This article was originally published by Lindsey Bartlett on April 25, 2017
View the original article here.
There’s something uniquely Denver about seventy-degree spring days that can quickly turn into rain or snow. We never wait for a permanent break in the weather before heading for our favorite ice cream shops — even with the threat of cold temperatures or a little spring snow. When we want an ice cream sandwich, we want it right now.
And if you want one right now, too (quick, the sun is peeking out!), we’ve got a list that goes beyond the ordinary. Thanks to creative shops around town, the ice cream sandwich game has been elevated to an entirely new level. Pop Tarts, French pastries, Nutella, fresh-baked cookies and even warm doughnuts make an appearance; here’s our list of nine unique ice cream sandwiches in Denver.
Nuggs Ice Cream- Ice Cream Waffle Tacos
On Taco Tuesday, make sure to swing by Nuggs for dessert to catch this sugary take on Mexican street food. A flight of three ice cream tacos awaits; mix and match and share with someone you love — or keep them to yourself; we won’t blame you.
Sweet Action- Sugar Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
Sweet Action dishes up a constantly changing sugar-cookie ice cream sandwich with fun and seasonal flavors. The buttery, crunchy, crispy cookie melds perfectly with the ice cream squished inside. Our favorite so far? A lemon sugar cookie with raspberry ice cream (pictured above).
Ice Cream Riot- Pop Tart Ice Cream Sandwich
Dessert doesn’t get much more fun than this; meet the Pop Tart ice cream sandwich from Ice Cream Riot. The Pop Tart and ice cream flavors vary depending on what tickles the kitchen’s fancy; so what combos will you find now? Try vanilla ice cream with strawberry-iced Pop Tarts, chocolate ice cream with cookies-and-cream Pop Tarts, and, last but not least, vanilla ice cream with brown-sugar Pop Tarts. No matter which one you choose, the combo will take you right back to childhood — or to your college days, when breakfast meant a cold Pop Tart on the run.
Public School 303- Nutella Ice Cream Sandwich
Nutella is a religion, but in this case, the only religion we’re okay with being in a public school. Public School 303 builds a chilly treat from from two chocolate chip cookies, a dollop of ice cream and a slathering of Nutella. If dessert was this amazing when we were kids, staying back a year would have been an appealing option.
Little Man Ice Cream- Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Sandwich
Little Man always has a steady supply of chocolate-dipped ice cream sandwiches on deck. Personal favorite? The peanut butter cookie with chocolate ice cream, dipped in dark chocolate. Make friends while you wait in line at the giant cream canister that’s become a community gathering place for the Highland neighborhood.
High Point Creamery- Ice Queen Sandwich
High Point Creamery has hit a high point in the last year, opening up a second location inside the Denver Central Market. The Ice Queen sandwich gives you a choice of High Point’s many fresh flavors inside a French pastry called a kouign-amann, similar to a croissant. The kouign-amann are made just across the aisle at Izzio Artisan Bakery, so you know they’re fresh and delish. And each order comes with a side of caramel sauce for an extra dose of sugar.
Hutch & Spoon; Tony’s Market- Peteybird
These teeny-tiny Peteybird ice cream sandwiches are a true Denver specialty, found only at a few retail locations. Flavors of the moment include brownie and salted caramel or strawberry and sugar cookie, but those are just two of the many configurations the company has offered over the years — first from a mobile ice cream stand, and now at shops and catered events. Check out the Peteybird website for more retail locations where you can buy the frozen treats.
Frozen Matter- Strooper Duper Ice Cream Sandwich
Frozen Matter is a different kind of ice cream shop — because everything, even the pasteurized ice cream base, is made on site, and because there’s a speakeasy called Retrograde built into the back, with access through a walk-in freezer door. But something else that makes Frozen Matter a delicious dairy destination in a sea of ice cream shops is this epic ice cream sandwich, which boasts a heaping scoop of vanilla in between two pieces of a caramel-dripping Austrian delicacy known as a stroopwafel.
Sweet Cooie’s Ice Cream and Confectionary- The Gooey Cooie
This new Congress Park ice cream shop, operated by the same folks who brought you Little Man Ice Cream, makes doughnuts and then slices them in half to form the outer layers of this decadent sandwich. Stuffed with your choice of ice cream, the doughnut gets a brief warm-up in a sandwich press before being drizzled in sticky glaze. “Gooey” is the perfect adjective to describe this warm and wonderful creation.
