Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream

What This Recipe Is: Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream – A Brown Sugar Gingerbread Base with Chewy Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookie Pieces

What Really Warms Up the Holiday Season?!

Well, being with the people you love is always the first answer. But… the second right answer is absolutely all the warm, cozy spices brimming from a spicy, flavorful gingerbread.

Now, I’ll be honest with you—plain gingerbread has never really been my favorite thing at all. Like most of you, I love decorating it, building cute little Christmas villages during December, and filling the house with that nostalgic gingerbread smell. But actually eating traditional gingerbread? Sometimes it's just a bit too strong… and super sweet desserts don’t hit the spot for me either.

So that’s exactly why I crafted ice cream recipe for you all. I wanted something balanced—something with all those classic holiday spices, but mellowed out with dark brown sugar, a creamy base, and chewy oat-packed gingerbread cookie pieces rippled throughout. It’s a little sweet, a little savory, a little nutty, a little creamy… and packed with the perfect chewy texture from those homemade cookies.

This recipe is a mash-up inspired by the whole family: My dad’s love for gingerbread cookies during the holidays, my mom’s love for a oat packed oatmeal cookie, and my little sister’s obsession with baking chewy “pan-banging” cookies basically all year long.

So I took all their favorites and created a heartwarming ice cream that’s brimming with love, spice, and wintertime comfort. I hope every scoop brings you warmth, joy, and the deliciousness you absolutely deserve during this crazy, busy holiday season. ❤️

How to Make This the Best Ice Cream

Below are a few little notes that make the difference in the texture, flavor, and overall magic of this gingerbread oatmeal cookie ice cream. Think of them as your secret-weapon ice cream holiday tips.

⭐ Use 1% Milk

Okay, this is totally my personal preference. Using 1% milk helps balance the richness of the heavy cream. Since the ratio of heavy cream to milk is already pretty decadent, the 1% keeps the ice cream creamy and luscious without making it so heavy that two bites in leaves you feeling sick.

It still gives you a beautifully creamy texture—but lighter, more refreshing, and honestly just perfect. But as always, follow your own preference for lighter vs. richer ice cream with choosing the right milk for you.

⭐ Use Dark Brown Sugar

Yes, you can use regular light brown sugar and the recipe will still work great. But if you have dark brown sugar? Use it.

It adds these deep notes of caramel, ember, honey, and warmth—especially paired with the chewy spiced cookies. Dark brown sugar has that extra molasses built right in, which pulls the molasses + honey flavors straight out of the cookie pieces. It gives this ice cream a whole new depth that you’ll want to go back for again and again… or for “just one more bite”… or several. 😆

⭐ Bake Your Own Cookies & Freeze Them

Sure, you could buy gingerbread cookies. But truly… nothing beats homemade. It’s fresher, healthier (no additives, no weird preservatives, no added coloring and artificial flavors), and honestly so much more satisfying to mix into your ice cream - knowing you did all the work for it.

Once you bake your cookies:

1. Let them cool completely.

2. Break them into pieces on a baking sheet.

3. Freeze them for 2–3 hours.

This step is key! When the cookies are fully frozen, they don’t crumble into mush when you mix them into the ice cream. Instead, they stay as distinct, chewy, oat-filled cookie bites that scoop beautifully and melt in your mouth with each spoonful.

⭐ Make the Ice Cream in Advance

Ice cream is always better 24–48 hours after you make it. Letting it sit in the freezer gives the flavors time to fully blend and the texture to set to that perfect, creamy, sturdy consistency. No icy meltiness—just a dreamy bite every single time.

So if you're making this for a party, gifting it, or treating yourself… Be patient (just a little!). Let it freeze for a day or two before serving. You’ll appreciate it so much more—I promise.

A Fun Little Health Note

If you make the gingerbread oatmeal cookies yourself, you’re actually getting a bonus: oat fiber from the oats + oat flour. Fiber helps slow down sugar absorption. And since the ice cream base uses real milk, you’re also getting fat and protein that help prevent blood-sugar spikes too.

