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This recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches starts out strangely. That’s because I want you to put the cookies in the freezer and the ice cream on the counter. You read that right, I want you to get your cookies cold and your ice cream warm. That’s the kind of thing my mother would call the old switcheroo. You know, when you take the expected and turn it on its head. That’s something else my mom might have said. Well, that and it’s better than a kick in the pants. Which is very true. These switcharoo Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches are indeed better than any kick in the pants I ever had.

The best Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches (or any other type of ice cream sandwiches) start out with freshly baked, chewy cookies. In my opinion, chewy cookies work better because they don’t get as brittle as crisp cookies do when frozen. And, as I said, I think the cookies should be frozen before you assemble these peanut butter ice cream sandwiches. So put the cookies in the freezer and the ice cream on the counter – and let’s get started.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches

Lay half the cold cookies onto a clean counter (topside down – duh). Place a big dollop of ice cream in the center of one cookie. The ice cream should have set on the counter long enough that it scoops with very little effort, but is not yet drippy (and messy). A generous amount of ice cream is necessary to avoid a dessert-time revolt of the masses. Next, use the back of the scoop to slightly flatten the ice cream, then place another cookie on top (topside up – duh). Then gently and evenly twist and press the top cookie down with the flat palm of your hand to create the sandwich. Use your finger to clean up the edges and redistribute some of the oozing ice cream. Place the finished ice cream sandwich onto a fresh from the freezer baking sheet. Then quickly repeat, repeat, repeat until all the sandwiches are made. If you want to get fancy you can dip the sandwiches in slightly cooled, melted chocolate. You’ll definitely get a few oohs and ahhs at the table if you do.

Once you’ve got them to this point (chocolate-dipped or not) let me give you some (more) advice. DO NOT SERVE THEM IMMEDIATELY. Freeze them for a bit. Once frozen they may be wrapped in parchment individually. When you’re ready to serve, let them sit at room temperature for a few moments. If you serve them on a hot night (which of course you will) they’ll be delightfully biteable in about 5 minutes.

Just so you know, there are differing opinions about constructing ice cream sandwiches out there. In fact, on the subject of how to Make the Absolutely, Positively Best Ice Cream Sandwich, the otherwise highly dependable website The Kitchn gets it Absolutely, Positively wrong. I know because I tried it their way. Everything about their version (which requires a soft, hot cookie and hard cold ice cream) is a mess. That includes my kitchen counters. I will tolerate a lot of things in the pursuit of perfection, but sticky counters is not one of them. GREG

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Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches 

By: Greg Henry

Print This Recipe Total time Yield 16Published September 1, 2015

Ingredients

• 32 soft and chewy peanut butter cookies freshly baked and at room temperature)
• 1 ½ quart chocolate ice cream
• 10 ounce unsalted, dried roasted peanuts (roughly chopped)
• 16–20 ounce semi-sweet chocolate (melted and slightly cooled)

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Directions

Put the room temperature cookies into the freezer for at least 1 hour. Pour chopped peanuts into a large bowl. Place bowl and peanuts in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, soften the ice cream by either moving it from the freezer to the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes, or let it stand at room temperature for 10–15 minutes. Once the ice cream has softened somewhat, scrape it in several additions, into the bowl with the chopped peanuts, stirring after each addition until all the ice cream has been added and the peanuts are well distributed. Return the ice cream to the freezer if it begins to get too melted.

When ready to assemble, soften the ice cream slightly once again if necessary. 

Lay half the frozen cookies onto a clean counter, topside down. Place a big dollop of ice cream in the center of one cookie. The ice cream should have softened enough that it scoops with very little effort, but is not yet drippy. Next, use the back of the scoop to slightly flatten the ice cream, then place another cookie on top, topside up. Gently and evenly twist and press the top cookie down with the flat palm of your hand to create the sandwich. Use your finger to clean up the edges and redistribute some of the oozing ice cream. Place the finished ice cream sandwich onto a fresh from the freezer baking sheet. Then repeat, repeat, repeat until all the sandwiches are made. Place the sandwiches in the freezer at least 20 minutes before proceeding.

Place the melted chocolate into 4 or 5‑inch bowl to create a deep well of chocolate for dipping. Dip half of each sandwich into the chocolate and quickly move it to a chilled parchment-lined baking sheet, standing it on its side. Hold in place a moment, the chocolate will dribble down creating a stable base. Very cold cookies assists in the quick hardening of the chocolate. Repeat with all the sandwiches. There will be extra chocolate because you need plenty of it in the bowl to effectively dip. Save the extra for another use.

Return the chocolate-dipped sandwiches to the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before serving. You may also freeze them solid, then wrap them individually in parchment.