Homemade Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
When I was a kid, ice cream sandwiches were all about those rectangular chocolate cake/wafer bars with vanilla ice cream in the middle. To be honest, in my kid brain, they were just okay. Now, that being said, I would absolutely eat one each and every time it was put in front of me. I was a kid after all. When it came to chocolate and ice cream, “no” certainly was not in my vocabulary.
Once I got into college or thereabouts, I discovered the ice cream cookie sandwich. Why hello goodness. This was something I could get behind. And beg for. I loved them. I think my favorite was the Klondike brand, and every time I came home, my mom would have a box waiting for me in the freezer. Aren’t moms the best?? I actually haven’t seen them in the store for a long time now, and walking through the freezer section recently, I was searching for them but didn’t find them. They do have a new variety, but not the ones I fell in love with. Since I absolutely adore homemade ice cream and the best chocolate chip cookies ever, I decided it was finally time to go homemade with my ice cream cookie sandwich love. Plus, July is National Ice Cream Month. This is a great way to send it out in style!
Like most everything done in your own kitchen, the beauty of these being homemade is that you can customize them however you’d like. Pair your favorite cookies with your favorite ice creams and roll them in all of the embellishments that you fancy. Sprinkles, chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips… the sky’s the limit! If I were to choose, these would be my favorites in terms of mix and matching:
Cookies:
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (used here)
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Snickerdoodles
Peanut Butter Cookies
Sugar Cookies
Better-than-Brownies Chocolate Cookies
Ice Cream:
Classic Vanilla Bean (used here)
Chocolate
Espresso
The method here is pretty simple. Bake the cookies and then scoop some ice cream onto the bottom of one cookie, top it with another, smoosh a little, and then roll in whatever kid of sprinkles/chocolate chips/nuts you want.
And if you love ice cream sandwiches, check out the ice cream sandwich cake that just screams summer!
One year ago: Spumoni Ice Cream Terrine
Two years ago: Strawberry Mirror Cake
Homemade Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 24 of your favorite chocolate chip cookies
- ½ - 1 quart (470 to 940 ml) vanilla ice cream
- Add-ons of your choice, sprinkles, chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, etc.
Instructions
- 1. Make the ice cream and bake the cookies. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften.
- 2. Turn one cookie over and place one (for a thin ice cream layer) or two (for a thicker ice cream layer) scoops of the ice cream onto the bottom of the cookie.
- 3. Place another cookie (right-side-up) on top of the ice cream and squeeze them together a bit to push the ice cream to the edges. Roll the edges in sprinkles, chocolate chips or nuts. Eat immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag to eat later. (I personally think ice cream sandwiches are best eaten when they are freshly assembled.)
- *Note 1: I made slightly smaller cookies than I normally do with the Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. I made them 1.5 ounces each and got 24 cookies out of the batch.
- *Note 2: If you are in the chocolate cake/wafer camp for ice cream sandwiches, you might want to try using the cookie part of the Homemade Oreo Cookies (they will soften after stored in an airtight container).
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
My niece wants to have a ice cream cookie bar at her wedding reception. Do you think it would be best to make and freeze them with the ice cream already in them, or let the guests assemble them themselves? She wants them to assemble them, but I am thinking–mess! I am making the cookies, so I just planned on making and freezing them ahead. They look delicious, and I will follow the directions precisely!
Hi Lori, The only issue with freezing them already assembled is that the cookies will be rock-hard frozen when you go to serve them, and if you allow them to soften at room temperature, then the ice cream will end up being very melty. I would recommend everyone assembling themselves. If you want an alternative, these old-fashioned ice cream sandwiches can be eaten straight from the freezer and they remain soft: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/05/31/old-fashioned-ice-cream-sandwiches/
I know the recipe of the cookie states best eaten straight away. Can the chocolate chip cookies be made a day in advance?
Yes!
I purchased a box of your premium ice cream cookie sandwich at BJ’s. Put them in the freezer when I got home and after lunch I opened the sealed box and it looked like something was wrong. I took each sandwich out of the box and counted them….there were 10 but I paid for 12 and the box show 12 on the outside of the box. You need to reevaluate your quality control cause I got screwed. The box was totally sealed when I opened it so it came from the factory that way. Don’t you weigh these as they come off the assembly line or do you have a discounted employee trying to damage your image with customers. I would be reluctant to buy them again even though I love them.
Don McDermott
305-595-9474
Hi Don, I’m sorry to hear you’re upset about your ice cream sandwiches, I would be, too. However, I think you may have this website confused with an ice cream sandwich manufacturer. Brown Eyed Baker does not manufacture or sell ice cream sandwiches through any channels.
Should I cool the cookies before placing them with the ice-cream? I’ve tried this recipe before and the ice-cream automatically melted when I placed it on the two cookies.
