OATMEAL COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

These spiced-just-right cookies are the perfect texture for ice cream sandwiches — chewy and soft. They are also delicious on their own. (Adapted from Desserts: More Than 140 of Our Most Beloved Recipes by the editors of Food & Wine, Oxmoor House)

3/4 cup (180 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp (5 mL) ground cardamom

½ tsp (2.5 mL) salt

½ tsp (2.5 mL) baking soda

½ cup (125 mL) butter, softened

¾ cup (180 mL) packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

¼ cup (60 mL) buttermilk

1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

1½ (375 mL) cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2-3 cups (500-750 mL) of your favourite ice cream or sorbet, any flavour

Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cardamom, salt and baking soda until incorporated. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. At medium speed, beat in the egg, buttermilk and vanilla until just smooth. Beat in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the oats until well combined.

Using a 2 tbsp. (30 mL) ice cream scoop, scoop 10 mounds of dough onto each baking sheet, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake in the lower and upper thirds of the oven for 13 minutes, until cookies are puffy and set, switching the sheets halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool to room temperature. Arrange on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until frozen through.

For each ice cream sandwich, scoop 3 tbsp. (45 mL) ice cream onto the underside of a cookie and top with another cookie, underside down. Wrap in plastic and freeze until the ice cream is just firm, about 30 minutes

Makes 10 sandwiches.