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Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie

This classic Ice Cream Sandwich recipe is perfect for sandwiching your favorite ice cream in between.

Ice cream sandwich cookies in a metal ice box.

This recipe makes one dozen rectangular cookies that you can literally use with any flavor of ice cream you desire.

The homemade cookie dough is really easy to make, and the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to make larger batches.

Homemade ice cream sandwiches are a fun way to elevate a traditional, nostalgic snack.

Why should you make homemade ice cream sandwiches?

If your kids love those store-bought ice cream sandwiches that keep creeping up in prices (like everything else) then take it as a sign that it is time for you to learn how to make your own using this super simple recipe!

Don't let making your own dessert stress you out. Ice cream sandwich recipes like this one are actually really easy despite sounding a little intimidating at first. In fact, it's a great way to get your kids to help you in the kitchen. It can be so much fun and a great learning experience for kids of all ages. 

Plus making your own allows you to know exactly what ingredients are used in your ice cream cookie sandwiches. 

And, the best part, no ice cream maker is needed since you're going to use your favorite ice cream from your freezer. 

Ingredients

  • cocoa powder
  • black cocoa powder
  • baking powder
  • flour
  • salt
  • butter 
  • granulated sugar
  • egg
  • vanilla extract

How to Make Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

Let's break it down simply. We'll make the cookie dough for the homemade chocolate cookies, cut them out, bake the cookie dough, and then assemble the cookie ice cream sandwiches with your favorite ice cream. So, let's get to the recipe details.

The Dough

Combine the dry ingredients together until evenly mixed.

Dry ingredients for ice cream sandwich cookie mixed up.

In a separate bowl, using a stand mixer, or by hand, cream the butter and sugars together.

The mixture will be slightly crumbly, but just make sure there are no large chunks of butter.

Butter and sugars creamed together in a bowl.

Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl of creamed butter and sugars, and mix until a smooth batter forms.

Smooth batter in a mixing bowl.

Add the the cocoa powder mixture (the combined dry ingredients) to the batter, and mix for 5 minutes, until fully combined.

The dough will be stiff.

Chocolate ice cream sandwich cookie dough in a mixing bowl.

Once fully combined, you should have a stiff but pliable, dark chocolate dough.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least two hours, up to overnight. You can speed this process up by chilling it in the freezer for 30 minutes (60 minutes max).

Cut the Cookies

Place the chilled dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll with a rolling pin to ⅛" thickness.

Rolling chocolate ice cream cookie sandwich dough between two pieces of parchment paper.

Cut the dough into rectangles of desired size, directly on the parchment paper. You can measure it if you want them perfect, or just eyeball them.

Remove excess dough from the edges and repeat the process with the scraps until all of the dough has been utilized.

Chocolate dough cut into rectangles.

Pierce holes into each rectangle several times, evenly across the tops with a fork.

Piercing chocolate cookie dough with a fork.
Poke holes into the rectangles before baking.

Bake the Cookies

Lift the parchment paper to transfer the cut cookies onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees in the oven.

Allow the fully baked ice cream sandwich cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Make the Ice Cream Sandwiches

Once completely cooled, re-score or cut the cookies at the seams (because they will have baked together slightly), and separate them.

Scoop your favorite, softened ice cream flavor (or flavors) onto a cookie, spread and top with another cookie.

Wrap individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and freeze for at least an additional hour before serving.

Ice cream sandwich cookies in a metal ice box.

Recipe Tips

  • To speed up the chilling of the dough, you can chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes, up to a maximum of 60 minutes.
  • Dough can also be chilled overnight in the fridge.
  • Soften the ice cream for 20 minutes on the counter top before attempting to spread onto the chocolate sandwich cookies to avoid breaking them.
  • Use a knife ran under hot water to smooth the edges of the ice cream before wrapping them up to store in the freezer.

FAQ

What's the difference between cocoa powder and black cocoa powder?

Cocoa powder and black cocoa powder are both types of cocoa powder, but they have some differences in terms of flavor and appearance. Cocoa powder is made by grinding the solids that remain after cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans.

It has a rich, chocolatey flavor and a light brown color. On the other hand, black cocoa powder is made by heavily Dutch-processing cocoa beans, which gives it a more intense flavor and a dark, almost black color.

Black cocoa powder is often used in recipes that require a deep, dark chocolate flavor, such as in oreo cookies or black forest cake.

However, it's important to note that black cocoa powder can be quite bitter compared to regular cocoa powder, so it's best to use it in combination with regular cocoa powder for a balanced flavor.

That's why we use both in this homemade cookies recipe. 

How to soften ice cream? 

To soften ice cream, there are a few simple methods you can try:

1. Take it out of the freezer: Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes. This will allow it to soften slightly and become easier to scoop.

2. Microwave it briefly: If you need to soften the ice cream quickly, you can place it in the microwave for a few seconds. Start with 5-10 seconds on low power, then check the consistency. Be careful not to overheat it, as it can melt too much and become soupy.

3. Use a warm spoon or scoop: Dip a metal spoon or ice cream scoop in hot water for a few seconds, then quickly dry it off. The warm spoon will help glide through the frozen ice cream and make it easier to scoop. This is one of our favorite ways. 

