Name: Chocolate Sprinkle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 232 min
Ingredients: ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter; ⅔ cup (150g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg (at room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour; ⅓ cup (35g) cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional); ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; ⅓ cup (70g) rainbow sprinkles; 1 ½ quarts ice cream, your favorite flavor; 2 Tablespoons rainbow sprinkles (optional)

JUMP TO RECIPE

These Chocolate Sprinkle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches are the perfect treat to cool down with on a hot summer day. Two soft and chewy chocolatey cookies coated in bright rainbow sprinkles and sandwiched with the ice cream of your choice! The cocoa-heavy, brownie-like cookies are soft enough to bite into yet still slightly crisp and chewy to hold it all together. They would pair perfectly with so many different ice creams, even something as simple and classic as vanilla. And the sprinkles, of course, add an extra fun pop of color!

The Inspiration

I celebrated my birthday this past week so I thought what better ice cream flavor to go with than birthday cake?! To make it even more birthday-like, I mixed in some rainbow sprinkles to the ice cream too. If you’ve ever had Cold Stone’s “Birthday Cake Remix” concoction, you already understand how delicious the combo of cake batter ice cream, chocolatey brownie chunks, and sprinkles truly is. If you haven’t had the chance to try it before, these ice cream sandwiches are your chance to get those same flavors right at home. Chocolate Cookie + Birthday Cake Ice Cream + Sprinkles = the ultimate summer birthday treat!

Ingredients for Chocolate Sprinkle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Butter: I like using melted butter for the base of the cookie dough. The melted butter gives the cookies a slightly crisp exterior and chewy center. It’s the perfect texture to hold up as the “buns” of the ice cream sandwich.

Espresso Powder: This is totally optional but the espresso really enhances the flavor of the cocoa powder. I didn’t want the chocolate flavor to get lost with the ice cream and I love the difference adding that hint of espresso powder makes. If you aren’t a coffee drinker, I still encourage you to try it!

Rainbow Sprinkles: You want to use “jimmies” sprinkles for this recipe as opposed to nonpareils or any other sprinkle shape. You’ll be adding these to the tops of the cookies before baking and I like to add a couple of scoops to the ice cream too for an extra pop color. The jimmies will hold up better in the ice cream and they will have a much softer texture (nonpareils can be kinda crunchy) on the exterior of the cookie.

Ice Cream: You can go with good ole vanilla ice cream for a more classic ice cream sandwich combo or get creative! I love this one from Tillamook. The chocolate cookie with this birthday cake ice cream is such a delicious combo. I truly believe Tillamook is the superior ice cream brand, (not sponsored but I wish it was) so you can’t go wrong with any of their flavors in my opinion. I add some extra sprinkles in just for fun!

How to Make Ice Cream Sandwiches

Prep the ice cream. Let the ice cream sit out for about 5 minutes then add it to a bowl. Use a wooden spoon to break it up to make it easier to spread. I like to mix some sprinkles into the ice cream at this point too. Spread the ice cream out on a small sheet pan lined with plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for at least 3 hours, or overnight. You want the ice cream to be frozen solid before cutting it into circles.

Make the cookies and chill the dough. This cookie dough comes together so fast and the best part is that you don’t even need a mixer! You’ll whisk together the wet ingredients in a bowl, then fold in the dry ingredients. Scoop the dough into balls then give them a dip into some rainbow sprinkles. I tested mixing the sprinkles into the dough but they didn’t show up well against the dark cocoa color so pressing them into the top of the dough made for a more vibrant result. Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking. After baking, be sure to allow them to cool completely before assembling the sandwiches, otherwise, the ice cream will melt.

Cut the ice cream discs. Once the ice cream is frozen, use a round metal cutter to cut discs out of the ice cream. I use a 3 ½” cutter which is ever-so-slightly smaller than the diameter of the baked cookies. Work quickly at this stage because the ice cream melts fast! If the discs are melting too quickly, you can add them to a pan and pop them back in the freezer.

Assemble the sandwiches. Take one cookie and place the ice cream disc on the flat side then top with another cookie, keeping the sprinkle side facing out. Gently press the sandwich together. Enjoy right away or place them back in the freezer until you’re ready to eat!

Tips for the Best Chocolate Sprinkle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Chill the cookie dough. Chilling not only helps with firming up the dough but also helps the flour hydrate and enhances the flavor of the cookie. I always suggest chilling your cookie doughs! This one only needs about 30 minutes in the fridge.
Make sure the ice cream is frozen. To make it easier when assembling the sandwiches, you want to make sure the ice cream is completely frozen solid. After spreading it out on the pan, give it at least 3 hours or overnight in the freezer. If you find the discs of ice cream difficult to work with after cutting them out, you can freeze them for another hour or so to allow them to firm up before assembling the sandwiches.
Serve right away. This is just my personal preference and although it may be a bit messier, I like to enjoy the sandwiches right after assembling so the cookie is still soft and chewy. You can of course assemble them ahead of time and freeze the sandwiches until you’re ready to serve but they will be on the firmer side. The plus side to freezing them first is that the ice cream won’t melt as quickly and it also makes them really easy to cut into halves or quarters if you’re sharing!

Now that summer is officially here and the weather is warming up, there’s no better time to cool down with these Chocolate Sprinkle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches. Happy Baking!