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Viral Japanese Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwiches

Japanese cheesecake ice cream sandwiches with a jiggly, cloud-like Japanese cotton cheesecake exterior and a cold creamy strawberry or mango ice cream center. Baked in a water bath for a soft set, then cut into squares and frozen into an ethereally tender ice cream sandwich.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest (cooling + freezing) 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese-American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Japanese cheesecake
  • 6 oz cream cheese Softened
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter 1/2 stick, softened
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup cake flour Sifted
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 6 egg whites
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 gallon strawberry or mango ice cream Softened

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the Japanese cheesecake
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a heatproof bowl, melt the cream cheese, butter, and whole milk together until smooth, then cool slightly (you should be able to touch the bowl without discomfort).
  2. Whisk in the egg yolks, cake flour, vanilla extract, and fresh lemon juice until the batter is smooth and thick, with no visible flour streaks.
  3. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add granulated sugar while beating to stiff glossy peaks. Stop when the peaks stand tall and look shiny.
  4. Fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture in three additions, keeping the batter airy after each fold.
  5. Bake in a parchment-lined 9x13 pan set in a water bath at 325°F for 25-30 minutes, until the top looks set and the center has a gentle wobble. Place the pan on a rack and cool completely.
Assemble and freeze
  1. Cut the cheesecake into squares. For each sandwich, place a scoop of softened strawberry or mango ice cream between two squares so the cheesecake edges wrap around the ice cream.
  2. Wrap the sandwiches and freeze for 1 hour. Serve once the cheesecake is still slightly jiggly, with the ice cream firm at the center.

Notes

For the signature jiggly texture, let the baked cheesecake cool completely before cutting, and freeze just long enough to firm up the ice cream without fully hardening the center. Store wrapped sandwiches in the freezer up to 2 weeks (best quality within 7 days); thaw 3-5 minutes before serving if you want a softer bite. For a simpler swap, use a dairy-free cream cheese and plant-based butter (results may vary slightly in wobble).