There’s nothing quite like a chocolate chip cookie, except for two chocolate chip cookies sandwiched together with ice cream. These cookie ice cream sandwiches use a quick no-chill cookie dough recipe that produces soft cookies perfect for freezing. I strongly recommend using mini chocolate chips, and be sure to freeze the assembled sandwiches for at least 3 hours prior to serving.
One reader, Anneliz, commented: “These cookies make the BEST ice cream sandwiches! They are delicious and soft enough to eat when frozen but don’t turn to mush when getting melty. My grandkids loved themโand so did their parents. I followed the recipe exactly, as usual for all of Sally’s recipes. โ โ โ โ โ “
Have you ever heard of a Chipwich before? Growing up, they were my ice cream treat of choice: two soft chocolate chip cookies sandwiched with creamy vanilla ice cream and rolled in mini chocolate chips. I can’t find them as easily these days, plus I enjoy making my own frozen treats (3-ingredient strawberry banana popsicles anyone?!). So, on occasion, I’ll whip up a homemade version of this nostalgic dessert.
Here’s Why You’ll Love These Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- The cookies DO NOT REQUIRE DOUGH CHILLING. (Yes, I find the need to shout that!)
- Cookies are soft and won’t break your teeth after freezing.
- Use any ice cream flavor you enjoy.
- Rolling sides in mini chocolate chips or sprinkles adds texture, plus it helps seal in the ice cream.
- They’re a great make-ahead treat for a hot summer day or a fun birthday dessert instead of cake.
And if you love brownies, you’ll flip for these brownie ice cream sandwiches!
This Recipe WORKS.
Cookie ice cream sandwiches are a favorite summertime treat and I’ve made several variations over the years. One of my top choices as the sandwich “bread” is this cake batter chocolate chip cookies recipe. They’re always a hit, but the cookie dough requires chilling. It’s a lot of waiting and they’re certainly worth the effort, but a quicker cookie recipe is obviously more convenient.
Today’s recipe is the essential cookie for a homemade ice cream sandwich. It’s my giant chocolate chip cookies recipe made with mini chocolate chips and portioned smaller. (And, if you’re comparing, it’s basically my popular chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe only with softened butter!) They’re soft, which means they won’t be rock hard after freezing. The cookies are also nice and flat, which makes sandwiching (and eating as a sandwich) very easy.
Chilling cookie dough prevents spreading and it also helps the dough develop better flavor. However, you do not have to chill this cookie dough because there’s enough flour to soak up the liquid, so the cookies will not overspread. And a slightly more developed flavor isn’t quite as important because we’re turning the baked cookies into something else!
- FAQ: Do you have any no-chill gluten-free cookie options? Yes, use these flourless almond butter cookies or these flourless peanut butter chocolate cookies as the “bread.”
Grab These Cookie Dough Ingredients:
You also need 3 cups (about 540g) of your favorite ice cream.
Notice two slightly special ingredients: cornstarch & an extra egg yolk. Cornstarch helps produce a super soft cookie, which is the ideal “bread” for a frozen cookie sandwich. And an extra egg yolk keeps the cookies flavorful and tender. 1 egg is not enough for this dough and 2 eggs is too many.
Success Tip: Use Mini Chocolate Chips
Mini chocolate chips are perfect for frozen cookie ice cream sandwiches. When frozen, the smaller chips aren’t as rock hard as the regular-size chocolate chips. They’re simply easier (and more pleasant) to eat, plus you can enjoy more chocolate in every single bite when you use smaller chips.
Expect a creamy cookie dough:
A medium cookie scoop is the perfect size for portioning your cookies. This recipe yields 24 cookies, which means you’ll have 12 ice cream sandwiches.
Soft cookies with a nice spread:
Assembling & Freezing Your Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
After all of the cookies cool completely, you can assemble your ice cream sandwiches. There’s no need to soften your ice cream prior to starting this step, though if your ice cream is particularly hard to scoop, give it a couple minutes to slightly soften.
Flip a cooled cookie over and place 1 generous ice cream scoop, about 1/4 cup or 45g, on top. Use your scoop to gently spread the ice cream to the edges. Sandwich a cookie on top, then pick up the assembled sandwich and gently press it all together in the very center to make a compact sandwich.
And I mean a VERY gentle press because if you press too hard, the cookies could break.