4. Mix in a little milk or cream: If the ice cream is too hard to scoop, you can try adding a splash of milk or cream to it. Gently stir it in until the ice cream softens to your desired consistency.

Remember, it's important not to refreeze ice cream that has been softened, as it can affect the texture and quality.

If you want to freeze it again, I'd recommend just scooping what you plan to use out and then putting the rest back in the freezer. 

What else can I add to the cookies? 

These classic cookies are made using this simple homemade ice cream sandwich recipe but they can be jazzed up a bit if desired.

Before or after assembling the sandwiches with your ice cream, you could drizzle the sandwiches with some hot fudge sauce, strawberry sauce, caramel sauce, etc.

Sprinkle some of your favorite sprinkles on the cookies before baking for another fun touch. 

How to store homemade ice cream sandwiches? 

To store homemade ice cream sandwiches, it's important to follow a few guidelines to ensure they stay fresh and delicious. Here's what you need to do:

1. First, make sure the ice cream sandwiches are fully assembled and ready to be stored. If you haven't already, assemble the cookies and ice cream layers together.

2. Once assembled, wrap each individual ice cream sandwich tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This will help prevent freezer burn and keep the sandwiches intact.

3. Place the wrapped ice cream sandwiches in an airtight container or freezer bag. Make sure to label the container with the date and contents.

4. Store the container in the freezer, ideally in the coldest part. This will help maintain the texture and prevent any melting.

5. When you're ready to enjoy the ice cream sandwiches, simply remove them from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before eating.

Remember, homemade ice cream sandwiches are best enjoyed within a few weeks of freezing. After that, the quality and texture may deteriorate. So, it's always a good idea to make and consume them while they're at their freshest.

When to serve ice cream sandwiches? 

ALLL the time! Ha, here are a few situations when having a few of these on hand would be a good idea. 

  • at your next back yard pool party- it's the ultimate summer treat 
  • to serve at an upcoming birthday party
  • to enjoy as you're celebrating a special occasion with family and friends
  • when your wallet is running a little thin and the local grocery store is too expensive- just make the homemade version

Variations

A few variations have already been discussed like adding sauces, sprinkles, etc. How about using different ice cream flavors for your sandwiches?

Add a scoop of ice cream in one flavor next to another flavor and another one if you can fit it in.

Enjoy your sweet treat with a variety of flavors. Making different flavor combinations is fun and a great way to use up smaller amounts of ice cream hogging up space in the freezer. 

Instead of just eating the individual sandwiches, get your bowl of creamy ice cream out, and just top the ice cream with cookie pieces and a dollop of creamy whipped topping and ice cream sauce. Maybe a scoop of peanut butter?? 

Make an ice cream cake. Make your own layered ice cream cake with an ice cream layer, a cake layer, a cookie layer from the cookie slabs you made before, etc. 

Make your own ice cream and use that in your sandwiches.

If you tried this recipe, leave a comment or rating below for other readers!

📖 Recipe

Chocolate ice cream sandwich cookies.

Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie

A recipe for chocolate ice cream sandwich cookies to sandwich around your favorite ice cream flavor.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookie, ice cream sandwich
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 140kcal
Author: Erin
Cost: $1.15

Equipment

  • Oven
  • freezer
  • parchment paper

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoon black cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter 1 stick
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Dry ingredients (cocoa powders, baking powder, flour, salt).
  • In a separate bowl butter and sugar together until combined.
  • Add eggs and vanilla to butter and sugar mixture.
  • Dry ingredients (cocoa, baking powder, flour, salt) with the wet ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs vanilla).
  • Roll dough out between two pieces of parchment paper until it is ⅛th inch thick.
  • Cut into rectangles, approximately 5 inches long.
  • Freeze rectangles in the freezer to set and harden.
  • Remove rectangles from freezer, arrange on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart and pierce with a fork.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 6-9 minutes until edges are set.
  • Freeze again for 30 minutes to harden and set (can be done in a stack if parchment paper is between them).
  • Spread ice cream on one cookie, and sandwich another on top of it.
  • Freeze for one hour to set.
  • Store in zip lock bag for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • Nutrition facts do not include ice cream, they are only calculated for the cookie (2 per serving, since they're sandwiches). 
  • To speed up the chilling of the dough, you can chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes, up to a maximum of 60 minutes. 
  •  
    Dough can also be chilled overnight in the fridge.
  • Soften the ice cream for 20 minutes on the counter top before attempting to spread onto the chocolate sandwich cookies to avoid breaking them.
  •  
    Use a knife ran under hot water to smooth the edges of the ice cream before wrapping them up to store in the freezer.
  • Homemade ice cream sandwiches can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, when wrapped individually.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
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Recipe Rating




Tom Schaefges

Saturday 16th of July 2022

The post says, "cream the butter and sugars together" and the photo shows both white and brown sugar with the butter. The recipe only lists granulated sugar. Should there be some brown sugar in there?

Mark

Sunday 14th of August 2022

good question Tom, maybe 1/2 C of brown sugar + 1/2 C of white sugar? I definitely wanna try this recipe and then gotta smash strawberry ice cream betwixt'd

Erin

Saturday 20th of June 2020

The cookie on this sandwich tastes just like the ice cream truck version! So delicious and fun to make.