This post was created in partnership with The California Avocado Commission. All opinions are our own.

Hurry, hurry! Step right up, and welcome to the annual Husbands’ Summer Fair. Our celebrated festival has become world-renowned for its thrilling rides, entertaining games, and grand prizes. But the real reason we continue to attract millions of guests from around the globe is our marvelous menu, where you’ll discover the most palatable plates on the planet—stellar snacks, mouthwatering meals, and delectable desserts. This year we’re featuring something stupendous: a sweet treat that’s guaranteed to beat this grueling heat. If you like ice cream and cookies and chocolate and mint, this recipe is for you. Introducing our Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches with California Avocado. And with this joyous post, summer has officially begun!

The long lines are worth the wait for these refreshing remedies, and cool mint chocolate bliss is the reason. Soft and chewy triple chocolate fudge brownie cookies are sandwiched with an ultra-silky mint chip ice cream. The chocolate cookies are dark and delicious, and the no-churn mint chip ice cream is easy to whip up—no ice cream maker required! So while you relax in line, let us explain how all the magic happens.

It’s been fun working with The California Avocado Commission this year. Each month we’ve been creating a new recipe highlighting California Avocados, and this month our theme is Boardwalk Bites—a recipe that reminds us of our favorite boardwalk or fair snack. We decided to make something cool for the summertime, something sweet because why not, and something chocolatey and minty because it’s one of the best flavor combinations in the universe. Once the news leaked about our new recipe, tickets to the Husbands’ Summer Fair sold out within minutes.

This mint chip ice cream is incredibly simple to make. You just blend a few ingredients in a food processor, stir in some whipped cream, freeze it, and that’s it. The results are divine—creamy like gelato, smooth like silk, perfectly minty, and filled with mini chocolate chips in every bite. We use mint leaves and peppermint extract for an extra minty flavor, but the real secret is blending in a ripe, Fresh California Avocado, making the ice cream extra creamy and giving it a gorgeous light green color. You can find the recipe for our triple chocolate fudge brownie cookies here, and when they’re combined with this mint chip ice cream, you can tell us how much you love them in the comments below. Now please excuse us while we go enjoy a few more.

California Avocados are in season from Spring through Summer, and June is California Avocado Month, so now is the perfect time to take advantage of the abundance of the fresh produce grown in California—be sure to look for California on the label at your local grocery store.

Looking for more recipes featuring California Avocados? Try some of these:
– flourless triple chocolate cake with california avocado
– spring charcuterie board with california avocado three-bean salad
– smoked gouda grilled cheese bites with california avocados
– heirloom tomato and california avocado galette
– guacanoochi
– kimchi quesadillas with swiss cheese and avocado
– spaghetti with asparagus, wilted greens, and avocado
– vegan mint chip avocado milkshake

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches with California Avocado
Makes about 6 cups ice cream
Serves 12-15

For the ice cream:
1 can (14 oz / 396 g) condensed milk
1 large (8 oz / 226 g) ripe, Fresh California Avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
10 fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon powdered spirulina (optional for color, see note)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups (473 ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (90 g) semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish (see note)

For assembly:
24-30 Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cookies, chilled in the refrigerator

To make the ice cream:
Place an empty loaf pan (about 9×5 inches) in the freezer to chill while preparing the ice cream.

In a food processor or blender, combine the condensed milk, diced avocado, mint leaves, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, powdered spirulina (optional for color), and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Transfer the mint mixture to a medium mixing bowl, and set aside.

Pour the whipping cream into a large, clean mixing bowl, and use an electric mixer on medium speed to whip the cream until it holds firm peaks when the beaters are lifted, about 2-3 minutes. 

Using a measuring cup, scoop about 1 cup of whipped cream and add it to the mint mixture, stirring just until no streaks remain. Then pour the mint-cream mixture into the large bowl of remaining whipped cream, and stir gently until nearly all the streaks are gone. Then add the mini chips, and continue stirring gently just until no streaks remain, without over-mixing. Pour the mixture into the chilled loaf pan, and spread the top evenly. Sprinkle with additional mini chips for garnish, then cover the pan and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours (for soft-serve style ice cream) or overnight (for firmer ice cream).

To assemble:
Place one chilled cookie flat-side-up on a plate, then top with a generous scoop of mint chip ice cream. Top with a second cookie to make a sandwich, and gently press them together. Place the ice cream sandwich on a plate in the freezer while preparing the remaining sandwiches. Serve immediately, or keep frozen until ready to serve, and enjoy!

Notes:
— Spirulina is a natural food supplement which provides a green-blue color without the use of artificial ingredients. It is sold in the vitamin section of natural food stores and online. It is available either as a powder, or as tablets which can be crushed into powder using a mortar and pestle. Feel free to omit the spirulina, if desired—note that the ice cream will be a lighter, more subtle shade of green without it. If you don’t want to use spirulina, you can also use a few drops of green food coloring for a more intense color.
— For the chocolate chips, mini chips work best, as full-sized chips can be unpleasantly hard and crunchy when frozen in ice cream. If mini chips are unavailable, you can use full-sized semi-sweet chips, but be sure to chop them into smaller bits before use.
— If the ice cream is too firm to scoop when assembling the sandwiches, allow the pan to rest at room temperature until it softens slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes.