Forget Cookies: Give Ice Cream Sandwiches A Twist With Little Debbie's Cult-Favorite Seasonal Cakes

Cosmic Brownies, Oatmeal Creme Pies, Nutty Buddies. The list of iconic Little Debbie snacks could go on and on — especially during the holiday season, when the brand releases a lineup of seasonal treats that are hard to pass up on. One of Little Debbie's most recognizable holiday treats is, hands down, its Christmas Tree Cakes. Most folks enjoy these tree-shaped cakes as is, straight out of their plastic wrapping, but there's an even better — and more festive — way to eat them this season. Meet Christmas Tree Cake ice cream sandwiches.

Classic ice cream sandwiches are already made with cake-like chocolate cookies. The soft cookies pair exceptionally well with cold vanilla ice cream, creating a great textural contrast. In this festive twist, the soft, frosted, and sprinkled pieces of vanilla cake make the ideal vessel for ice cream — ideally a winter ice cream flavor, like peppermint, eggnog, or gingerbread — creating a no-bake dessert that's sure to get you in the holiday spirit.

To assemble them, spread out your ice cream flat onto a baking sheet and return it to the freezer to allow it to harden. In the meantime, slice your Christmas Tree Cakes in half. Using a Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter, cut out a piece of ice cream, and place it between two halves of the cakes. Freeze everything again for about 20 minutes. Then, when you're ready to eat, coat the sides of your ice cream sandwich in more sprinkles or crushed peppermint pieces, and enjoy.

If you've read our ranking of 20 Little Debbie snacks, you know that our favorite snack is the Oatmeal Creme Pies. In the same ranking, Little Debbie's Christmas Tree Cakes came in a measly 17th place, primarily for their lack of flavor. And while it's hard to compete with the likes of the brand's other well-known snacks, in our ranking of 15 store-bought Christmas snacks, the Christmas Tree Cakes came in last place. Clearly, our taste testers aren't the biggest fans of the nostalgic snack.

Despite their reportedly muted taste, we still think it's worth buying a box to make ice cream sandwiches with. Standing alone, the cakes' appeal comes more from nostalgia than flavor, but this makes them the ideal blank slate for making ice cream sandwiches. Their festive look — combined with their simple, subtle vanilla flavor — makes them an excellent treat to make at your next holiday party. You can make them ahead, or you can prepare each piece of the ice cream sandwich and have your guests assemble and customize them. Whichever way you do it, chances are, everyone will leave with a newfound appreciation of this seasonal Little Debbie treat.