Use Oatmeal In Your Next Batch Of Chipwich Cookies - Exclusive

Is your go-to ice cream novelty a Drumstick, a Sno-Cone, a Spongebob character pop, or the obvious best choice: a chipwich? If you've never tried one before, a chipwich is essentially an ice cream sandwich that features two cookies (instead of the traditional chocolate wafers) sandwiching a thick layer of ice cream in the middle. Although the most classic combination of this ice cream cookie sandwich includes chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream, you can also find variations that use almost every type of cookie and ice cream under the sun.

The versatility of the chipwich, along with its ability to satisfy all of our sweet summer cravings, makes it a delicious dessert always to have stocked in the freezer. And Anna Gordon, the owner of New York City's The Good Batch and resident cookie enthusiast, gave us some chipwich-making tips for home cooks in an exclusive interview. Her secret ingredient for the perfect chipwich cookie isn't so unfamiliar to a classic cookie recipe, either: oatmeal.

During our conversation, she explained that cookies made with oatmeal tend to have a softer bite than those without it. "I find that the oats give [the cookie] a really nice texture ... and when they freeze, because there is more air in the oats, it helps the cookie be crunchier and more forgiving in the frozen bite," Gordon said. "It eats really well frozen."

Ann Gordon's recommendation is easy enough to try — you can make classic oatmeal raisin cookies for your chipwich or opt to add some oatmeal to your chocolate chip or sugar cookie base. For an extra-chewy texture, use old-fashioned oats, because they soak up water more easily than quick-cook oats. (Try soaking the oats ahead of time for the best oatmeal raisin cookies — a trick Duff Goldman also swears by.) Best of all, the flavor of the oatmeal is nuanced enough that it won't distract from the other ingredients you might add to your cookie, like chocolate chips, dried fruits, or nuts.

Adding oatmeal isn't Gordon's only tip for the perfect chipwich. She also told us that her bakery staff presses each individual cookie flat before baking, which helps prevent the dough from spreading too much. Gordon explained that when the dough goes into the oven already flattened, you don't have to worry about it coming out in a ball or another unusable shape.

But equally as important as prepping the cookies is getting your ice cream puck ready. Gordon recommends scooping the ice cream into a silicone puck or ring mold so that it's easier to assemble into a sweet sandwich. Ensuring the ice cream is adequately frozen — and chilling your cookies after baking — will also keep your fingers from being covered in sticky ice cream and prevent your chipwich from becoming a gloopy mess. Once your chipwich is assembled, roll it in toppings like mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or sprinkles — or enjoy it straight from the freezer for an instant treat.