Why 'Drop' Cookies Make The Absolute Best Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice cream sandwiches can be downright decadent, especially if they're paired with the right type of cookie. From chocolate chip cookies to snickerdoodles to M&M cookies, there are so many cookies to use as "walls" for a thick scoop of ice cream.

There's one type of cookie, though, that you probably haven't used to make an ice cream sandwich — but that you definitely should. These cookies are prepared differently than most, and it's those preparation differences that give them the texture to hold up exceptionally well to a veritable mountain of ice cream. Don't worry, though — they're just as sweet as any other type of cookie, so you won't lose any of your favorite flavor combinations if you use them in your ice cream sandwiches. 

Sure, they may not be those TikTok-famous fruit roll-ups, but they go well with a variety of ice cream flavors. Try just one ice cream sandwich with this cookie type and you'll know that it's the prime choice for making ice cream sandwiches.

If you haven't heard of a "drop" cookie, well, it's time to meet your new best friend. Drop cookies are named for an important part of their preparation that gives them their one-of-a-kind texture.

Drop cookies are prepared like any other cookies — up to the point when they hit the baking sheet for cooking. Many cookies are rolled out for a uniform look and placed on the baking sheet in an orderly fashion. By contrast, drop cookies are dropped onto the baking sheet. If you're wondering what exactly this process does for the cookies, it makes them thicker than typical cookies. This textural difference makes drop cookies great for ice cream sandwiches because a thinner cookie type may crumble or break when it has ice cream scooped onto it.

In the dessert world, there's nothing worse than your treats falling apart, and if you use drop cookies to make ice cream sandwiches, you'll be less likely to have this problem.

Cookies all have slightly different batters, so are some better for "dropping" than others? The good news is that because the cookies "drop" after you make the batter, the possibilities are nearly endless if you want to try new cookie flavors in your ice cream sandwiches.

If you prefer classic cookies, go with a chocolate chip or sugar cookie for a delicious ice cream-cookie pair. Like cookies with a bit more texture? Try making oatmeal cookies with raisins or chocolate chips for a more eclectic mouthfeel or score peanut butter cookies after you "drop" them for unmatched texture contrasts. Even cookies with a variety of textural add-ins, like monster cookies, will survive the "drop" process beautifully and make for a fun, creative take on an ice cream sandwich.

You can turn nearly any cookie recipe into a drop cookie as long as you remember to drop the batter onto the baking sheet instead of cutting it. The thick texture of drop cookies makes the perfect ice cream sandwich — all of the flavor you love without all of the breakage you can't stand.