The perfect ice cream sandwich is calling your name! With this easy ice cream sandwich recipe, you can make these homemade frozen treats without any fancy equipment. Whether you go traditional or mix it up with chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies, here’s a step-by-step guide for ice cream sammie success.
Making Traditional Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
There are two yummy essentials for making irresistible ice cream sandwiches at home — ice cream and cookies. We’ll walk you through making everything from scratch, but if you’re looking to save a little time, it’s just as delicious to use store-bought ice cream or store-bought cookie dough.
Step 1: Gather Your Ice Cream Sandwich Ingredients
Collecting all the ingredients in advance will make the most of your time in the kitchen. Plus, it avoids accidentally being out of one particular item while you’re mid-recipe!
Ice Cream Ingredients
This is a basic vanilla ice cream recipe, but there’s no shame in skipping this and using store-bought ice cream.
- 2 cups (476 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
Cookie Ingredients
We’re using a homemade HERSHEY’S Classic Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie, but feel free to experiment with other recipes.
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips (11.5 oz pkg.)
Step 2: Make Your Homemade Ice Cream (optional)
If you’re opting for made-from-scratch, no-churn ice cream like we describe below, make it at least one day beforehand so it can set and freeze fully.
Directions:
- Chill a 9x5-inch loaf pan in the freezer.
- Mix 2 cups heavy whipping cream, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, until stiff peaks form. Start on low and gradually increase the speed to avoid splashes.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla, ⅛ tsp salt and 1 cup of the whipped cream.
- Gently fold the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the larger whipped cream bowl until combined. This process helps keep the ice cream light and airy.
- Pour the mixture into the chilled loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.
Note: If you’re looking to save time with store-bought ice cream, consider REESE’S Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream or the many Hershey’s Ice Cream flavors.
Step 3: Make Your Homemade Cookies
Now it’s time for the freshly baked cookies that will hold your ice cream sandwiches together. Follow the steps below for classic chocolate chip cookies. If you prefer to use store-bought cookie mix, learn some creative hacks for taking it to the next level.
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Beat 1 cup of butter (2 sticks), ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup packed light brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. The creaming process gives the cookies a soft, chewy texture. Tip: Make sure to start with room-temperature butter for maximum smoothness.
- Add 2 eggs; beat well.
- In a separate bowl, sift and mix together 2 ¼ cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Tip: Don’t overmix!
- Stir in 2 cups HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate Chips. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Tip: For cookies that are crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, freeze the cookie dough balls for at least an hour before baking and make sure to leave them as balls (not flattened).
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Then cool completely.
Want to make the perfect cookie? Learn the science behind the perfect cookie. Or take a peek at these cookie baking tips.
Step 4: Assemble Your Ice Cream Sandwiches
Once your cookies are cooled completely, you’re ready to build your ice cream sandwiches. If your ice cream is very hard to scoop, leave it out for a few minutes to soften. Otherwise, start scooping!
Turn over one cookie and top it with a nice-size scoop of ice cream. Sandwich it with another cookie on top and then gently squeeze the cookies together to push the ice cream to the edges. For an extra bit of crunch and pizzaz, roll the sides in sprinkles, HERSHEY’S Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or REESE’S PIECES Mini Peanut Butter Candy. Not only does this make the sandwich more decadent but the toppings also help keep the ice cream in place.
Leftover ice cream? That’s a very delicious problem! It’s the perfect reason to blend up some homemade milkshakes.
Step 5: Freeze the Sandwiches and Enjoy
Now comes the biggest dilemma: Do you eat the ice cream sandwiches immediately or save them for later? If you act fast, you can enjoy a sandwich right away. If you’re saving some for later, wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap or parchment paper and then place them in a freezer bag. Wrapping the individual sandwiches helps keep their shape while they’re firming up in the freezer. Freeze for at least three hours or for up to three months.
Ice Cream Sandwich Recipes and Ideas
If you’re looking for and tried-and-true cookie recipe for ice cream sandwiches, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve also added some ideas for yummy twists on the classic ice cream sandwich.
HERSHEY’S Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
Some might say these HERSHEY’S Classic Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best cookies for ice cream sandwiches. We may be biased, but we do enjoy this classic cookie as a base for a decadent frozen treat.
Know a chocolate lover?
Try Double Chocolate Chip Cookies in your next batch of ice cream sandwiches.
REESE’S Ice Cream Sandwiches with Peanut Butter Candy Crumbles
Jazz up some store-bought ice cream sandwiches with REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups and REESE’S PIECES Candy. For this super-simple dessert, just coat the ice cream sammie edges in crushed candy pieces and prepare to be wowed with peanut butter flavor.
Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches
Here’s the perfect dessert mashup: waffles and ice cream. Use fluffy waffles as the “bread” and fill them with rich ice cream, fun toppings and chocolatey HERSHEY’S Syrup for the ultimate sweet treat. Call it breakfast, call it dessert or call it just plain delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Soft, chewy cookies work best — they’re easier to bite into when frozen and create that classic ice cream sandwich texture. Try chocolate chip, peanut butter or double chocolate chip cookies.
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Ice cream sandwiches will typically last for up to three months in the freezer, but their freshness may vary, depending on how well they are wrapped. Be sure to wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap or parchment paper and then also place them in a freezer bag.
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If you’re able to resist enjoying a freshly made ice cream sandwich immediately, you should freeze the wrapped sandwiches for at least three hours or ideally overnight.
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Our no-churn recipe doesn’t require an ice cream maker, but it helps to have a stand mixer, hand mixer or a partner to assist in the mixing process.
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Yes, and it’s just as delicious! Store-bought ice cream can be a little bit harder to scoop than homemade, so just let it sit out for a few minutes to soften before scooping. If you love peanut butter, try REESE’S PIECES Mini Vanilla Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream.
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Store-bought cookies for ice cream sandwiches is a great idea that saves time, but for the epic flavor of homemade chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches, try our HERSHEY'S Classic Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe or consider doctoring up a cookie mix.
