Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

Can you think of anything better than the taste of a soft, chewy, chocolate chip cookie? Crispy golden-brown edges, soft gooey middle, and loads of velvety chocolate chips-it’s the timeless classic that never fails to bring joy and evoke all those wonderful memories of childhood. It’s a classic treat that just always hits the spot. And when it’s paired with creamy, dreamy, vanilla ice cream, you’ve got yourself a dessert that’s over-the-top indulgent and sure to please. These ice cream cookie sandwiches are a classic combo that can’t be beat!

Why Ice Cream Sandwiches?

Although the exact origin of the ice cream cookie sandwich is uncertain, it’s a dessert that has been around in various forms for quite a while. A popular treat sold by street vendors, carnivals, and fairs, this dessert has become a beloved treat for many over the years. And why not? What’s NOT to love about combining two of the most iconic and classic comfort foods?

There’s no shortage of variations for this timeless treat, but for this recipe I chose to stick with chocolate chip and vanilla and here’s why:

• This particular chocolate chip cookie recipe yields a deliciously soft, chewy cookie. It’s sturdy enough to support a hefty portion of ice cream, but yields a chewy, gooey bite that isn’t going to be dry, tough, or super crunchy.
• Since this dessert is essentially a classic, I couldn’t think of a more classic pairing than chocolate and vanilla! Plus, the salty, buttery goodness of the chocolate chip cookie just goes so well with the light and creamy sweetness of the vanilla ice cream. 

Key Cookie Ingredients

1. Butter: unsalted and room temperature
2. Sugar: this recipe used a mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar. The higher ratio of brown sugar is going to give you a more flavorful and chewy cookie. 
3. Eggs: We’re using one whole egg and just the yolk of another. The extra yolk is going to add even more moisture to the cookies.
4. Vanilla: Vanilla is going to both add flavor to the cookie AND bring out all those other wonderful flavors. Make sure you’re using a high quality vanilla extract for best results.
5. Flour: We’re using all-purpose flour. Make sure to spoon and level your flour when measuring. This ensures that you’re not adding too much of the dry ingredients and the cookie stays soft and moist. Too much flour will yield a drier, crunchier cookie, and that’s not quite what we’re going for.
6. Baking Soda: This is going to allow our cookies to rise while baking.
7. Salt: Notice that in the recipe I suggest ½-¾ tsp of salt. I always add in the max, but I love the contrast of sweet and salty. So I like my chocolate chip cookies a little on the salty side. If you’re not a fan of a saltier cookie, just dial down the salt a bit.

Making the Cookies

1. Cream the butter and sugars: Don’t skimp on this step. Make sure the butter and sugars are well mixed. This adds a bit of air to our dough which will yield a nice, soft cookie. This step also ensures the butter is evenly mixed throughout the dough. That way, you don’t end up with cookies that have “runny” spots. If there are concentrated spots of butter in the dough, when it melts during baking, it can cause that section of the cookie to spread more than the rest-causing your cookies to look runny and uneven. It could also lead to your cookies browning and possibly burning more in those areas. 
2. Add eggs and vanilla: Add in your room temperature egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix on low until well combined. 
3. Mix in dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add it to your butter and sugar mixture. Mix on low until fully combined. Be careful not to over mix on this step.
4. Fold in chocolate chips: Add in your chocolate chips and gently fold in to combine.
5. Shape and bake: I like to use a standard ice cream scoop. You can also use a large cookie scoop or tablespoon. Simply scoop up the dough and place on a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, depending on your oven. The cookies are “done” when the edges are golden brown and the tops are dry and no longer look “doughy”. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10-20 minutes before attempting to remove them. Place any unused dough in the fridge while waiting to bake. You don’t want the butter in the dough to get too warm as this will cause the cookies to spread and flatten during baking.

Working With Ice Cream

Choosing the Right Ice Cream Flavor

Again, I went with vanilla for these ice cream cookie sandwiches because I wanted a super classic flavor that pairs well with the chocolate chip cookies. The cookies are really the star of this show, and I just wanted a classic, subtle flavor to compliment them. That being said, feel free to experiment with other ice cream flavors! There are so many yummy combos to be made with chocolate chip-mint and peanut butter are the first to come to mind. But the sky’s the limit! So if you’re feeling adventurous, go for it! Be sure to let me know in the comments what ice cream you went with and what you thought of the end result. 