Roll the edges in mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or even finely chopped nuts. This little extra is not only tasty, it’s actually functional because it holds the ice cream in place.
You can enjoy the cookie sandwiches immediately, but I recommend freezing to set their shape.
3 Success Tips for Freezing
- Tightly wrap each sandwich individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper to hold the assembled sandwich together.
- Make one sandwich at a time and place in the freezer as soon as it’s assembled. Don’t assemble the entire batch and then freeze because the first few will be melting by the time you’re done.
- Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours and up to 3 months. After 3 hours, the ice cream is still a bit soft but the sandwiches are frozen enough to easily pick up and enjoy. If you have time, 6 hours is more ideal for a sturdy, compact cookie ice cream sandwich. Still, it’s less time than freezing a big ice cream cake.
I have never felt more rushed than during this photo shoot. These treats melt quickly!!!
And Finally, a Sugar Cookie Variation
And if you love sugar cookies, follow my sugar cookie recipe and add 1/2 cup (about 75g) of sprinkles to the dough after it’s mixed together. (Or skip the sprinkles in the dough.) Cut chilled rolled-out dough into 2.5-inch circles. After the cookies bake and cool according to the sugar cookie instructions, assemble your ice cream sandwiches using the assembly instructions below.
If you’re still craving cookie ice cream sandwiches when fall hits, try them with the cookies from my pumpkin oatmeal cream pies!
For more cookie inspiration, todayโs cookies join 25+ others on my Summer Cookie Recipes collection page. Have fun!
Print
Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches (Like a Chipwich!)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (includes freezing)
- Yield: 12 3-inch sandwiches
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe produces a soft chocolate chip cookie which is perfect for making cookie ice cream sandwiches. You do not have to chill this cookie dough! For best results, I recommend using mini chocolate chips and freezing the assembled sandwiches for at least 3 hours.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoonsย cornstarch
- 1 teaspoonย baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoonย salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tablespoons; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or darkย brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g)ย granulated sugar
- 1 largeย eggย + 1ย egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoonsย pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sandwiching
- 3 cups (about 540g) vanilla ice cream (or your desired flavor)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (180g), sprinkles (150g), or finely chopped nuts (100g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (If you don’t have 3 baking sheets, bake the cookies in batches.)
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Hereโs a helpful tutorial if you need guidance onย how to cream butter and sugar.) Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the dry ingredients on low speed, then beat in the chocolate chips until combined. The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Since the dough is so sticky, I recommend using a cookie scoop and this medium size is perfect. Scoop cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12โ13 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. If desired, while the cookies are still warm, press extra mini chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies. This is optional and just for looks. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling your ice cream sandwiches.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Flip a cooled cookie over and place 1 generous ice cream scoop, about 1/4 cup or 45g, on top. Use your scoop to gently spread the ice cream to the edges. Sandwich a cookie on top, then pick up the assembled sandwich and gently press it all together in the very center to make a compact sandwich. Roll sides into mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or nuts. If not enjoying right away (they’re messy if you don’t freeze them first), immediately wrap assembled sandwich in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in the freezer. Repeat with remaining cookies and ice cream.
- Freeze for at least 3 hours and up to 3 months.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can bake the cookies up to 3 days before assembling your ice cream sandwiches. Store covered at room temperature until ready to assemble. Assembled cookie sandwiches can freeze for up to 3 months.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack | Ice Cream Scoop | Plastic Wrap or Parchment Paper (for wrapping)
- Why the cornstarch and extra egg yolk? Cornstarch helps produce a super soft cookie, which is the ideal bread for a frozen cookie sandwich. Feel free to skip the cornstarch if you don’t have any. An extra egg yolk keeps the cookies flavorful and tender. 1 egg is not enough for this dough and 2 eggs is too many, so just use the yolk of that 2nd egg.
- I recommend mini chocolate chips: When frozen, the smaller chips aren’t as rock hard as the regular size chocolate chips. They’re simply easier (and more pleasant) to eat, plus you can enjoy more chocolate in every single bite when you use a smaller chip.
- Ice Cream: Use your favorite flavor. There’s no need to soften your ice cream prior to assembling, though if your ice cream is particularly hard to scoop, give it a couple minutes and try again.
- Gluten Free Options: Use these flourless almond butter chocolate chip cookies or these flourless peanut butter chocolate cookies as the “bread.” As always, make sure the ice cream you are using is labeled gluten free.
