The 6-Day Ice Cream Sandwich
Philadelphia’s favorite ice cream sandwiches are more than just two cookies and a scoop of ice cream. Each Weckerly’s sandwich is the product of a six-day process that balances science, creativity, and a whole lot of love. Here’s the breakdown of how our sandwiches come together over the course of six days:
DaY 1: Pasteurizing the Ice Cream
The process begins with pasteurizing our ice cream base with milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks. We do this process ourselves in our North Philadelphia based kitchen. This gives us total control over the process so the base is as rich, velvety, and ready as can be to carry the flavors that we craft into it over the next few days.
Day 2: Baking Cookies and Inclusions to Perfection
Every cookie you see on our sandwiches is baked in-house. From rich chocolate cake bits to buttery cinnamon cookies, we bake each one from scratch and then let them cool just right so they’ll hold their texture once layered with ice cream. On this day, our kitchen is running in two harmonious teams: one focused on baking cookies, the other preparing inclusions like our cocoa cookie crumbs, triple berry jam, coffee cakes, and cookie doughs. These elements bring variety and character to each flavor, and preparing them alongside the cookies propels the process forward.
Day 3: Churning and the First Layer of Ice Cream
On day three, we churn our custard base in small batches to keep it smooth and creamy. As it comes out of the machine, we fold in any house-made sauces, james, and cookie pieces, then spread fresh ice cream across the bottom cookie. The sandwiches are frozen at this stage, which gives us a solid first layer to build on.
Day 4: Churning Again for the Second Layer
The fourth day, the process repeats. We churn another batch of ice cream, sometimes with different mix-ins or flavors, and spread it over the firm first layer. This creates our signature double layer of ice cream that makes our sandwiches distinct. The whole tray then goes back into the freezer to set once more.
Day 5: Cutting the Sandwiches
On the fifth day, the ice cream slabs are tempered to -10°F, which is slightly warmer than our usual -25°F storage. This makes the ice cream firm enough to hold its shape, but soft enough to slice cleanly. We then run each slab through our cutting machine, which slices it horizontally into strips and then vertically, creating perfectly even sandwiches.
Day 6: Wrapping and Labeling
After cutting the sandwiches, we return them to the freezer where they firm back up to -25°F. Once they’re set, each one gets hand-wrapped in our signature paper and sealed with a label. This step may seem simple, but it's where the craft of the sandwich really meets presentation. Wrapping protects the sandwiches from freezer air, keeps the cookies crisp, and gives each one a clean look. The labels ensure that when you open a box or are handed a sandwich, you know exactly what flavor you’re about to enjoy. It’s the final touch in a process that began nearly a week earlier, and it’s what allows our sandwiches to leave the kitchen looking every bit as good as they taste.
