Frozen Caramel Macchiato Pie

Caffeinate your summer in the sweetest way possible with this Frozen Caramel Macchiato Pie. Espresso-infused ice cream is layered in a chocolate cookie crust and topped with loads of salted caramel and whipped cream.

Happy July! Predictably, it’s hotter than blazes outside. When I take my four little dogs outside at 5:30 a.m. each morning, it’s already warm and muggy. If there’s a breeze, it’s neither cool nor fresh. It feels like a hairdryer blowing right in my face. Perhaps I shouldn’t complain when there’s so many sweet antidotes to this weather (plus air conditioning). And really, it’s given me a new playground to explore with ice box cakes, frozen custards, and other chilled desserts. Like this coffee house-inspired Frozen Caramel Macchiato Pie.

This pie is made with a homemade chocolate cookie crust that holds espresso-infused ice cream. It’s layered with the most delicious homemade salted caramel. Then, it’s topped with a big mound of whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Even though this pie is pretty easy to make as written, there are a few additional shortcuts you can take. Which I’ll be sure to mention and include in the recipe notes.

Sweet Inspiration: Caramel Macchiato

I am a true coffee enthusiast so I love making desserts with a caffeinated kick. Caramel Macchiatos are so delicious, made with espresso, vanilla syrup, milk, and caramel sauce. This coffee drink is practically dessert you can sip! Served both hot and cold, I just knew it would translate well in a chilly ice cream pie.

Chocolate Cookie Crust

Start this recipe by mixing up some chocolate cookie crumbs and butter. Then bake it for just a few minutes to set it. If you’re not into firing up your oven on a hot day, the no-bake option is to refrigerate it for 15 minutes to stiffen the butter in the crust.

Or, you can simply pick up a ready-made deep dish pie crust at the grocery store. If you can’t find a deep dish pie crust, then pick up two regular 9″ chocolate cookie crusts. The caramel macchiato ice cream mixture will fill two standard pie crusts. Which means you’ll have one pie to give and one to keep!

Homemade Salted Caramel

Nothing compares to homemade salted caramel, if you ask me. It’s not hard to make, but it does require your full attention. Here’s the gist of caramel-making.

Pour granulated sugar in a saucepan and cook it until a deep amber color forms. Then add a stick of butter into the mixture all at once. The caramel will boil and sputter with this addition, so be very careful! Turn the heat off, then whisk in heavy cream (which will boil and sputter also). Followed by vanilla extract (again, boil sputter). Add in fine grain sea salt and stir well. Transfer it to a bowl to cool before using in this recipe.

If you’ve never made homemade caramel before, then watch the video just before the recipe card in this blog post. It gives important visual cues to look for as the sugar melts and the amber color forms.

Speed the cooling process by transferring the caramel to the refrigerator. Stir intermittently as it cools. The caramel should still be just warm enough to drizzle, but not hot enough to melt the ice cream.

Alternatively, you could purchase a jar of ready-made salted caramel. I personally think it’s the homemade caramel that makes this recipe extra-special. But I’m not a snob when it comes to shortcuts. Do what fits into your skill set and time frame.

Make the Coffee Ice Cream

For the ice cream, pour 1/4 cup of into a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons hot water and stir well. It will be a little pasty and first – just keep stirring until dissolved. Set aside to cool down.

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Purchase two pints of your favorite vanilla ice cream and place it in a big bowl. Stir well to soften it.

Add the cooled espresso mixture and stir well until incorporated, and the ice cream is lightly coffee hued.

You could also use two pints of your favorite coffee ice cream here, but I really like the flavor the concentrated espresso powder gives the pie. If you do opt for coffee ice cream, stir in a little vanilla extract. Because it’s an important element of the Caramel Macchiato flavor.

Layer into the Pie Crust

Pour half of the espresso ice cream mixture into the prepared pie crust. Drizzle over a generous 1/4 cup of the salted caramel. Then, pour the remaining espresso ice cream on top, smooth evenly into the crust.

Whipped Cream and more Caramel

Drizzle more salted caramel on top of the pie, then top with unsweetened whipped cream. Drizzle caramel over the cream. You don’t need to sweeten the whipped cream because the caramel will add the sweetness. Swirl the caramel into the whipped cream with a spoon (see video for action).

Finish with chocolate shavings, which can be made using a bar of chocolate and a vegetable peeler. I added a few roasted coffee beans to the top of the pie for food styling purposes, but this is completely optional.

Frozen Caramel Macchiato Pie is made for sharing! Serve it any time you need a cold, refreshing sweet. I particularly love this as an ending to a rich Italian dinner.

You will have a little leftover salted caramel. So transfer it to a small pitcher and serve it alongside the pie. This pie is definitely indulgent, but also refreshing. Happy Summer!

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Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/SprinkleBakes