Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
I can’t stop making ice cream sandwiches. Ever since I first tried my Easy Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches, I’ve been hooked on making (and eating) them. And with the UK being right in the middle of a heatwave, there’s nothing better than a freezer full of these flavour-packed, refreshing summer treats.
And these AMAZING gluten free lemon blueberry ice cream sandwiches are definitely a new favourite. The first time I took a bite, I simply couldn’t believe how ridiculously good they are. We all know that lemon and blueberries are a match made in flavour heaven, but these are just on a whole new level of deliciousness.
First, we have the soft, fluffy and perfectly moist gluten free lemon sponge. It’s packed full of lemon zest and vanilla, and it’s basically a cloud of soft, lemony goodness.
The blueberry no-churn ice cream is also a total revelation: I stuffed it with as many blueberries as I could (which is A LOT – there’s almost a pound of blueberries in there) and it also hits just the right balance of refreshing and sweet. It’s super straightforward to make: you don’t need an ice cream maker, just a high-speed food blender or food processor.
And while both of these components are amazing on their own, it’s their combination that will really blow you away… and have you coming back for seconds (and possibly thirds).
Before we get to the bits and bobs of making these amazing ice cream sandwiches – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date on the latest recipes and tips!
Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.
No-churn blueberry ice cream centre
We’ll be making the ice cream from scratch, but don’t worry, it’s incredibly easy and you don’t need an ice cream maker. While you can, of course, use store-bought ice cream, this homemade one tastes SO MUCH better as it’s really packed full of blueberry goodness.
This blueberry ice cream is loosely based on a typical no-churn ice cream recipe, at least as far as the ingredients go. There’s the standard combination of heavy/double cream and sweetened condensed milk – this is what ensures that the ice cream doesn’t become too hard in the freezer, in addition to giving creaminess and richness.
As this is a blueberry ice cream, we’ll also use frozen blueberries, as well as some vanilla and lemon juice to really make the flavours pop and to add some freshness.
There’s A LOT of blueberries in this recipe – in fact, there’s just under a pound (400g, to be exact) of blueberries in the ice cream layer. So, there’s really no doubt about it: the blueberries are definitely the star of the show here. And just look at the rich purple colour of the ice cream!!
In terms of preparation, we won’t be using the standard no-churn ice cream method (where you whip the heavy/double cream to firm peaks and then add the condensed milk along with flavourings). Instead, we’ll throw all the blueberry ice cream ingredients together in a high-speed food blender or a food processor and blend them until smooth.
That’s why it’s important to use frozen blueberries instead of fresh ones. If you used fresh blueberries, you’d end up with blueberry soup that would freeze solid, so the final ice cream sandwiches wouldn’t really be that nice to eat (or to bite into).
By using frozen blueberries, you get a thick-ish ice cream mixture (the exact consistency will depend on how quickly you work and on the temperature of your kitchen) that sets into a nice creamy texture that’s a joy to eat.
The softest gluten free lemon sponge
The gluten free lemon sponge is based on the sponge from the raspberry Swiss roll recipe from my gluten free cookbook, Baked to Perfection. I love how soft, fluffy and perfectly moist it is, and the addition of lemon zest makes it even more flavourful and aromatic.
I swapped part of the melted butter in the original sponge for oil, in order to ensure that the sponge stays nicely soft even when frozen. Because oil is a liquid fat (unlike butter, which is a solid fat), it won’t firm up and harden as much when frozen – this is true both when talking about the pure fat on its own and when it’s incorporated into a sponge cake.
I baked the sponge in a 10×15-inch (25x38cm) rimmed baking sheet, and assembled the ice cream sandwiches in an 8-inch (20cm) square baking tin with a 7-inch (18cm) square bottom.
I recommend making a template for cutting out the two sponge squares, that fits snugly into the bottom of the baking tin where you’ll be assembling the ice cream sandwiches. Then, just cut around the template with a sharp serrated knife. This will give the neatest possible result.
Assembling the lemon blueberry ice cream sandwiches
- Once you have your sponge squares cut out, place one of them on the bottom of the baking tin (I lined mine with parchment/baking paper, you can use plastic wrap/cling film or aluminium foil instead).
- Spread the no-churn blueberry ice cream mixture on top of the sponge in an even layer.
- Place the other sponge square on top, pressing down gently so that it sticks to the ice cream mixture.
- Cover the baking tin with plastic wrap/cling film or a sheet of aluminium foil and freeze for any least 6-8 hours or ideally overnight.
- Once frozen solid, cut the ice cream sandwich slab into the individual portions: I divided it into 8 rectangular slices, but you can also make 16 smaller square portions.
- Then, either serve the ice cream sandwiches straight away or freeze them again!
Serving & storing the lemon blueberry ice cream sandwiches
The texture of the ice cream
These lemon blueberry ice cream sandwiches set slightly firmer than my Easy Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches (whose filling is just a simple mix of heavy/double cream, condensed milk and vanilla). That’s due to the high blueberry content, which adds water to the ice cream mixture – the filling is, in a way, somewhere between a sorbet and no-churn ice cream.
That said, the ice cream sandwiches are still great to eat straight from the freezer, but you can leave them out at room temperature, to allow them to thaw slightly, for about 5 minutes if you want a softer texture.
Oxidation & changing colours
As the blueberry ice cream comes into contact with the sponge, you will get some oxidation, especially as it’s helped by the presence of basic/alkaline raising agents (baking soda) in the sponge.
Basically, parts of the sponge where it comes into contact with the blueberry ice cream (and especially when the ice cream starts melting) might turn a pale blue, purple or even slightly greenish colour. You can see this happening in some of the photos.
If or when that happens: don’t stress about it! The oxidation only changes the appearance of the ice cream sandwiches and it doesn’t in any way affect their flavour. And I’m sure we can all agree that flavour is the most important part. This kind of oxidation and changing colours is actually very common when it comes to baking with blueberries, especially if the bake involves any kind of raising agents like baking powder or baking soda.
To minimise the effects of oxidation, you can cut individual slices (ice cream sandwiches) as you go, instead of dividing up the ice cream sandwich slab into individual portions straight away.
Storing the ice cream sandwiches
The ice cream sandwiches are best stored in a closed air-tight container in the freezer for up to about 1 month.
And there you go! This is everything you need to know about these truly fabulous gluten free lemon blueberry ice cream sandwiches. They’ve already become a constant in my freezer – the moment the last one disappears, I’m already making the next batch.
Yes, they’re really THAT good. And I really hope you’ll love them as much as I do.
More amazing gluten free desserts
If you’re looking for more incredible gluten free dessert recipes, you’re definitely in the right place!
- The Ultimate Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- Gluten Free Caramel “Twix” Cookies
- 6-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Gluten Free Tiramisu Swiss Roll
- Black Forest Flourless Brownie Cookies
- Gluten Free Boston Cream Pie Swiss Roll
- The Ultimate Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwiches (Gluten Free)
These lemon blueberry ice cream sandwiches are the perfect refreshing summer treat. With a soft and moist gluten free lemon sponge and a creamy blueberry ice cream centre, they’re absolutely bursting with flavour. In fact, there’s almost a pound (about 400g) of blueberries in them! They’re also incredibly easy to make – you don’t even need an ice cream maker.
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