Ode to the Ice Cream Sandwich

As a child of the 1980s, prior to the artisan ice cream boom, my first ice cream sandwich was a rectangular slab of vanilla ice cream with two soft, chocolate cookie bookends. A simple and satisfying treat for my young palate.

However, long before my own introduction to this frozen dessert, ice cream sandwiches were making a name for themselves in 1900 when a street vendor began selling them for a penny in the Bowery neighborhood of New York City. This early iteration consisted of vanilla ice cream between two graham crackers. In fact, the first written account of what we now call an ice cream sandwich dates to an 1894 recipe composed of vanilla ice cream spread between two slices of sponge cake.

These days, you’ll find all flavors of ice cream thickly spread between two cookies of every variety, wafers and even donuts, in endless combinations: dipped in chocolate, wrapped in sprinkles or filled with chocolate chips or nuts. Cookies and Creme Jax Beach offers a build-your-own ice cream sandwich experience with house-made ice creams and oversized cookies made from scratch in a wide range of flavors. Similarly, Peace Pie in historic downtown St. Augustine offers picture-perfect ice cream sandwiches with traditional and fun, fruity options.

The Whittie, found at Whit's Frozen Custard, consists of custard between two cookies. This one holds a special place in my heart. When my husband and I first started dating, we would often walk to Whit’s in Atlantic Beach for a “night cap.” It was August and frozen custard, particularly the Whittie, was the perfect summertime treat.

I think if I had to choose just one ice cream sandwich for the rest of my life, I’d return to the plain-Jane version I fell in love with as a kid; the one that leaves chocolate stuck to your fingers. August 2 is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day and I hope you’ll join me to celebrate this perfectly portable treat and savor the nostalgia that’s steeped in every bite.