National Ice Cream Sandwich Day

Today, August 2nd, is National Ice Cream Sandwich day. An ice cream sandwich is simple – ice cream sandwiched between two cookies or wafers.

I like frozen already prepared ice cream sandwiches, but I don’t buy them very often. Instead, I bake my own cookies. My family likes a Chocolate Chip cookie, Vanilla ice cream combo, but don’t limit yourself.

 A couple other combos we’ve tried include Chocolate ice cream with a crisp Peanut Butter cookie or a cinnamin Oatmeal cookie with French Vanilla ice cream in the center.

You can fancy them up by rolling the ice cream sides in crushed nuts or Heath Bars, chocolate sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips. I’ve even seen them dipped in melted milk chocolate.

Most of the time when my kids and I make this treat, we cheat. I pick up a pizza from Papa Murphys and grab a container of cookie dough on the way out. The prepared cookie dough has a crisper texture when it’s baked and it’s easy. A quick treat is a good treat, in my book. We make the sandwiches when the cookies are still a little warm, so the ice cream gets melty.

If you’d like to try a Peanut Butter cookie with Chocolate ice cream combo, then I’ve got my cookie recipe listed below.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 375

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup peanut butter, either natural or traditional
1 & 1/4 cup of flour
1/2 cup of brown
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, large
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt, I use kosher

Cream butter and sugars together with mixer until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, mix, then baking powder, baking soda, salt. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beat until smooth.

Take a spoon of dough (about 1 inch diameter)  and shape it into a ball in your hands. (Refrigerate dough, it’s it’s hard to handle, chilled do stacks stuck together better). Place on a cookie sheet (line the sheet with parchment paper if you want, it’s easier at clean-up time), then use a fork to push dough down. Make criss-cross marks with the fork, tines one way, the lift, and place them down across the first set.

Bake the cookies in a 375 oven for 8-10 minutes. I go for the higher number of minutes, because I’m a fan of browned cookies.

Makes approximately 38-40 cookies.

Image credit: Michelle Smith