Dondurmalı Sandviç (Turkish-Style Ice Cream Sandwich)

About This Recipe

The ice cream sandwich takes on a distinctly Turkish character in Istanbul's streets and bazaars: the star is dondurma, the uniquely stretchy, chewy Turkish ice cream made with sahlab (orchid root starch) and mastic resin. Unlike Western ice creams which melt quickly, dondurma can be stretched, twisted, and even cut with a knife — qualities that make it perfect for street theater (the famously playful Turkish ice cream vendors in Ottoman waistcoats who tease customers by yanking cones away). This chewy, dense ice cream holds its shape between cookies or simit much longer than conventional ice cream. The sandwich concept adapts this beloved Turkish street food to a handheld format. Traditionally, thick slabs of mastic-and-kahve (mastic and coffee) or pistachio dondurma are pressed between thin wafer biscuits or, in more modern Istanbul street stalls, tucked inside a halved simit (sesame ring bread) — the slight sweetness and crunch of the sesame crust contrasting beautifully with the cold, dense, aromatic ice cream. This recipe details making a simplified home version using store-bought wafer biscuits and commercial pistachio or mastic ice cream.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 mlpistachio or mastic dondurma ice cream(or good-quality dense vanilla ice cream)
• 8 piecesthin rectangular wafer biscuits or shortbread cookies
• 3 tbspcrushed pistachios
• 2 tbsppomegranate molasses or honey(optional, for drizzling)
• 1 tspground mastic (if available)(optional, for extra Turkish character)

Instructions

1. 1

   Freeze the Biscuits

   Place the wafer biscuits on a tray and freeze for 15 minutes — this prevents them from absorbing moisture from the ice cream too quickly and going soft.

2. 2

   Temper the Ice Cream

   Remove the dondurma from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly but not melt. It should be scoopable but still very cold and dense.

3. 3

   Assemble the Sandwiches

   Place a generous scoop (about 100ml) of ice cream on one biscuit. Top with a second biscuit and press gently to spread the ice cream to the edges in an even layer, about 2cm thick. Work quickly — dondurma holds shape better than regular ice cream but still wants to be cold.

4. 4

   Coat the Edges and Serve

   Roll the exposed ice cream edges in crushed pistachios, pressing lightly to adhere. Serve immediately, or wrap in parchment paper and return to the freezer for up to 30 minutes before serving. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses if desired.

Variations

• •

  Simit içinde: cut a small simit (sesame ring bread) in half and use it as the bread — this is the classic Istanbul street version.

• •

  Çikolatalı: dip the edges in melted dark chocolate before rolling in pistachios for a richer version.

• •

  Güllü: use rosewater-flavored ice cream or add a few drops of rosewater to vanilla ice cream for a distinctly Turkish floral note.

Storage

Assembled ice cream sandwiches can be individually wrapped in parchment paper and stored in the freezer for up to 1 week. Remove 3-5 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions