Classic Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich

4.8
(15)

This very simple ice cream sandwich is exactly like the ones you remember from childhood. It tastes just like the ones purchased from the ice cream truck with a soft, sticky, chewy cookie around soft, plain vanilla ice cream.

6
6
6
6
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Additional Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
6 ice cream sandwiches

Making a great homemade chocolate ice cream sandwich doesn't seem too hard: It's basically just two chocolate cookies with some vanilla ice cream pressed in between. While its construction isn't complicated, getting the taste and texture just right is.

The main challenge here is that frozen things don't have the same mouthfeel as room temperature things, so even if our cookie is perfect freshly baked, it has to stay soft, supple, and sort of sticky once frozen. Flavor-wise, we'd also want a nice, rich chocolaty cookie, but the things that make that possible can affect the texture as well. So, what I'm trying to say is, I actually had to do some experimenting here. I know, tough work. Anyway, after half a dozen failed attempts, I think I pretty much nailed it.

My memory isn't what it used to be, but this tastes and feels like what I remember from childhood (when this was one of my favorite things). The key here is not to overcook the cookie, which will dry it out and give it a firm, tough texture once frozen. Just barely baked is where you want to be. If it takes you a few practice batches, so be it. I know, tough work. Regardless of how many tries it takes to nail, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Classic Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich
Classic Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich . Chef John

For more Chef John, be sure to subscribe to Food Wishes on YouTube! Click the "Join" button there to get Chef John's bonus video footage and behind-the-scenes pictures, live chats, and other Food Wishes member exclusives.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • vegetable oil cooking spray

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • cup sifted Dutch-process cocoa powder

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • ¼ cup white sugar

  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • cup whole milk, at room temperature

  • 6 scoops vanilla ice cream

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner (such as Silpat). Spray liner with cooking spray and rub it in to be sure it's completely covered.

  2. Whisk 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Sift mixture if it seems at all clumpy or chunky.

  3. Mix butter, both sugars, and vanilla in another bowl with a spatula until you have a smooth paste. Add flour mixture along with milk and stir until batter is smooth and stiff. Clean off the spatula with a cookie scoop and drop 12 scoops batter onto the prepared baking sheet.

  4. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the tops of the cookies no longer look wet and shiny, 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and tap and shake the pan on the counter 5 times to settle and compress the cookies. Let cookies cool to room temperature on the pan, about 15 minutes.

  5. Transfer baking sheet into the freezer until cookies are firm, about 15 minutes.

  6. Remove from the freezer and remove cookies from the pan by lifting the silicone liner carefully under each one. Poke 10 or 12 holes in the surface of each cookie with the sharp edge of a chopstick. Return to the freezer until ready to assemble.

  7. When ready to assemble, remove from the freezer. Turn one cookie upside down, place 1 scoop ice cream on top, and sandwich with a second cookie. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 3 hours before serving. Repeat to make remaining ice cream sandwiches.

Chef's Note

Use a basic, cheap, grocery-store vanilla ice cream that has a lot of air whipped into it.

You can eat these right away, but if you freeze them for a few hours, the cookies will absorb moisture from the ice cream and get even softer.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

205 Calories
9g Fat
30g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 205
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 158mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 3g 7%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 56mg 4%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 155mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

You’ll Also Love