Ice cream cookies perfect for summer celebrations

The classic combination of oatmeal cookies and milk together at last in a cool summer treat. These ice-cream sandwiches start with oatmeal cookies speckled with flecks of chocolate. Nestled between them is purchased vanilla ice cream (for ease) that gets dressed up with bits of toffee.

Of course, these ice-cream sandwiches also are easily adapted to whatever flavours you're hankering for. Finely chopped dried fruit, dark or white chocolate chips or other small candies could be substituted for the chocolate in the cookies or for the toffee bits in the ice cream. And just about any flavour ice cream can be used.

Toffee Cookie Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Start to finish: 2 hours (15 minutes active)

Cookies

2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1⁄3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1⁄3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

11⁄2 cups rolled oats

1⁄2 cup finely chopped chocolate, bitter or semi-sweet

Ice Cream

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1 cup crushed toffee bits (found in the baking aisle)

To make cookies, heat oven to 180 C (350 F).

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well.

Stir in flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in oats and chocolate. Divide dough into 24 tablespoon-size balls and arrange on 2 ungreased baking sheets, leaving abou 3 inches of space between them. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool completely.

Soften ice cream until it can be stirred but is not melted. The easiest way to do this is to transfer ice cream to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 10-second intervals until it reaches the desired consistency. Add toffee bits and mix well.

While ice cream is soft, scoop a bit onto the bottom of a cooled cookie, then top with another cookie. Freeze until ice cream is solid. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Makes 12 sandwiches

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 321 calories; 147 calories from fat; 17 g fat; 48 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 2 g fibre; 160 mg sodium.