Sometimes all you need to take something from good to great is just a simple idea.

When I was growing up, back when my mom used to do most of the baking in the house. We had a pretty basic set of favorites when it came to cookies. Chocolate chip cookies were obviously the go-to, but occasionally Mom would switch out the chocolate chips with m&ms, or make her classic oatmeal cookies (never with raisins because no one in our house liked them), or her peanut butter. These were all totally separate things, and that’s just how we liked them.

It was until I started doing most of the baking that I first heard of a monster cookie and I thought it was brilliant. I mean, it’s literally the perfect combination of all the cookie flavors that my family loved in one cookie! Oatmeal peanut butter cookie dough filled with m&ms AND chocolate chips, yes!

I made them quite a few times when I first discovered them, but I think they sort of fell off my radar a little because it’s been ages since I made them last. So recently I remembered how great they are and realized that I needed to bake some for a new recipe but the question was (and it’s the question I always try to ask myself) “How can I make them different or better?” That’s when the warm weather lit a light-bulb in my head and I knew I had to include some ice cream.

Please tell me some of you have tried those giant chocolate chip cookies ice cream sandwiches that they used to sell in the Disney parks. Unfortunately, they weren’t selling them the last time my gang was there, but as a kid they were one of the highlights for me and my and sister. So much nostalgia, oh my goodness!

Well, I guess you could say those were a huge part of inspiring this recipe. To me, it’s the recipes with a bit of a story or a memory behind them that somehow taste the best, you know what I mean?

Anyway, I took that idea and added in my own little touch by using monster cookies. Not an entirely original idea, as I’m sure it’s been done before. Honestly though, in a generation with the technology to constantly share ideas, what hasn’t been? Deep fried pizza? Seen it before. Chocolate chip cookie shot glasses? Done it. Waffled brownies? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

So what’s a girl to do? Well, just embrace the fact that sharing ideas, even old ones, is how we make the world a better place. I mean, I think ice cream and cookies are an essential piece to a perfect world, am I right????

Monster Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: about 16 sandwiches

Skip the ice cream truck purchases this Summer and make your own. These ice cream cookie sandwiches have a little bit of everything and a lot a bit of deliciousness!

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups oat flour (or all-purpose flour)
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup mini m&ms
1 cup mini semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
1 quart vanilla ice cream

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Cream butter and sugars together in bowl of stand mixer (or with hand mixer). Scrape sides of bowl and add egg and peanut butter; beat until well combined. Add vanilla, soda, and salt. Add flour one cup at a time and beat after each addition then add oats and mix until you have a thick cookie dough. (If you are using a hand mixer you may have to hand stir the oats into the dough.) Stir in chocolate and m&ms then line a cookie sheet with parchment.
Roll into tablespoon sized balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until edges just start to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for about 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack.
Cool cookies completely, for about 30 minutes, then put them into an airtight container and place in freezer for another 30 minutes or until they are completely cold. Remove from freezer and use an ice cream scooper to scoop out large balls of ice cream and place them on the bottom sides of half of the cookies. Top with the second half of cookies and serve immediately or store in freezer in an air-tight container until ready to serve.

For more great food ideas and inspiration, please do not forget to look at my other recent posts

1. Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Havarti Grilled Cheese
2. Caramel Milkshakes + Celebrating 15,000 Followers!
3. Easy Cinnamon Sweet Potato Quick Bread
4. Sweet Hot Sesame Mustard Chicken Pizza
5. Blueberry Almond Streusel Crumb Muffins (Gluten Free)
6. Hummus Crusted Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
7. https://steemit.com/photography/@gringalicious/5-ingredient-s-mores-puff-pastry-pop-tarts-food-photo-shoot
8. Oven-Fried Chicken & Buttermilk Waffles
9. Chocolate Chili Avocado Truffles
10. Roasted Red Pepper+Chicken Orzo Pasta Skillet

ALL CONTENT IS MINE AND ORIGINAL! All of these food photos were taken with my Nikon D750 and my favorite Lens, the Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. You can find out more in my INTRO POST.

And, by the way, to all the minnows out there, my intro post did a huge $0.21. The key to success on Steemit is to be consistent and persistent. Click on the link below for some great tutorials on how you can also succeed on the steem blockchain:

Master Toolkit: Steemit Resource Guide Illustrated by @sndbox

Also, a huge shoutout to @rigaronib for designing my logo!

Do you want to learn more about me? Click here to see a recent @wadepaterson interview with me - 20 questions with @gringalicious