Who doesn’t love ice cream sandwiches on a warm summer day? I have especially fond memories of eating them over the July 4th holiday. The parade in Natick was always a ritual for my family. We would be up at the crack of dawn to have our pancake breakfast downtown at the First Congregational Church after strategically placing our lawn chairs on the side of South Main St. Then we were off to meet our group participating in the parade. For many years, my sister and I were figure skaters at West Suburban Arena and rode on the float, or marched along side it, in our skating dresses. You’ll thank me for not sharing those photos with you!
The afternoon was always followed by cookouts with friends and family. My favorite treat was a cold ice cream sandwich. Given that the Park Street Ice Cream Shoppe, unarguably in my opinion, has the best ice cream in town, it only seems fitting to use it for homemade ice cream sandwiches.
Here is a simple recipe you can make for the July 4th holiday to share and indulge in these nostalgic treats.
Ice Cream
Park Street Vanilla
Park Street Peppermint Stick
Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies
This is a Martha Stewart recipe that I find to be very close to the original sandwich cookie. You can also use any homemade cookie, such as chocolate chip or brownies.
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk
2 to 2 1/2 pints strawberry ice cream, slightly softened
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, vanilla, and sugar. Add eggs and milk, and mix until combined. Add reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula at least once. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a flat disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface; use an offset spatula to unstick the dough every few turns of the rolling pin. Roll dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough using a variety of heart-shaped cookie cutters from 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, making sure there is a top and bottom cookie for each sandwich. Place hearts on a parchment-lined baking sheet; chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator; use a fork to prick holes all over the surface of the cookies. Bake until firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Using half the cookies, spoon softened strawberry ice cream about 1/2 inch thick on each underside. Place matching cookie on top of ice cream, top-side facing out. Transfer immediately to freezer to harden; repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve directly from the freezer. Sandwiches can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 to 4 days.
