3 iconic Charlotte ice cream sandwiches to celebrate the return of Elizabeth Creamery

It can’t be easy to re-open an ice cream shop in the dead of winter and not many people seem to know they’re back yet so it looks like things have been slow. (At the time of writing this, even Yelp still lists the location as closed.) So to shine some light and celebrate the triumphant return of this beloved little family-run neighborhood gem, I decided to buy a pint of their good old homemade vanilla and stuff it into a bunch of iconic Charlotte baked goods to make the ultimate Queen City ice cream sandwiches.

Long live the Queen.

To make your own Charlotte ice cream sandwiches you will need: 1 pint of Elizabeth Creamery vanilla ice cream, 2 Sunflour rainbow sugar cookies, 2 Amelie’s salted caramel brownies, 1 Bojangles biscuit and some strawberry jam.

Pro tip: Freeze all of your baked goods before stuffing with ice cream. It makes them easier to work with.

The Classic: Sunflour Rainbow Sugar Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

This one just made sense. I knew I was going to work with something from Sunflour but I wasn’t sure what until I walked in and spotted these cheery sprinkled cookies. Knowing that I had some crazier concoctions up my sleeve, I wanted something tried and true, and these two big, fat cookies fit the bill.

The That’s-So-Charlotte: Salted Caramel Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich

I’m not sure there is a more iconic baked good in all of Mecklenburg County. When your friends and family visit, do you or do you not take them to get a salted caramel brownie? When you go on a first date, do you or do you not think it’d be cute to share a salted caramel brownie and then buy two instead because these are not for sharing? When you’re up studying in the middle of the night and need love and support, do you or do you not turn to the salted caramel brownie? The SCB is the most Charlotte dessert out there and it only made sense to stuff it with ice cream. (Pre-freezing the brownies is required for this one or else it’s just a slippery mess.)

The One Ted Wanted: Bojangles Strawberry Jam Ice Cream Sandwich

When I texted Ted to tell him I was going to do this story, his only editorial input was, “Add a Bojangles biscuit.” I’ve never been to Bojangles in my life but for the sake of journalistic integrity I did it. I went through the drive-thru myself, paid $1.07 cash for my one plain biscuit and took it home to be stuffed with ice cream and jam. I had my doubts about this one but the salty-sweet combo is on point, my friends. (I also think the addition of jam was pretty brilliant on my part.)

So there you have it. A full line up of iconic Charlotte ice cream sandwiches to get you through the summer. Don’t say we never gave you anything.

Oh, and welcome back Elizabeth Creamery. We missed you.