Hi Julia, Yes, definitely! You don’t want to use warm, straight from the oven cookies or the ice cream will definitely melt. Let them cool completely to room temperature and then assemble.
I am making these as I type. I have made the chocolate chip cookies before, but not the ice cream. So this should be fun. I have never actually made any type of ice cream.
I made them and they came out good. The ice cream needed to be a little harder but they were still good. I really need to get an ice cream maker.
Oh yummy!!!!! I am definitely going to try these! :)
I love ice cream cookie sandwiches… I made some with vanilla frozen yogurt not too long ago. Love the way you decorated them, even if I am a Baltimore fan and am slightly horrified at the thought of Steelers colors! ;)
The kid in me would eat one of these everytime. What a great combination – soft chocolate chip cookie and creamy ice cream.
I’m pretty much trying to figure out a way to grab one of those through my screen. They look DIVINE! Seriously, seriously delicious!
These look divine! Here’s the link to the ones you liked growing up: https://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&productId=689701&catalogId=10002&krypto=QJrbAudPd0vzXUGByeatog%3D%3D&ddkey=http:ProductDisplay
These look awesome! So fun and summery.
These look amazing! I’ve always been a fan of the Oreo ice cream sandwiches, so I think I’ll be giving your chocolate waffer cookies a try. Thanks!
Oh my!!! They look so so yummy :D
Boy do these look good. Sorry I couldn’t answer quicker. I was on vacation.
I am making ice cream this week so I’ll be able to make my own ice cream sandwiches. These look outrageously good.
Ooooh these look so good! I love the colorful sprinkles on the sides!
SO easy, and yet so delicious!!
Ohhhh, I should have done a make your own ice cream cookie sandwich bar for my birthday! This may call for a second celebration. Seriously.
You said it all with “customize” These ice cream sandwiches look great. Love those black and gold sprinkles. Fun recipe for summer parties….kids and adults would love these treats.
I made these a few months ago, so amazing! And do much fun to make. Love the sprinkle idea, I only used mini choc chips.
I grew up with my mom making these herself, except they were with homemade coconut ice cream , hard to buy anything commercial after that. These look great and I love the idea of rolling the sides in sprinkles !
I like both cookies and wafers, but they have to be soft enough to eat the ice cream sandwich without causing the ice cream squish out completely. I don’t like when that happens.
They are GORGEOUS ice cream sandwiches! om nom nom!
As long as the cookies are soft and chewy, I think they’d win out over the chocolate wafer. Then again, if the chocolate wafer was homemade…..oh the dilemmas we face daily. :) Your sandwiches do look delicious- I love the sprinkles! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this recipe! I have been looking for the perfect chewy and thick chocolate chip cookie ever since I tasted one from Wegmans (a fantastic supermarket in case you didn’t know) and tried in vain to copy it. I’ll be making the ice cream sandwiches too—for “medicinal purposes” for my son who has mono, so he thanks you too!
I’d kill for one of these. I think yours look much better than the freezer aisles. Plus going to PSU I gotta feel your Steelers!
looks delish!!
A) Ice cream + Cookies = Yum! Beautiful pictures!
B) Go Steelers!!!!! I love the idea of rocking the team colors on ice cream cookies!! That might be a great way to squeeze in a little black and gold rebellion while I’m exiled out here in Eagles country (shudder). Thanks for the inspiration!
Did you know that Monday is “National Ice Cream Sandwich Day”? You should save some of these to eat on Monday.
Clever use of team colors to decorate the cookies!!!
My but those do look good!! Hmmm…I’m thinking the kiddos would love to help with these this weekend! :)
Love the jimmies!! These are perfect…I sometimes get them too soft and the ice cream squishes out. You seem to have mitigated that issue!
These look incredible! And I do love the thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Wow, these look soooo delish! Love your hockey-fan take on them with the sprinkles, hah!
Also, if you’re interested, I’m having a silicone muffin pan giveaway on my blog – You should enter!
These are the best summery treats!
It doesn’t get better than this – perfect summer treat!
Looking Good ! Your Chocolate chip cookie recipe is my favorite ,how could we go wrong pairing it with ice cream. Cann’t wait for football to start, go Steelers !! My BFF is a baker at St Vincent ‘s cafe ,she will get to see the team everyday ! Lucky Duck!
The best treat ever! My hubs threw me an ice cream sandwich party with cookies for my birthday a few years ago. It was the best! Love this post!
this is so a nice treat and homemade to boot – I know the cookie sandwich you are talking about but have not looked for it in a long time … this one sounds so much better…
I’m definitely making these for my friend who got in a car vs. bicycle accident a month ago. He was on the bike and will love this special treat in the freezer on hot days when he’s at home recovering.