Name: Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Pie
Total time: 5 h 5 min
Ingredients: 12 sugar cones; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 pints vanilla ice cream; 2 cups coarsely chopped Oreo cookies; 2 cups whipped cream

Why This Recipe Works

But all too often this dessert—frequently featured on restaurant menus—tastes stale and as if it has freezer burn. For a fresher take on this pie, we used crushed sugar cones to make the crust, turning an ice cream cone into a plated affair. The flavor was a better match for the ice cream than the more conventional graham cracker crust, and it didn't overshadow the texture of the cookies in the pie the way a chocolate cookie crust would. Instead of using prepared cookies-and-cream ice cream, we made our own by adding our favorite crushed chocolate sandwich cookies to ice cream that we softened in a bowl with a spatula. (Leaving the container out to soften resulted in an unevenly melted mess.) This allowed us to control the size of the cookie pieces for appealing texture.

Before You Begin

We like to use our Failproof Whipped Cream for this recipe. We like to serve the pie with hot fudge sauce for a sundae-like effect.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process sugar cones in food processor to fine crumbs, about 30 seconds. (You should have 1⅓ cups.) Transfer crumbs to bowl and stir in melted butter and sugar until crumbs are moistened. Press crumb mixture evenly against bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate, compacting it with your fingertips. Bake crust until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Let crust cool completely on wire rack, about 30 minutes. (Crust can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 month.)

Scoop ice cream into bowl and work with rubber spatula to soften. Add Oreos to bowl and mash mixture with back of spoon until well combined. Spread ice cream mixture into crust in even layer. Place plastic directly on surface of ice cream and freeze until completely frozen, at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.

Cut pie into wedges and dollop each piece with whipped cream. Serve.