Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

*Recipe follows story

When the song All Is Love (yes, I own the soundtrack to Where The Wild Things Are) randomly plays on my iPod, I kind of start gazing, and smiling.  It’s the voices of those damned kids.  All happy and believing in the greatness of life and shit.    

Don’t lie, that song could put bounce in the most angry persons step.  When the kids get super happy and cheery, so do I, thereby making me appear to be A) certifiably crazy or B) certifiably crazy - when I’m walking down the street, alone.  

After I get over the fact that I’m a curvy, crazy, happy, smiling, completely sane woman; I start to think about summer and childhood birthday parties. Back in Brooklyn,  all of my school friends would gather at my house for an Evie and JJ (my parents) hosted throwdown. Folding tables and chairs would line our concrete backyard, in the space next to the entrance to the wine cellar and my grandpa’s garage that held all of his welding equipment.  Jump ropes were scattered all over the ground and the sound of kids laughing and snorting couldn’t be escaped.  My mom would make ice cream (in this fantastic machine my pop got for her on one of their anniversaries), homemade cookies, and put out a spread of toppings so my friends and I could build our own ice cream dreams.

I want to bring back ice cream parties…

Indulging in a bumpin’ bowl of ice cream feels as freeing as a flowy summer sundress with no bra and or underwear.  Oh, the things I’ve learned with age.  

I’m also obsessed with ice cream sandwiches, and I recently had the perfect opportunity to share a thicky thick one, let the goodness drip, and nom. Any chance to feel like a kid, and to feel all smiley inside, in the midst of adult life, should be taken.  

These cookies should be considered the Minimalist Chocolate Chip Cookie, as they were made with less chips and a bit more vanilla flavoring.  The recipe was adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted the recipe from all recipes. See the Nom nom tweaks below.  

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter (melted)
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
2 T. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 c. bittersweet chocolate chips
1/3 c. chopped walnuts (optional for you - a must have for me) 
1 pint ice cream of your choice (I went with Haagen Daaz) 

-Preheat the oven to 325
-Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper or silpat
-Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
-In a medium bowl, cream together )by hand) the melted butter and brown sugar
-Mix in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy
-Add in the sifted dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
-Stir in the chocolate chips by hand
-Drop cookie dough 1/4 c. (for a large cookie, one or two tablespoons for more standard-sized cookies) at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets
*Cookies should be about 3 inches apart as they will spread while baking
-Bake for 15 to 17 minutes (closer to 12 minutes for non-1/4 cup scoop cookies) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted
-Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely

For Ice Cream Sandwich Assembly

-Let ic cream sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes or so, until soft enough to scoop and spread 
-Line cookies on a tray and begin to spread ice cream on a cookie and top with another, repeating until you’ve made as many ice cream sandwiches as your heart desires
-Transfer tray with ice cream sandwiches to the freezer and let set for 2-3 hours or overnight (for best results)