Oatmeal-Dark Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

School is out, it’s hot as heck, and I’m stocking my freezer with these babies. Nothing says summer like an ice cream sandwich. What is even more irresistible than an ice cream sandwich? Ice cream sandwiched between two chewy oatmeal-dark chocolate cookies.

Typically, summer brings a relaxing change of pace but that isn’t the case for us this year.
Boy #4 is deep into his club water polo practices and both he and Boy #3 have summer jobs. Can I get a hallelujah – amen! Busy, productive teenage boys is a very good thing.

But, it is summer, nonetheless, which calls for ice cream cookie sandwiches. Yes indeed. So let’s get this party started…

For the cookies you will need – butter, brown sugar, white sugar, an egg (oops it’s in the fridge), light corn syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, oatmeal (quick cooking or old fashioned), and dark chocolate chips. You’ll also need ice cream and decorations but more on that below.

Cream the butter and sugars together. Use a stand mixer or your hand mixer. Whatever is closest.

Add in the egg, corn syrup, and the vanilla and almond extract. The corn syrup makes these cookies stay nice and chewy, even after freezing.

Add all the dry ingredients – flour, oats, baking soda, and salt, and mix till combined.

Stir in the dark chocolate chips. Trust me, you want to add dark chocolate chips.

Drop a tablespoon of dough on to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You want to use a measuring spoon to ensure that the cookies will be uniform in size.

Using your fingers, push the dough into a nice, round ball shapes so they bake up into nice, round circles.

Time for the oven. Bake them at 375 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes, till set and nicely golden brown.

Let them cool for a couple of minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Try not to eat them. Except the misshapen ones, you can eat those. Like that one there in the front.

Yeah, it’s mine.

Once the cookies are completely cooled we can put them together. You’ll need 2 quarts of ice cream in your flavor of choice. I used vanilla bean but these would be fantastic with chocolate, butter pecan, cookies and cream, coffee, mmmm coffee, or more exotic flavors like coconut or cheesecake. The possibilities are endless! To make them pretty I used rainbow sprinkles and chopped peanuts, again use your imagination here. There are lots of possibilities for prettiness.

Put a good scoop of ice cream on the bottom side of one of the cookies and press it down a little with the spoon. Place another cookie on top and press down to make the ice cream meet the edges.

Sprinkle the sprinkles (that makes me smile) on the edges and press them into the ice cream to make them stick. Quickly wrap the ice cream sandwich in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Now do this 22 more times. I promise, it goes pretty quickly once you get into the rhythm.

How about some with chopped peanuts.

Sprinkles?

Peanuts?

This is one of those tough dilemmas we face in life. Best of luck with your decision and enjoy!

See below for the printable.

Oatmeal-Dark Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Yield: 46 cookies/23 ice cream cookie sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups oatmeal (quick cooking or old fashioned)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 quarts vanilla bean ice cream
• Assorted sprinkles and/or chopped, unsalted peanuts for decoration

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter and sugars with a hand mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add egg, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until well combined. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and oats and continue to mix till well combined. Stir in dark chocolate chips with a spoon.

Drop a tablespoon full of dough on to a parchment paper lined or ungreased baking sheet. Use your fingers to mound the dough into a nice ball shape. Repeat with remaining dough to fill sheet, leaving a couple of inches between each cookie.

Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes.then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

To assemble ice cream sandwiches:

When cookies have completely cooled, remove ice cream from freezer and allow to sit out  for a few minutes to soften slightly. Flip one of the cookies upside down and place a big spoonful of ice cream on the cookie. Press the ice cream down a little with the spoon. Place a second cookie on top of the ice cream and press together so that ice cream reaches edges.

Sprinkle your decoration of choice around the edges of the ice cream, pressing lightly with your fingers to make it stick if necessary. Quickly wrap the ice cream cookie in plastic wrap and place in freezer.

Repeat with remaining cookies and ice cream.

Linked with love on the Weekend Potluck on Life as a Lofthouse.