Eating an ice cream sandwich can make you feel like a kid again. But if you’ve ever tried making one at home, you know it’s not as easy as 1-2-3. First, there are the cookies themselves. Too thick, and you can’t bite through them. Too thin, and they crumble. You need cookies (like these lacy oatmeal or salty chocolate ones) that hit that sweet spot in between, magically softening as they chill. And yes, it’s key that you freeze your ice cream sandwiches after assembling; you can’t immediately devour them. As for the ice cream? That’s easy. Just choose your favorite store-bought flavors. Then clear some freezer space and get ready to travel back in time. Nostalgia never tasted so good.
When selecting your ice cream layers, you can choose any flavor you like as long as it’s bona fide ice cream: Gelato, frozen yogurt, and sorbet don’t firm up as well. Pick two flavors that will taste good together and provide some color contrast, like these pairings:
Vanilla + Mango
Coffee + Coconut
Chocolate + Salted Caramel
Pistachio + Cherry
Once you've got your ice cream, let's do this thing
First, bake the chocolate cookies in the recipe here. Then prepare your ice cream filling:
Line a 13x9" baking pan, preferably straight sided, with 2 layers of plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang on all sides; place in freezer.
Remove both pints of first ice cream flavor from containers (just peel away container if it’s paper, or use a rubber spatula to help slide ice cream out intact if container is plastic).
Cut ice cream into 2" pieces and place in a large bowl.
Let sit until slightly softened, about 5 minutes, then stir with a wooden spoon or a large rubber spatula until the consistency of thick cake batter.
Scrape ice cream into chilled pan and smooth into an even layer with a small off-set spatula. Freeze uncovered until firm, 15–20 minutes.
Repeat softening process with both pints of second flavor.
Scrape second flavor over first layer and smooth out, spreading ice cream all the way to the edges and making top as level as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ice cream is hard, at least 8 hours.
Assembly
Remove ice cream from freezer, unwrap, and invert onto a cutting board; remove pan and peel off plastic. Trim sides of ice cream block to make a neat, straight-edged rectangle measuring 12x7½" (yep, there’s a ruler involved).
Working quickly so ice cream doesn’t melt, cut block lengthwise into 5 equal rows and then crosswise into thirds so you have 15 pieces measuring about 4x1½".
Working with 1 brick of ice cream at a time, use a thin metal spatula to place on a flat-side-up cookie [6] and top with a right-side up cookie [7]. Transfer sandwiches to a rimmed baking sheet set in the freezer as you work. Freeze sandwiches until ice cream is hard, about 2 hours. Cover tray with plastic wrap and freeze at least another 8 hours to let cookies soften.
Bonus Round
Dip them in sprinkles if you're feeling festive!
Do ahead
Dough can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled. Cookies can be baked
1 week ahead; transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze. Layered ice cream can be made 1 week ahead; keep frozen in pan. Sandwiches can be assembled 5 days ahead; keep frozen.