SANTA'S FAVORITE COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM

Santa doesn’t just like baked cookies! He loves cookie dough too. And the best way to eat cookie dough is with a cold glass of eggnog.

In this recipe we combine Santa’s favorite cookie dough with a delicious eggnog ice cream.

Since cookie dough always tastes better after it’s had time to sit awhile, I suggest making this ice cream a day or two ahead of when you want to eat it!

And don’t forget a snack for the reindeer as well! (They love a good carrot.)

Happy Holidays!!

Ingredients:

To make Santa’s Cookie Dough:

(Makes about 2 cups of cookie dough - or one dozen cookies if you bake them)

2 tablespoons water ( 30 mL )

1 teaspoon vegetable oil ( 5 mL )

 3/4 cup all purpose flour ( 80 grams ) 

5 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (room temperature) ( 75 grams )

5 tablespoons, 1 teaspoon brown sugar ( 70 grams )

2 tablespoons & 2 teaspoons granulated sugar ( 40 grams )

1/4 teaspoon salt ( pinch )

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*

10 tablespoons of one of Santa’s favorite candies (M&M’s, peanut butter cups, Reese’s Pieces, Mounds, Almond Joy, Rolos, or Oreos) ( 80 grams )*

*for taste, substitute or omit as you see fit

To make Santa’s favorite Eggnog Ice Cream:

(Makes about a half quart)

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon whole milk ( 175 mL )

1/3 cup sugar ( 65 grams )

1/2 cup + 1/3 cup heavy cream (200 mL)

3 large egg yolks

tiny pinch of kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg* (small pinch) (to taste)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (small pinch) (to taste)

1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean** (5 mL)

Bowl of ice water

 *use a light hand with nutmeg

**optional

Tools:

Electric mixer*

Medium Mixing Bowls

Plastic wrap

Wooden Spoon or Heat-resistant Spatula

Heavy Bottom Pot or Double boiler (Don’t have a Double Boiler? Don’t worry, just place a medium bowl over the top of a pot with a an inch or two of water simmering in the bottom.)

Whisk

Sieve

Large bowl & smaller bowl (ice bath)

Thermometer*

*Ideal, not essential

Instructions:

To Make Santa’s Favorite Cookie Dough:

1. Sift your flour into a medium bowl.

2. Using an electric mixer combine the soft butter with both sugars. Beat at medium speed until light and whipped. Reduce the speed to low.

3. Add the water, vegetable oil, salt, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed.

4. Add the flour mix. Beat until just combined.

5. Stir in candy crumbles with a stirring spoon.

6. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

To make Santa’s Eggnog Ice Cream:

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. (This will become an ice bath for cooling the custard later on.)

2. Set your heavy bottom pot or double boiler over medium high heat. Add the milk, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt have melted and the dairy mix begins to steam. 

3. Pour your heavy cream into a medium bowl and set aside. Keep your sieve nearby.

4. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Once it is uniform, add a  tablespoon of the steaming dairy mixture while still whisking. Repeat until you have added 3 - 4 tablespoons of the dairy mixture to the yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the rest of the dairy mixture, stirring continuously with a spatula or wooden spoon, making sure to mix the bottom as well. The custard will be done cooking once the mixture is thick enough to glaze the back of the spoon. Run your finger across the back of the spoon. If the custard remains separated, it is done cooking.

5. Strain the custard into bowl of heavy cream and stir. Stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla (if using).

6. Float the bowl in your ice bath and stir until cool. (5-ish minutes)

7. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least four hours. Letting it sit even longer, perhaps overnight, is even better.

8. When you are ready to churn, taste your chilled custard to determine if you want to add more nutmeg or cinnamon. Then, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker. Pour your chilled custard into your machine and let it churn until it has the texture you desire.

9. While it churns, tear your chilled cookie dough into bite-sized chunks. Either roll into smooth spheres or leave in chunky bits.

10. Once churned, place into a medium mixing bowl and gently fold in the cookie dough lumps.

11. Transfer to a pre-chilled, air-tight container and freeze! 

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Santa’s Favorite Cookie Dough Ice Cream will keep for about one week.