Tips for Softening the Ice Cream

If there’s any step in this recipe that could be considered “tricky”, this would be it. But don’t worry! I’ve got you covered with lots of tips and suggestions to make it super smooth (pun definitely intended). You want your ice cream to be as frozen as possible. Obviously, ice cream melts. And if you’re working with already soft ice cream, your working window before you have a melty mess on your hands (literally) is going to be quite small. But while you don’t want drippy ice cream, you also do need it soft enough to easily scoop and sandwich between your cookies. I typically zap the entire carton of ice cream in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time until it’s soft enough to easily scoop, but still firm enough to hold its shape.

Assembly Methods

1. Super thick method: If you want a thick and smooth portion of ice cream, then go with this method. It’s a little extra work, but the result is just wow and such a show stopper! If you just want your delicious ice cream sandwich right now, and presentation is NOT your thing, then skip on down to the next section for the quick assembly method.

-Line a deep cake pan (approximately 9x13in) with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment sheet is long enough that it sticks up over the sides of the pan. Don’t skip that step! You’ll thank yourself later when it’s time to extricate your ice cream from the pan. 

-Take your softened ice cream and dump it all into your parchment lined pan and press with a spatula or spoon until smooth and level. 

-Place the ice cream back in the freezer for at least an hour. We got it soft while working with it, but we need it VERY frozen for the next step. 

-While you’re waiting on the ice cream to firm up, go ahead and pair up your cookies. Try to pair cookies that are similar in shape and size as this will result in a more symmetrical looking sandwich. Also, if you plan to dip the sandwiches in any toppings (more chocolate chips, sprinkles, ect…) go ahead and lay those out as well. Lastly, you’ll need a cookie cutter that is roughly the same size and shape as your cookies. I used a circle cutter that was slightly smaller than my cookies.

-Once the ice cream is frozen again and firm to the touch, and your cookies are completely cooled, you’re ready for assembly. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and work as quickly as possible. Remember, we’re working with ice cream and it’s not going to stay frozen for long. So you have a small window of time to get these assembled. It may be best to work in small batches, assembling only one to two sandwiches at a time and place everything back in the freezer in between.

-Grab the parchment paper that you’re thanking yourself you didn’t forget, and use it to lift the ice cream out of the pan. Use your cookie cutter to cut out the ice cream and sandwich it in between the cookies. Try to touch the ice cream with your hands as little as possible to avoid melting. Spatulas and spoons are great tools to help with this. 

-If adding toppings, place them on a plate and gently roll the sides of the sandwiches in the toppings to coat the ice cream. You can also use the back of a spoon to lift and press the toppings into the ice cream. 

-Once each sandwich is complete, serve immediately. If they are beginning to melt, you can also store them on a baking tray in the freezer until ready to serve. I don’t recommend leaving the sandwiches in the freezer for very long as the cookies themselves will eventually freeze and become too tough to bite into. Plan to assemble these right before serving and only store them in the freezer for short periods if necessary to prevent melting.

Quick Assembly Method: If you have no time or need for fancy fluff and just want a quick delicious treat asap-this method is for you!

-Grab two cookies that are roughly the same size and shape. Grab your slightly softened ice cream, a spoon, and any toppings you’re going to want to add.

– Flip one cookie upside down, take your spoon and scoop a generous portion of ice cream onto it.

-Top with the other cookie and lightly press down.

-You can roll the sides of the cookie in additional toppings at this point or serve as is. 

Suggested Toppings

Here are just a few toppings that I think would pair well with these ice cream cookie sandwiches. But much like the ice cream flavors, the sky’s the limit. I’d love to know what you came up with. Let me know in the comments!

• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Toffee Bits
• Caramel Chips
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Chopped Mint Chocolate Candies
• Sprinkles
• Crushed Oreos

Serving and Storage:

Serving Suggestions

Again, these ice cream cookie sandwiches are best if served immediately after assembly. If they are beginning to melt, you can place the assembled sandwiches on a tray and in the freezer for short periods of time only. You don’t want to try and bite into a frozen cookie. 

Tips for Storing

If you are working ahead and/or plan to serve these much later. I recommend prepping your ice cream (if using the thick method mentioned above) and storing it, covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, in the freezer until ready to use. You can bake the cookies in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temp for several days. You can also bake ahead and store the cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to several weeks. Just be sure to remove the container and allow the cookies to return to room temperature before assembling the sandwiches. 

Happy Baking!

Again, you can’t go wrong with vanilla and chocolate chip. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s both super satisfying but also pretty quick and easy to whip up, give these ice cream cookie sandwiches a try. If you do, I’d love to hear about it. Head over to the comments and let me know how it went!