Think cookie + ice cream nostalgia amped up: a single-sheet blondie-style cookie becomes an ice cream cake that’s endlessly shareable and impossible to mess up.
Near the top of my very long list of things I have far too many opinions about (and that nobody asked for, yet here we are) are homemade ice cream sandwiches. Why? Because few things are as crushing as realizing that something that should deliver pure summer bliss — cookies plus ice cream — often falls short. The culprit is usually the cookie: once frozen, it turns rock-solid, threatening your dental work. Hard cookies also squish the ice cream out the sides, dripping down your arms and killing the vibe (for adults, at least — kids think the mess is half the fun).
When I was writing Smitten Kitchen Keepers, I got a little obsessed with perfecting a nostalgic chipwich-style sandwich that actually works, and three big revelations came along the way:
Cookies need softness. Classic chocolate chip cookies freeze into bricks, but if you make them slightly more cake-like — almost blondie-ish — with a splash of milk, they stay tender from the freezer.
Flavors need a boost. Freezing dulls flavors, so a tiny bump in both sweetness and salt ensures the cookie tastes just right when frozen.
Sandwiches need efficiency. Filling them one at a time is for people with far more patience than me. Instead, I bake the cookie dough in a pan, slice it in half, sandwich ice cream between the slabs, and then cut into individual treats once frozen. (It’s also the trick behind my classic chocolate ice cream sandwiches.)
Lately though, I’ve taken it a step further. When a chipwich-obsessed friend had a birthday, I realized the only thing better than individual blondie chipwiches was one giant chipwich cake — a big slab of cookie-and-ice-cream joy cut into wedges. Imagine the commotion when you show up with a massive chocolate chip cookie ice cream cake, especially when you’re not exaggerating about it being “easy peasy”: one-bowl, hand-whisked cookie batter, quick bake, and store-bought ice cream.
It’s retro, happy, utterly speckled with chocolate chips — so many, in fact, that I found a few melted into the kitchen floor the next morning.
Serves | Mix & assemble time | Bake time | Freeze time |
|---|---|---|---|
8–12 wedges | ~30 minutes to mix & assemble | ~15 minutes | 3–6 hours (ideally overnight) |
Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
1/2 cup (4 oz / 115 g) | unsalted butter, any temperature, plus extra for coating pans |
Scant 1 tsp | kosher salt |
1 cup (215 g) | packed light brown sugar |
1/3 cup (80 ml) | milk, any kind (cold is fine) |
1 large | egg |
1 1/2 tsp | vanilla extract |
1 tsp | baking powder |
1 cup (130 g) | all-purpose flour |
1 1/2 cups (9 oz / 255 g) | miniature chocolate chips, divided (½ cup folded into batter; 3/4 cup for top/side finish) |
Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
3 cups | vanilla ice cream (one 28-oz container) |
3/4 cup (≈ 3/4 of the remaining chips) | miniature chocolate chips — for pressing onto sides (see instructions) |
Two 8-inch round cake pans (or one pan baked twice).
Parchment rounds for lining; rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflow.
One 8-inch cake pan lined with plastic wrap (for assembly), or an 8-inch springform (use plastic inside for extra security).
If ice cream is rock-hard, move it to the fridge 10 minutes before assembling.
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment rounds; butter or nonstick spray the exposed sides (and a little extra under parchment so it doesn’t slip). If you have only one pan, the batter will hold while you bake the first round. Place pans on a rimmed baking sheet.
In a large bowl, melt about half the butter (microwave or stovetop) and stir until fully melted; let cool slightly so egg won’t scramble.
Whisk in salt, brown sugar, and milk until smooth. Once cooled a bit, add the egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Sprinkle in the baking powder and mix well. Stir in flour until it disappears, then fold in 1/2 cup (3 oz / 85 g) of the chocolate chips.
Pour half the batter into each prepared pan and smooth the tops. Sprinkle each top with 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips (reserve the rest for sides).
Bake ~15 minutes, until edges are golden and centers are set but still soft. Transfer to a rack 5 minutes, then remove from pans and peel off parchment. For easier assembly, chill the cookie rounds in the freezer for ~10 minutes so they’re fully cold.
Line one 8-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap so the plastic extends up two directions over the rim (this helps lift the cake out later).
Place the first cookie round (top side down) in the bottom of the pan. Scoop vanilla ice cream over the cookie and spread evenly with a spatula to the edges. If ice cream is very hard, let soften slightly in the fridge for ~10 minutes so it’s spreadable.
Place the second cookie round (top side up) on top of the ice cream and press firmly to compact. Use plastic overhang to cover the cake lightly if desired. Freeze.
Chill the ice cream sandwich cake for 3–6 hours, ideally overnight, until very firm.
When frozen solid, run a knife around the pan edge and use the plastic sling to lift the cake out. Pat the remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips onto the sides of the cake so they adhere to the ice cream. (Press gently; if chips don’t stick, let the cake warm a minute on the counter or press with a thin layer of softened ice cream as “glue”.)
Slice into 8–12 wedges and serve immediately.
Do ahead & storage
Keeps in the freezer for weeks (though it rarely lasts that long). Wrap tightly or store in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn. For best scoopability, slice and serve straight from the freezer — let sit 30–60 seconds if needed for slightly softer edges.
Why this cookie works: cakey, blondie-like cookie texture (a touch of milk in batter) stays tender frozen — avoids rock-hard traditional cookies.
Make sweeter/saltier: freezing mutes flavors — slightly boost sugar and salt in the cookie if you want a bolder frozen flavor.
One-pan shortcut (individual chipwiches): pour batter into a single 9×13 pan; bake, cut in half, flip, fill with ice cream, refreeze, then cut into squares and press chips onto sides (method used for individual chipwiches).
Chocolate chip press: press chips onto sides after unmolding; if chips won’t stick, press a thin smear of softened ice cream onto the sides first as adhesive.
Springform caution: an 8-inch springform can work, but might leak before the ice cream re-freezes; line with plastic to reduce risk.
Batter rest: no rest required — this is a quick one-bowl, hand-whisked (or light-melting) batter.
Cookies too soft after baking: centers should be set but soft; chilling in freezer 10 minutes before assembly fixes structural issues.
Chips sliding off sides: warm cake briefly (10–20 seconds) at room temp and press again, or use a thin spread of softened ice cream as glue.
Ice cream too hard to spread: move ice cream to fridge for ~10 minutes (not fully melted) so it’s workable.
