1. Cream together the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
2. Next add the sourdough discard, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
3. To the same bowl add the flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Mix until a soft dough is formed.
5. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or up to 24 hours before baking.

Shape and bake the sourdough Oreos

1. Once the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

   If the dough has been refrigerated for longer than 1 hour let it rest for 15-20 minutes to take the chill off.

2. I like to weigh each cookie to ensure they’re around 50 grams each (you should end up with 12 large cookies for 6 ice cream sandwiches).
3. Pro tip: Gently roll each dough portion by hand to create perfectly round cookies.
4. Align about 6-8 cookies on your baking sheet (making sure they are spaced about 2 inches apart) and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the cookies from the oven and firmly tap the tray on the counter to create those signature bakery-style cracks. This step is optional, but it adds a beautiful finish to the cookies.
6. Place the cookies back in the oven for 3-5 more minutes to ensure they are done baking. Every oven is different, so yours might only need the initial 15 minutes or it may need a few extra.
7. Upon removing them from the oven let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

How to assemble sourdough Oreo ice cream sandwiches

1. Prepare the ice cream. Line a small baking sheet or tray with parchment paper. Scoop the slightly softened vanilla ice cream into 6 equal portions (about ½ cup each), then gently flatten each scoop into a disc that's slightly smaller than your cookies.

   I'll link the ice cream sandwich tool I used here. However, this is not required.

2. Freeze until firm. Place the tray in the freezer for 2–3 hours, or until the ice cream discs are completely firm. This makes assembly quick, easy, and much less messy.
3. Assemble the sandwiches. Place one frozen ice cream disc onto the flat side of a cooled Sourdough Oreo Cookie. Top with a second cookie and gently press until the ice cream reaches the edges.
4. Decorate (optional). Roll the edges of each sandwich in festive sprinkles, crushed Oreo cookies, mini chocolate chips, or your favorite toppings.
5. Freeze again. Place the assembled ice cream sandwiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet and return them to the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving. This helps everything firm up for the perfect bite.

Tips for Success

1. Make sure the cookies are completely cool before assembling.
2. Work with just 1–2 ice cream discs at a time, keeping the rest in the freezer until you're ready to use them.
3. If the ice cream starts to soften, simply return it to the freezer for 10–15 minutes before continuing.
4. Store the finished sandwiches in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers for up to 2 weeks.