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Ice cream sandwiches combine two of our favorite things: ice cream and baked goods. What’s not to love? And while we’d never turn down the standard single scoop smushed between two cookies, some shops have started serving up some over-the-top interpretations of this classic dessert.

With National Ice Cream Sandwich Day coming up on August 3 (yes, it’s a thing), we thought it only fitting to share the most whimsical, wonderful—dare we say, coolest—creations across the country. And if you don’t live in any of these cities, there’s always the DIY option.   

 

MOOJO, Austin

When it comes on a waffle, you can totally eat it for breakfast, right? Either way, we can’t wait to dig into this combo of a warm churro waffle, vanilla bean ice cream, and slivered almonds from MOOJO. ⠀

Afters Ice Cream, Fountain Valley, CA

Afters Ice Cream is famed for its Milky Bun: a warm donut stuffed with cookie monster and strawberry cookie crunch ice cream, cookie crisp cereal, and Oreos.  

Square Bar Cafe, San Diego

Childhood dreams do come true! Square Bar Cafe serves up milk ‘n’ cereal ice cream sandwiched between Fruity Pebbles macarons and topped with French toast crunch, and caramel drizzle.

Cocoa + Co., Chicago

The perfect balance of salty and sweet: This cool treat from Cocoa + Co. features house-made coffee toffee ice cream, salted pecans, and giant Oreo cookie tops.

Milkjam Creamery, Minneapolis

The coolest spot in Minneapolis? Milkjam Creamery, where you can chill out with a raised and glazed donut—from local fave Glam Doll Donuts—stuffed with house-made Thai tea ice cream, honeycomb candy, and salted caramel sauce.

Milk & Cookies Bakery, New York City

This sweet treat from Milk & Cookies Bakery—cookie dough and Fruity Pebbles waffles, birthday cake gelato, cookie dough crumble, strawberry sauce, Fruity Pebbles and rainbow sprinkles—is like a (birthday) party in your mouth. See what we did there?

Cream, Berkeley, CA

Cream churns out a sinfully sweet combination of soft-baked warm brownies, strawberry cheesecake ice cream, chopped almonds, and chocolate syrup. Not near Berkeley? No worries. Indulge your sweet tooth at shops in SoCal, Nevada, Colorado, and Florida.

Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats, Washington, DC

The rum cakewich, a.k.a. donutwich (a mash up between the rum cake and apple cider donut) from Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats is filled with vanilla bean frozen custard and salted caramel rum sauce.

Moxie’s, Washington, DC

Warm, fresh-baked chocolate chip and snickerdoodle cookies, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, and caramel sauce compose this confection from Moxie’s.

Cream Bar Custom Ice Cream Sandwiches, Schaumburg, IL

Known for their made-to-order delights, Cream Bar Custom Ice Cream Sandwiches serves up creative creations—like Froot Loops marshmallow treats with banana pudding ice cream and mini M&M’s, and warm M&M’s cookies with Cookie Monster ice cream and mini chocolate chips.

Swich, San Francisco

Swich lets you mix and match ice cream, cookies, and dippable toppings. Try the fancy (gluten-free) walnut fudge cookiewich with strawberry ice cream and rainbow sprinkles. Or maybe the red velvet with mint chocolate chip ice cream and dark chocolate pearls is more your style.

Cookiebar Creamery, Alameda, CA

Like a club sandwich, only way sweeter. Cookiebar Creamery uses homemade coconut almond chip and snickerdoodle cookies, and fills the sandwich with ube and toasted black sesame ice cream.

Dulcinea, Brooklyn, NY

The unicorn trend has officially permeated ice cream sammies. Rainbow vanilla-raspberry ice cream, Nutella, and sprinkles, smooshed in between two churro patties? That’s just how they roll, err churro, at Dulcinea.

The Baked Bear, San Diego

This double decker dessert from The Baked Bear’s OG Pacific Beach location (there are also outposts in Northern California, Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Utah) layers birthday cake and cookies & cream ice cream—coated with Fruity Pebbles and Oreos, respectively—and a warm brownie, in between two donut halves. The finishing touch? Homemade glaze.

MILK, Los Angeles

Both an ice cream parlor and bake shop, MILK is perhaps best known for these Instagram-worthy ice cream sandwiches—made with macarons, housemade ice cream, and cereal.

Related reading: 

Next-Level Ice Cream Sandwich Recipes to Try This Summer NYC’s Best New Soft Serve Ice Cream The Coolest Ice Cream Parlors in NYC Right Now