So honestly? When you make your own ice cream with thoughtful ingredients, it’s way better for you than sugary sodas, sorbets loaded with high amounts added sugar, heavily processed store-bought cookies, and all those packaged holiday treats that have artificial coloring, flavors, and preservatives.

Homemade > processed, every time.

How to Make this Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream 

Make the Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Before you can even think about making the base for this ice cream, we need to start with these chewy, spiced gingerbread oatmeal cookies that are going to be the main star of show - the mix in for this frozen treat. Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients for the Cookies:

• Butter (softened)

• Brown sugar

• Honey

• Molasses

• 1 egg

• Vanilla extract

• All-purpose flour

• Oat flour

• Oats

• Baking soda

• Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves

• Salt

Steps to Bake the Cookies:

1. Preheat Your Oven: Set it to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for later.

2. Cream the Butter: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed until it’s light and fluffy. This will help create a rich texture in your cookies.

3. Add the Sweeteners: Pour in the brown sugar, honey, and molasses. Mix it all together until the ingredients are well combined. This gives the cookies that perfect gingerbread flavor and a slight chew that makes these them a wonderful texture for an ice cream mix-in.

4. Incorporate the Wet Ingredients: Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until everything is light, fluffy, and well combined.

5. Add Dry Ingredients: Now, it’s time for the dry ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour, oat flour, oats, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Mix on low speed just until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix—we want chewy cookies, but not tough ones.

6. Chill the Dough: Once your dough is ready, remove the bowl from the mixer and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps the dough set up a bit and will give you cookies that hold their shape better when baking.

7. Shape the Cookies: Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Place six dough balls onto the baking sheet, leaving space between them. Pop the sheet into the freezer for another 5 minutes. Freezing the dough makes for thicker, chewier cookies.

8. Bake the Cookies: After the dough is chilled, bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes. You want them golden brown around the edges but still soft in the middle. This ensures they’ll be perfect once they’re mixed into the ice cream. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet.

Make the Ice Cream Base

While the cookies are cooling/ freezing up, we’ll move on to making the ice cream base. This part is pretty straightforward and incredibly simple. The key here is to make sure the sugar dissolves completely so you get a smooth, creamy ice cream that’s not grainy or has a strange texture.

Ingredients for the Ice Cream Base:

• Heavy cream

• Milk

• Brown sugar

• Vanilla extract

• Ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves

• A pinch of salt

Steps to Make the Ice Cream Base:

1. Mix the Cream and Milk: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, and brown sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved. You don’t want any gritty sugar left on the bottom of the bowl—this will ensure an overall smooth ice cream texture.

2. Add the Spices: Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in the vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and a pinch of salt. Whisk everything together until evenly mixed.

3. Chill the Mixture: At this point, it’s time to pour the base into your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The mix will start to thicken and churn, and we want it just about done before adding in the cookie bites.

Add the Cookies to the Ice Cream:

1. Cut the Cookies: While the ice cream is churning, cut the cooled/ frozen cookies into quarter-sized pieces. This gives you nice, bite-sized bits of cookie in every scoop.

2. Mix the Cookies into the Ice Cream: When the ice cream is almost done churning (when it’s thickened but not quite fully set), add in the frozen cookie pieces. Let it churn for another minute to evenly distribute the cookie chunks throughout the ice cream and turn off the machine.

3. Freeze the Ice Cream: Once the cookies are mixed in, transfer the ice cream into freezer-safe containers. For the best texture, let it freeze for at least 2-3 hours, but if you can wait, 12-24 hours is ideal for the perfect consistency.

Enjoy!

Now, the hardest part is over, and the ice cream is ready to enjoy! If you can wait, let it soften a bit before serving for that perfect scoopable texture. Trust me, this homemade gingerbread oatmeal cookie ice cream will be the highlight of your dessert table—whether it's a holiday treat or just a cozy indulgence.