If you think you know how to make cinnamon toast, the internet begs to disagree. Some tell you to stir the cinnamon-sugar into the butter, then slather it on the bread. Others tell you to butter the bread, then sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. Some tell you to bake it. Others tell you to broil it. Or toast it, or pan-fry it, or air-fry it. But all of this is besides the point.
Because the very best thing you can do with cinnamon toast—however you make it—is sandwich it with ice cream.
Perhaps you already have some ice cream sandwiches in your freezer (I aim to have at least two boxes at all times). But between June and August, there is no such thing as too many. And for days when chocolate chip isn’t the vibe, this buttery, cinnamony version cannot be beat. It is crisp, spiced, and melty—two comfort foods holding hands, frolicking on the beach. The snack to outshine all other snacks when 3 p.m. strikes, your to-do list is long, and your energy is short.
How to make a cinnamon toast ice cream sandwich
Here’s the recipe, if you can call it that: Scoop a big scoop of ice cream onto a plate, then flatten it until it resembles a burger patty. Place in the freezer. In a small bowl, combine 4 Tbsp. soft unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Mash with a spoon until smooth.
Lightly toast 2 slices brioche or challah (avoid anything crusty, like ciabatta or a baguette). While warm, spread some cinnamon butter on each slice of bread. Let it melt and let the bread cool. When the bread is no longer warm, remove the ice cream patty from the freezer and slide it on top of the cinnamon-buttered side of one piece of toast. Top with the other piece of toast, with the cinnamon-buttered side facing up. Slice in half and eat immediately.
The type of ice cream is up to you. Vanilla is my favorite here, but just about anything works, from chocolate to strawberry to coffee. And the bread is almost as flexible. An enriched loaf, like eggy challah and buttery brioche, deliver a soft-but-stable structure that won’t squish into chaos at first bite.
Extra cinnamon butter will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of weeks. So you’re all ready to make more ice cream sandwiches whenever the mood strikes.