Easy Ice Cream Sandwiches
These Easy Ice Cream Sandwiches are fun, delicious, and totally doable even if you’ve got a million things going on. No fancy equipment, no baking, no stress. Just yummy, melty, colorful goodness perfect for Summer birthdays, playdates, BBQs or when you want a sweet snack.
I make these with store-bought M&M’s cookies and our favorite ice cream (mint chocolate chip is a BIG hit around here). Then we roll the edges in fun toppings like sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or coconut flakes. You can make them ahead or let the kids build their own. Either way, you end up with smiles, sticky fingers, and a whole lot of happy.
Here’s What You’ll Need
How to Make Them
1. Let the ice cream soften just a bit. You don’t want it melted, but letting it sit out for 5–10 minutes makes it way easier to scoop and spread.
2. Lay out 8 cookies flat-side up. These are going to be the bottoms of your sandwiches.
3. Scoop about 1/4 cup of ice cream onto each cookie. You can eyeball it, more if you want a super thick sandwich, less if you’re making smaller ones for little hands.
4. Top with another cookie, flat side down. Gently press it down until the ice cream spreads to the edge. Don’t squish too hard unless you want ice cream oozing out the sides (which, honestly, is part of the fun).
5. Roll the edges in your toppings! This is where it gets colorful. I usually put the toppings in little bowls and let the kids pick and roll.
6. Pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up… or eat them right away if patience is not your thing (it rarely is at my house).
Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Variations
The possibilities are endless. Here are some fun ways to change things up:
1. Different Cookies = Whole New Vibe
- Chocolate chip cookies for the classic feel
- Oatmeal cookies for a chewy twist
- Peanut butter cookies (so good with chocolate ice cream!)
- Sugar cookies for a soft, sweet bite
- Brownie cookies if you’re feeling fancy
Tip: Soft cookies work best. Crunchy ones can get too hard in the freezer (ouch, teeth!).
2. Mix Up the Ice Cream Flavors
Try these combos that always get gobbled up:
- Peanut butter cookies + chocolate ice cream
- Oatmeal cookies + butter pecan
- M&M cookies + vanilla + rainbow sprinkles (kids’ favorite!)
- Chocolate chip cookies + mint chip + mini chips
- Sugar cookies + strawberry + coconut flakes
3. Roll Those Edges in Fun Stuff
Here’s where your toppings come in!
- Mini chocolate chips – classic and chocolatey
- Coconut flakes – adds a tropical touch
- Sliced almonds or walnut pieces – a little crunch!
- Sprinkles – because life is better with sprinkles
- Crushed cereal – Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Krispies, whatever’s in the pantry
- Crushed pretzels – sweet and salty is a total win
- Mini marshmallows – oh yes, we went there
4. Dip Half in Chocolate (Optional but WOW)
If you want to get extra, melt some chocolate chips with a teaspoon of coconut oil and dip half the sandwich in it. Lay it on a parchment-lined tray and freeze till set. Fancy-town fun right there.
Party Tip: Let Kids Build Their Own
One of my favorite things to do is set up a little DIY ice cream sandwich bar. Kids LOVE it. I lay out all the cookies, ice cream tubs, scoops, and bowls of toppings, and let them go wild.
It’s also great for parties because it keeps the kids busy (and happy), and honestly, adults love it too. We’re all just big kids when there’s ice cream involved, right?
Make-Ahead & Storage
These little beauties freeze like a dream. Once assembled, wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap or parchment paper, then pop them in a freezer bag. You can store them for up to 2 weeks.
Pro tip: Label the bags if you’re making different flavors. Saves the “is this mint or pistachio?” mystery later on.
Listen, I’m all for Pinterest-perfect desserts, but real life isn’t always that tidy. Some days I’m lucky if I can even FIND the ice cream scoop, let alone make something from scratch. That’s why I love these easy ice cream sandwiches.
They’re fun, colorful, and totally customizable. You can make them ahead of time or throw them together last-minute. They’re great for birthdays, pool parties, or just a “yay, we made it through the week” celebration.
So… Who’s Ready to Make Some?
I hope you give these a try and make them your own. Whether you go classic or crazy, there’s no wrong way to sandwich ice cream between cookies. It’s fun, it’s easy, and it just screams party time!
Check Out More Cookie-Inspired Treats
Easy Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 tub of your favorite ice cream
- 16 store-bought M&M’s cookies or any cookie
- Mini chocolate chips
- Coconut flakes
- Sliced almonds
- Walnut pieces
- Sprinkles rainbow or chocolate
Instructions
- Let the ice cream soften just a bit. Let it sit out for 5–10 minutes makes it way easier to scoop and spread.
- Lay out 8 cookies flat-side up. These are going to be the bottoms of your sandwiches.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup of ice cream onto each cookie. You can eyeball it more if you want a super thick sandwich, less if you’re making smaller ones for little hands.
- Top with another cookie, flat side down. Gently press it down until the ice cream spreads to the edge. Don’t squish too hard unless you want ice cream oozing out the sides.
- Roll the edges in your toppings.
- Pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