Reader Comments and Reviews
My results were very messy. I used ice cream with high fat content, which was a mistake. Next time I will try grocery store brand, more water/ice. Cookies were great but a very sugary, sweet recipe.
So incredibly easy to make and my family fought over them! I will be writing this recipe in my book with ink.
I loved this recipe! My only question: are there any substitutes that you recommend to make the sandwiches โhealthier?โ Iโm thinking mostly about the sugarsโฆ
This is a fun summer recipe! The cookies are very sweet. Iโll try them again with salted butter to see if that helps because the texture was good.
These are great! Loved the simplicity and friends loved them!
It was my first time making a dessert with ice cream, and man, these were fantastic! The cookies were delicious by themselves, too.
Yeah we didn’t wrap them and the ice cream all melted. Not sure how we missed that part… we got sticky cookies.
I loved making these! They were super fun and easy to make, and the cookies were so soft, even when frozen. This is going to be my go-to recipe for chocolate chips cookies in the future.
Yummy and incredibly easy to make! The cookies themselves are delicious and adding ice cream took them over the top. I need to play with the bake time though. I took the cookies out of the oven at 11 minutes and they seemed soft enough but after freezing the sandwiches it was a tough bite. Will definitely be making these again with homemade ice cream.
This is one of my all time favorite recipes. I make these ice cream sandwiches on repeat. My grandkids know they will be in my freezer and I think they love them almost as much as I do. I have tried numerous ice cream sandwich recipes over the years and there has always been something wrong with them. These are perfect. The cookies are soft enough to eat immediately and are delicious. Although I had my doubts about all the chocolate chips around the ice cream, that extra crunch and chocolate make the sandwiches just that much better. And the recipe is easy and not time consuming. If it is a recipe from Sally, I know it will be good, and this recipe certainly does not disappoint. Thank you!
Delicious! These cookies baked up beautifully. The cookie ice cream sandwiches are a real treat. BETTER than a Chipwich!
The cookie sandwiches are wonderful, but the cookies are a bit hard..
I made these with my grandchildren, and they were a big hit! They loved rolling them in their choice of sprinkles! In this hot weather, they were perfect! Definitely a summer treat to repeat!
So yummy!! My family was obsessed with them. I was afraid of them being too hard to bite into but it was surprisingly soft. They were super easy to make and I love the versatility of the recipe. Next time I want to try a different add in and ice cream.
These were fairly simple to make. I need some of my cookies too small so I have smaller ice cream sandwiches which suits me just fine. This also was not a huge time commitment, and the sandwiches are awesome.
So delicious! My son thought I bought this from storeโบ๏ธ It is easy to make following Sallyโs instructions, yet looks great and tastes delicious. Perfect summer treat!
This was a fun summer treat to make. My kids loved them!
This was a fun recipe but I agree with other comments that the cookies get hard. I would be more mindful of the bake time in the future. Otherwise it’s a great summer treat!
Fun recipe challenge for this month! The cookie recipe was easy and turned out yummy. I didn’t have mini chocolate chips, so I just chopped up regular ones and it made the cookies even better with all the chocolate shavings! Can’t wait to eat the ice cream sandwich later today!
I made this for the baking challenge, and I think they’re my new favorite recipe. Fun to make and popular with the family
So tasty! Easy and clear directions. The cookies remained soft through the freezing process.
I made these as a part of the baking challengeโ will definitely make again! So good and brings me back to my childhood.
Super delicious! I used regular size chocolate chips because I ran out of the minis so I did not roll the edges with chocolate chips. I was worried that after being frozen they’d break teeth but they were fine. The cookie is soft so easy to eat the sandwich. Bf said it was the best ice cream sandwich he’s ever eaten.
I made these for this monthโs baking challenge and they were a HUGE hit! The cookies are SO good and Iโm amazed at how soft they stay frozen.
These ice cream sandwiches were amazing! I made them as the alternate recipe for this monthโs baking challenge and couldnโt be happier. Loved the cookies on heir own too!
I made these but put a marshmallow inside the cookie and then rolled them in mini chocolate chips and sprinkles! I also made them with homemade ni-churn ice cream!They’re terrific!
This was pretty easy to put together. I did need a second person for adding ice cream and rolling in chocolate chips.
I made these into Montster Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches! They were delicious!