty too of getting them out of the kitchen when i cook because it’s double work hehe…
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:13 pm
Tita Malou – we’ll have to send you some :) Having them in the kitchen is definitely double work…reminds me of my mom saying, “you can help me by not helping.” LOL. Raw truth. But I must make an effort to let them help more :)
Having a little helper in the kitchen is always great and I’m sure these times will be her favorite memories as well. These look sooo good.
These are gorgeous and I bet they tasted wonderful too! I love how you used an upturned bowl as a prop!
Isn’t it wonderful baking with your children? I certainly love it and am always surprised how quickly time passes when I’m in the kitchen with my kids! There are giggles, everything smells like chocolate or vanilla, there’s flour on the floor, flour on faces and always a treat after the clean up :)
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:08 pm
Hee hee, Denise, you never miss a detail! Yes, the mini ice cream sandwiches were getting lost in those bowls, so…
I do love baking with the kids – they really have fun! If I can get them to enjoy the clean up part, then I’d do it more often :)
Love, love, love the topmost photo. Such a wonderful thing to spend quality kitchen time with your daughter.
Liren replied: — June 29th, 2010 @ 11:10 pm
Thank you! That’s my favorite picture too!
These are delightful!
Liren replied: — July 1st, 2010 @ 9:57 pm
Thank you!!