Cookies for ice cream sandwiches

[lemniscate]

Trader Joe's had some awesome chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches. The cookies are soft and toothy right out of the freezer and match the texture of the ice cream so there's no fighting to get a bite. I thought I could replicate them at home using peanut butter chunk cookies. I bought a bag of the Sutter's Gold peanut butter cookies and tossed them in the freezer in a plastic bag to check their texture when frozen. Hard, brittle, dry. Not a smooth bite. They were soft and fresh when purchased. How do they make the cookies on ice cream sandwiches not freeze altogether? Anyone have a recipe? I am looking for that smooth bite and no crumbling.

[prasantrin]

Trader Joe's had some awesome chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches.  The cookies are soft and toothy right out of the freezer and match the texture of the ice cream so there's no fighting to get a bite.  I thought I could replicate them at home using peanut butter chunk cookies.  I bought a bag of the Sutter's Gold peanut butter cookies and tossed them in the freezer in a plastic bag to check their texture when frozen.  Hard, brittle, dry.  Not a smooth bite.  They were soft and fresh when purchased.  How do they make the cookies on ice cream sandwiches not freeze altogether?  Anyone have a recipe?  I am looking for that smooth bite and no crumbling.

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The moisure from the ice cream should help soften the cookies, but it helps if the cookies isn't too hard to begin with. Making your own cookies would help.

Tons of recipes out there on the net if you do a search.

[iguana]

I just made very good ice cream sandwiches using a Fine Cooking recipe.

Here is the link, but you have to subscribe to the website to get access to the recipe, sorry.

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/recipes...sandwiches.aspx

In this case, the cookie is more like a soft, thin brownie-- it may not be what you're looking for. However, it made a great ice cream sandwich and stayed tender and toothsome in the freezer-- my only regret is that I did not have coffee ice cream to put in the sandwich.

Cheers, Jen

[kiliki]

Cook's Illustrated has one that you might like (I made it and liked it) and it's available online, but only to members (or maybe you can do the free trial to get the recipe?).

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/login.asp?...recipe&iseason=

[merstar]

I just made very good ice cream sandwiches using a Fine Cooking recipe. 

Here is the link, but you have to subscribe to the website to get access to the recipe, sorry.

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/recipes...sandwiches.aspx

In this case, the cookie is more like a soft, thin brownie-- it may not be what you're looking for.  However, it made a great ice cream sandwich and stayed tender and toothsome in the freezer-- my only regret is that I did not have coffee ice cream to put in the sandwich. 

Cheers, Jen

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You don't have to subscribe to the website to get this particular recipe - it comes right up. (although I'm a member of the forum (it's free), - don't know if that makes a difference).

Edited July 6, 2008 by merstar (log)

[lemniscate]

I did a google for recipes before I posted. Many of the recipes out there just say use storebought "Archway" or others. Others just give a standard cookie recipe and say slap some ice cream in between and put in freezer. The brownie type recipes are on the right track, soft and pliable right from the freezer. I wonder if slightly undercooking the peanut butter chunk cookies would help keep them pliable in the freezer? Or increase the fat in the cookies to increase pliability? This seems to be a cookie science scenario.

Good point about the ice cream keeping the cookies moist.

The moisure from the ice cream should help soften the cookies, but it helps if the cookies isn't too hard to begin with.  Making your own cookies would help.

Tons of recipes out there on the net if you do a search.

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[tammylc]

Jeni's Ice Creams in Columbus, OH makes great ice cream sandwiches. (They're not listed on the website, though.) The cookie is meringue based somehow, and flavored to complement the ice cream filling.

[sugarseattle]

i think increasing the egg will give you a more cake like texture like a brownie...i am thinking about whoopie pies too...they are a cake-like cookie that might be a good ice cream sammy base

[reenicake]

things to try to make cookies absorb more moisture:

1. cut down on fat -- replace with something moist, such as applesauce

2. reduce sugar and underbake slightly -- reduces the caramelization

3. make them thicker (reduce spread) by using part cake flour or part confectioner's sugar.

HTH!

In particular, freezing cookies (at least a few hours, overnight if you can) when they are fresh (half of them upside down, the other half right side up) should make them better for assembling the sandwiches -- so that you are not trying to assemble scoops of ice cream before it melts on room-temp cookies. don't ask me how I know.