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Notes :

+ Cookie dough has a better texture if you give it time to chill overnight. Santa will appreciate the extra touch!

+ If you don’t want to use candy, don’t worry. Santa also likes gingerbread and speculoos dough. Click here for the recipes.

+ Don’t forget, Santa’s reindeer are working hard too! You can leave some carrots for them to snack on.

Great pairings for Santa’s Favorite Cookie Dough:

Sweet: Milk, Eggnog, Gingerbread, Shortbread, Orange Slices

Savory: Pretzels, Popcorn, and any good dinner!

Santa's Favorite Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Laura | December 2018

Prep & Cooking time: 30 minutes

Chilling time: 4 hours

Resting Time: 24 hours

Total time: ~ 4 hours 30 minutes (plus 1 day of optional "resting time for the cookie dough)

Servings: Makes about one half quart of ice cream

Level of Skill: Easy

Ingredients:

To make Santa’s Cookie Dough:

(Makes about 2 cups of cookie dough - or one dozen cookies if you bake them)

• 2 tablespoons water ( 30 mL )
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil ( 5 mL )
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour ( 80 grams )
• 5 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (room temperature) ( 75 grams )
• 5 tablespoons, 1 teaspoon brown sugar ( 70 grams )
• 2 tablespoons & 2 teaspoons granulated sugar ( 40 grams )
• 1/4 teaspoon salt ( pinch )
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*
• 10 tablespoons of one of Santa’s favorite candies (M&M’s, peanut butter cups, Reese’s Pieces, Mounds, Almond Joy, Rolos, or Oreos) ( 80 grams )*

*for taste, substitute or omit as you see fit

For the Ice Cream Base:

• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon whole milk ( 175 mL )
• 1/3 cup sugar ( 65 grams )
• 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup heavy cream (200 mL)
• 3 large egg yolks
• tiny pinch of kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg* (small pinch) (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (small pinch) (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean (5 mL)

Instructions:

To Make Santa’s Favorite Cookie Dough:

1. Sift your flour into a medium bowl.

2. Using an electric mixer combine the soft butter with both sugars. Beat at medium speed until light and whipped. Reduce the speed to low.

3. Add the water, vegetable oil, salt, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed.

4. Add the flour mix. Beat until just combined.

5. Stir in candy crumbles with a stirring spoon.

6. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

To make Santa’s Eggnog Ice Cream:

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. (This will become an ice bath for cooling the custard later on.)

2. Set your heavy bottom pot or double boiler over medium high heat. Add the milk, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt have melted and the dairy mix begins to steam.

3. Pour your heavy cream into a medium bowl and set aside. Keep your sieve nearby.

4. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Once it is uniform, add a tablespoon of the steaming dairy mixture while still whisking. Repeat until you have added 3 - 4 tablespoons of the dairy mixture to the yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the rest of the dairy mixture, stirring continuously with a spatula or wooden spoon, making sure to mix the bottom as well. The custard will be done cooking once the mixture is thick enough to glaze the back of the spoon. Run your finger across the back of the spoon. If the custard remains separated, it is done cooking.

5. Strain the custard into bowl of heavy cream and stir. Stir in the nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla (if using).

6. Float the bowl in your ice bath and stir until cool. (5-ish minutes)

7. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least four hours. Letting it sit even longer, perhaps overnight, is even better.

8. When you are ready to churn, taste your chilled custard to determine if you want to add more nutmeg or cinnamon. Then, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker. Pour your chilled custard into your machine and let it churn until it has the texture you desire.

9. While it churns, tear your chilled cookie dough into bite-sized chunks. Either roll into smooth spheres or leave in chunky bits.

10. Once churned, place into a medium mixing bowl and gently fold in the cookie dough lumps.

11. Transfer to a pre-chilled, air-tight container and freeze!

Nutrition:

(per 1/4 cup serving)

Servings: Eight 1/4 cup sized scoops

Fat: 17.5 grams

Calories: 303

Nutrition estimated by Happyforks.com