How to make ice cream sandwiches at home

To make ice cream sandwiches at home, bake thin, soft cookies, freeze them flat, press a 2 cm layer of softened ice cream between two of them, then wrap and freeze for at least two hours. The secret is the cookie: it needs to stay soft enough to bite once frozen. Crisp biscuits taste great but turn into roof tiles in the freezer.

What you need

• Soft-baked cookies, about 7–8 cm across and less than 1 cm thick (homemade or shop-bought).
• About 1 litre of ice cream for 8 sandwiches.
• Baking paper and a flat tray that fits in your freezer.
• A round cutter or ring the same size as your cookies (optional, but neat).
• Cling film or reusable wraps.
• Toppings for rolling the edges: sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, crushed hokey pokey, chopped nuts.

Choosing the right cookie

Pick cookies with plenty of butter and brown sugar, baked so the middle is still soft. Brown sugar holds moisture, which keeps cookies chewy after freezing. Chocolate chip, double chocolate, oatmeal and snickerdoodle-style cookies are all reliable. If you love a crunchy biscuit, such as an Anzac biscuit or a gingernut, keep it thin and give the finished sandwich a few minutes to soften before eating.

Step by step

1. Freeze the cookies. Lay them flat-side up on a lined tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Cold cookies stop the ice cream melting as you build.
2. Soften the ice cream. Move the tub to the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes until it is spreadable but still holds its shape. Our guide to softening ice cream has timings.
3. Add the filling. Scoop about 2 heaped tablespoons (roughly 2 cm thick) onto the flat side of a cookie. If you have a ring, place it over the cookie and press the ice cream into it for a clean edge.
4. Press. Top with a second cookie, flat side down, and press gently until the ice cream reaches the edges.
5. Roll the edges. Roll the exposed ice cream in sprinkles or crushed toppings, if you like.
6. Freeze. Put each sandwich back on the cold tray, then into the freezer for 30 minutes. Wrap individually and freeze for at least two hours more.

Flavour pairings to try

The best sandwiches balance the cookie and the filling. A rich, chocolatey cookie wants a brighter or fresher ice cream; a plain cookie can take a bold flavour. Some combinations we love:

• Chocolate chip cookies with real vanilla bean ice cream (a classic for a reason).
• Dark chocolate cookies with caramel and sea salt ice cream.
• Gingernuts with lemon ice cream for something zingy.
• Anzac biscuits with brown sugar or hokey pokey ice cream.
• Double chocolate cookies with mint chip.

These are the same ideas behind our own ice cream cookie sandwiches, including The Classic, Double Dutch on gluten-free cookies, and Shiver Me Timbers.

Troubleshooting

Most ice cream sandwich problems come down to temperature or cookie choice. Quick fixes:

• Ice cream squishes out when you bite: the filling is too thick or the cookies too firm. Keep the filling around 2 cm and use softer cookies.
• Cookies break when you press: they are too crisp or too cold. Let frozen cookies sit for a minute before assembling.
• Melting while you build: work in small batches of four, returning finished sandwiches to the freezer on a cold tray as you go.
• Edges look messy: use a ring or cutter, or roll the edges in sprinkles to tidy them up.
• Soggy cookies after a few days: moisture is moving from the ice cream into the cookie. Wrap tightly and eat within two weeks.

Allergy-friendly swaps

Ice cream sandwiches can be adapted for most diets with a bit of care:

• Gluten-free: use gluten-free cookies and check the ice cream has no gluten-containing mix-ins.
• Egg-free: many cookies contain egg, so choose an egg-free recipe; most of our ice cream bases are made without egg.
• Dairy-free: pair vegan cookies with a plant-based ice cream, such as our oat milk dairy-free range.

If you are making sandwiches for a group, ask about allergies first, and keep the packaging so you can check labels. Our allergens guide explains what to look for.

Storing your sandwiches

Wrap each sandwich tightly and keep them at the back of the freezer at -18°C or colder. They are at their best within about two weeks; after that, the cookies start to pick up freezer flavours and the edges dry out. Put them in an airtight container as well as wrapping them to protect against freezer burn. For more on keeping frozen treats at their best, see how to store ice cream at home.

Party tip

Ice cream sandwiches are the easiest dessert for kids' parties: no scooping, no bowls and no queue at the freezer. Make them the day before, wrap them in baking paper tied with string, and keep them in a chilly bin with ice packs until it is time to hand them out. Working out how many to make? Our party quantities guide can help.