Ice cream sandwiches are a favorite of summer. But how did this humble tasty treat get its start?
Ice Cream Sandwich History
Historians and confectionary experts are at odds over the exact origin of the ice cream sandwich, but what is for sure is that in August 1899, the New York Mail and Express ran a story headlined “A New Sandwich” touting a popular new ice cream dessert that was sandwiched between two cookies or crackers, making them portable and easy to eat. They were being sold in the Bowery by pushcart for a penny. But who was exactly behind the invention is still a bit of a mystery.
Morphed over the years into dozens of forms, using ingredients from crisp chocolate chip cookies to moist cake to rich, fudgy brownies, and from ice cream flavors that don’t stop at vanilla, the ambrosial ice cream sandwich is sometimes served dipped in nuts, and/or coated with chocolate chips (remember the “Chipwich,” born in the 1980s?).
And who can forget Hood’s classic version—vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two rectangular chocolate cookies that leave sticky, chocolately remnants on your fingers?
But whichever way you like them, ice cream sandwiches are a special, time-honored treat that can be purchased or made at home with your family for some extra joy—especially when temperatures soar. Try this recipe for a yummy summer evening, and don’t be shy about substituting fun flavors like black raspberry, mint chocolate chip, or whatever your family favorites might be!
