10 Amazing Ice Cream Sandwiches

Welcome to the land of fancy ice cream sandwiches, where donuts, brownies, puff pastries are just some of the anything-but-boring bookends for sweet (and sometimes spicy) cold fillings. From east to west, fine dining restaurants to humble service counter windows, the after-dinner treat is being remade with innovative flavors and haute techniques. Your inner kid would go gangbusters for one of these ten. Summer diet be dammed.

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The Ainsworth in Hoboken, New Jersey

This New York offshoot fulfills both sugar and caffeine needs in one delicious dessert. The casual sit-down restaurant takes glazed chocolate donuts, cuts them in half, and fills the inside with cookies and cream. The coup de grâce: a caramel drizzle, sprinkle of espresso, and side of caramel popcorn. $9.

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Stan's Donuts & Coffee in Chicago

Customize your journey to sugar coma at this retro-counter shop. Start by choosing a donut casing, either classic (glazed, sprinkled), jazzed up (Boston cream, blueberry old-fashioned), or gluten-free (pistachio lemon, chocolate orange), then pick from an assortment of gelatos for the core. Our favorites? Hazelnut, mint chip, and dreamsicle. $4.99.

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db Brasserie in Las Vegas

Springtime inspired Pastry Chef Robyn Lucas’s latest creation, housemade strawberry gelato inside a vanilla pâte à choux, all of which gets a tableside chocolate sauce pour-over. While the flavors change seasonally, the elegant ambiance of Daniel Boulud’s brasserie inside the Venetian is perennial. $13.

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Miss Shirley’s Café in Baltimore

This family-friendly eatery alternates its wackadoodle waffle/ice cream combos monthly. On the lineup this summer: fried green tomato ice cream sandwiched between Cajun-spiced mini waffles, served with a fried green tomato and pickled relish (June); Bloody Mary ice cream with jalapeno-smoked bacon and mini waffles (July); and sweet-tea lemon-and-mint ice cream with lemon scented waffles (August). $11.99.

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Coppelia in New York City

The Latin-inspired flavors at this 24-hour luncheonette are a taste-bud fiesta. As if the Fresca Mexicana (strawberry-Mexican sour cream) or the Tepache-nopal (fermented pineapple cactus) weren’t mouthwatering enough, just wait until you put them in between a chipotle brownie. Other mix-and-match options include spicy tomatillo, horchata de quinoa, elote-corn and dulce de leche. We’ll have tres, porfavor. $5.50.

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IT’S IT Ice Cream Factory Shop on Singapore Airlines

Pillow, check. Blanket, check. IT’S IT Ice Cream sandwich, check. The vanilla ice cream and oatmeal cookie paring is dipped into dark chocolate and served on flights from San Francisco to Seoul. When vanilla isn’t on the menu, cappuccino and strawberry are. The store in California has even more options like mint, chocolate, and pumpkin. From $22; complimentary on Singapore Airlines

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Sugarmill in Denver

Elvis is alive—at least in ice-cream-sandwich form. Sugarmill’s tribute to the King: banana ice cream with bacon bits, held within a peanut butter or chocolate fudge cookie. Created in honor of the rock-and-roll god’s birthday, only 10 are made every day. $5.50.

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Amis Trattoria in Philadelphia

This industrial-chic Italian spot takes local-favorite AJ’s Biscuits and stuffs rhubarb marmalade and salted butter semifreddo ice cream inside. $12.

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Shaka Cones in Waikoloa, Hawaii

Island-inspired flavors like Kona coffee and green tea from Big Island-based Tropical Dreams are scribbled on a chalkboard menu at this grab-and-go in the Hilton Waikoloa Village. But it’s the Tahitian vanilla that fills the space between two freshly baked chocolate cookies, which are rimmed with sprinkles and crisscrossed with chocolate sauce. $6.95.

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Empire Asian Restaurant & Lounge, Boston

At this cavernous sushi den in the Seaport District, nutty Pandan-leaf ice cream is squeezed by pâte à choux, smothered in white chocolate fudge sauce, and ornamented with ginger macerated berries. $12 for three.

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10 Outlandish Ice Cream Sandwiches to Eat This Summer

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The Ainsworth in Hoboken, New Jersey

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Stan's Donuts & Coffee in Chicago

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db Brasserie in Las Vegas

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Miss Shirley’s Café in Baltimore

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Coppelia in New York City

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IT’S IT Ice Cream Factory Shop on Singapore Airlines

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Sugarmill in Denver

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Amis Trattoria in Philadelphia

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Shaka Cones in Waikoloa, Hawaii

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Empire Asian Restaurant & Lounge, Boston

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10 Outlandish Ice Cream Sandwiches to Eat This Summer

1 of 10

The Ainsworth in Hoboken, New Jersey

1 of 10

2 of 10

Stan's Donuts & Coffee in Chicago

2 of 10

3 of 10

db Brasserie in Las Vegas

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4 of 10

Miss Shirley’s Café in Baltimore

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5 of 10

Coppelia in New York City

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IT’S IT Ice Cream Factory Shop on Singapore Airlines

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Sugarmill in Denver

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Amis Trattoria in Philadelphia

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Shaka Cones in Waikoloa, Hawaii

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10 of 10

Empire Asian Restaurant & Lounge, Boston

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