These Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Cups are the ideal dessert: a delicious chocolate chip cookie shaped into a cup and filled with caramel sauce and chocolate brownie ice cream, topped with cookie dough and whipped cream. Plus they are vegan, gluten-free and fun for all the family.

You can watch the recipe video here.

I love a good cookie cup and some of my favourite recipes involve chocolate chips or cookies or brownies so why not combine them all in these Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Cups. Inspired by the delicious plant-based Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream from Jude’s, these dessert cups are like chocolate brownie sundaes and chocolate chip cookies all in one. Plus, you can fill them with whatever caramel sauce and ice cream you have at home so the possibilities are endless.

How delicious are these Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Cups?

They are pretty special, if you ask me, they are:

• Sweet and sticky but not sickly-sweet
• Crunchy and tender inside
• Filled with a gooey salted caramel
• Topped with creamy and rich ice cream
• Finished off with whipped coconut cream
• Packed with chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip cookie dough
• Easy to make
• A great dessert or snack to impress friends, family and guests
• Naturally vegan, gluten-free and easily nut-free

I hope you are going to love these cookie ice cream cups, so if you are ready to make them, skip ahead to the recipe card, or let’s discuss the ingredients and method in more detail now.

What ingredients go into these ice cream cups?

The recipe is divided into three parts; the cookie cups, the filling and the cookie dough. Let’s start with the cookie cups:

• Oat flour: make your own by blending oats into a flour and make sure they are gluten-free oats where needed. You can also use plain flour, or wholemeal flour will also work. If using GF plain flour, make sure it’s one with xantham gum to help bind the cookie dough.
• Ground almonds: these add such a delicious sweet and nutty taste and texture to the cookie cups. You can similarly use ground up nuts like hazelnuts or seeds like sunflower seeds, as long as they are very fine. Almond flour will also work.
• Coconut sugar: this keeps the cookie dough rich in colour and flavour and also refined sugar free but you can use light brown or caster sugar, too.
• Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda: like normal cookies.
• Salt: for the flavour.
• Coconut oil: or I am sure dairy-free butter will work here, too. It makes the cookie cups “buttery” and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
• Plant-based milk: any milk will work like oat, almond or coconut (from a carton).
• Applesauce: this may seem like a strange one but it helps to bind the cookie dough in place of eggs. It is just a small amount but makes all the difference and you don’t taste it at all. You could similarly use mashed banana.
• Vanilla essence: for the classic cookie flavour.
• Chocolate chips: any dairy-free chocolate chips will work here. You can use milk, dark or white chocolate or you can use a bar and chop the chocolate small.

Onto the filling:

• Chocolate brownie ice cream: as mentioned, these Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Cups were inspired by my new favourite carbon-negative Jude’s ice cream, but any dairy-free ice cream will work and any flavour.
• Caramel: I used a salted caramel from my Coconut Caramel Granola Tart but you can use any shop-bought caramel or a runny nut butter will also be delicious. Or go for extra chocolate and add some chocolate spread or sauce.
• Coconut whipping cream: or another type of dairy-free whipping cream. I like this coconut one but there are quite a few in the supermarkets now, just use your favourite or skip the cream as these are delicious as they are.

Finally for the cookie dough, which is so good on its own, too:

• Cashew or peanut butter: any runny, smooth nut butter is great here although cashew or peanut are my favourites in terms of flavour. For a nut-free option, use a seed butter like sunflower seed butter or tahini.
• Maple syrup: for the stickiness and any other sticky syrup will work like coconut, date, agave or brown rice syrup or vegan honey.
• Vanilla: for the flavour
• Oat flour: as above and these make the cookie dough more wholesome.
• Ground almonds: similar to the above, they can be swapped for another nut or seed.
• Chocolate chips: use the same as you use in the cookie cups.
• Salt: because cookies and chocolate are always better with some salt.

How do I make these Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Cups?

There are only a few steps to making these ice cream cups and they are just delicious! You can also watch the recipe video here.

• Make the cookie cups: make the cookie dough by stirring together all the ingredients as they are and folding in the chocolate chips.
• Divide the mix into 6 balls: and place each ball in a greased muffin hole (I prefer a loose-bottomed tin).
• Shape the cookie dough into cups: using a spoon and your fingers, make them as neat as you can.
• Chill the mix for 30 minutes: this ensures the cookie cups retain their shape around the top.
• Use a shot glass to make the holes: even though they are already shaped into cups, the middle will puff up, so immediately press a shot glass carefully but firmly into the centre to make the cup.
• Chill the cookies: and then remove from the tins.
• Make the cookie dough: stir together all the ingredients and fold in the chocolate.
• Fill with the caramel: just a little to cover the bottoms.
• Top with ice cream: and add on the whipped cream, cookie dough and some extra caramel sauce.

How long will these cookie cups last?

As with any ice cream recipe, they will start to melt as soon as you make them, so fill and top the cookie cups just before serving, although they will keep for 2-4 weeks in the freezer, too. Un-filled cookie cups will keep for 1 week in a sealed container at room temperature or wrapped up in the freezer for 1 month. Extra cookie dough is great to eat as cookie dough balls, and will keep wrapped up for 1 week in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.

Are these cookie ice cream cups nut-free and gluten-free?

These desserts are naturally gluten-free if using gluten-free oats and check your milk and ice cream, too. To make these nut-free, also check your milk and ice cream and swap the nut butter for seed butter. Swap the ground almonds or ground seeds or plain flour will also work.

What other desserts can I make?

I hope you are going to love these Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Cups and if you are looking for more dessert ideas, how about my:

• No Bake Caramel Almond Brownies
• Chocolate Truffle Bliss Balls
• Salted Caramel Pretzel Bars
• Toffee Apple Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
• Mini Chocolate Mousse Pecan Tarts

I look forward to hearing what you think of these Cookie Dough Brownie Ice Cream Cups so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make these cups, I would love to see so please tag me in them. I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!

With cookie brownie ice cream cup love x

p.s. the original recipe was sponsored by Jude’s but this blog post is not sponsored and does not contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.