In the body of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.: The aroma at this stage is rich and buttery, and the texture should shift from slightly grainy to thoroughly smooth and airy, signaling that enough air has been incorporated into the fats. Use medium speed and stop a few times to scrape the bowl so no streaks of cream cheese remain, that ensures even texture. A common mistake is starting with cold ingredients, which prevents proper creaming and yields dense cookies. If the mixture looks oily or separated, chill it briefly and then rewhip gently.
Add the sugar and beat well.: After the sugar joins, the mix will become lighter in color and a bit more voluminous, and you may notice a faint sound of the mixer changing pitch as the crystals dissolve into the fats. This step helps create tenderness in the cookie through proper aeration and sugar distribution. Pay attention so the sugar is evenly distributed, because pockets of undissolved sugar can create gritty bites. If your mixing bowl sounds unusually loud, it may mean the attachment is hitting the bowl, so lower the speed.
Add in flour, a small bit at a time, beating in on low speed, just until incorporated. Stir in sprinkles.: You will see the dough come together from glossy to more matte as the flour hydrates the fats. Adding the flour gradually prevents overmixing, which can develop gluten and toughen the cookies. When you fold in the sprinkles , mix only until you see color specks distributed, too much stirring can cause their color to bleed into the dough. A frequent error is overworking here, which makes the dough dense, so stop as soon as the dry streaks disappear.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.: Chilling firms the dough, making it easier to scoop and helping the cookies hold their shape while baking. You will notice the dough becomes noticeably solid and cooler to the touch. This rest also deepens flavor as the ingredients meld. If you skip this step, the cookies will spread too much in the oven; if the dough feels rock hard after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly before scooping.
30 minutes prior to baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).: Preheating ensures an immediate burst of heat that sets cookie edges and creates the right crumb. You should feel a warm wave when you open the oven door at the end of preheat, and the oven thermometer should read steady at 350. Not preheating leads to uneven bake times and can make cookies either underbaked or overly spread. If your oven runs hot or cool, use an oven thermometer to correct the setting.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.: Lining the sheet prevents sticking and promotes even browning on the underside. The parchment also makes cleanup effortless and helps the soft cookies slide off intact after cooling. A common oversight is placing dough directly on an unlined tray, which can cause cookies to stick and tear upon removal. If you do not have parchment, lightly grease the pan, but expect slight differences in texture.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop out 2 tablespoon sized balls of dough, roll them into rounds, and place them on the cookie sheet. Lightly press each cookie down with the palm of your hand.: The dough will feel dense yet pliable, and rolling ensures uniform cookies for sandwich assembly. Pressing them slightly creates a gentle disk that bakes to a tender center with cooked edges, rather than a tall mound that may remain underbaked. A mistake is making uneven sizes, which leads to mismatched sandwiches; keep the scoop level and consistent for best results.
Place pan in the oven to bake for 12-13 minutes. They will still be very soft when you remove them from the oven - that's a good thing!: In the oven you will smell a sweet, buttery scent. The edges may take on a whisper of color while the centers stay pale. Removing while soft ensures the cookies remain tender after cooling; they continue setting on the hot sheet. Overbaking here will dry them out, so resist the urge to wait for a deep golden color.
Cool on the baking sheet for a full 15 minutes, then very carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, freeze the cookies for at least 2 hours.: The cookies firm up as they cool, and the first 15 minutes on the sheet allow them to finish setting without breaking. When you move them, they may feel fragile but should hold their shape. Freezing solidifies them so the ice cream does not melt during assembly. If you move them too soon they can fall apart, and if you skip freezing, assembly will be messy and the ice cream may melt quickly.
Once cookies are frozen -: The frozen cookies will feel crisp at the edges and firm through the middle, which is ideal for sandwiching. Working with frozen cookies prevents immediate melting and helps you achieve clean, neat edges when pressing the two halves together. A common pitfall is assembling with room temperature cookies, which causes the ice cream to slide and creates misshapen sandwiches, so keep them frozen until you are ready to fill.
Place 1/4 cup of slightly softened ice cream on one cookie, top with another, and gently press together. Roll the edges in sprinkles, and transfer to the freezer. Repeat until all cookies have been used. Freeze for at least 2 hours before eating.: Sensory cues here include the cold, smooth feel of the ice cream and the bright pop of color when you roll in the sprinkles . Slightly softened ice cream spreads easily without squishing out too much. Press just enough so the filling reaches the edges, then roll the rims for a decorative finish. If you press too hard you'll squeeze the ice cream out, and if you skip the final freeze the sandwiches will be messy when sliced. Store in a single layer on a tray until solid, then stack with parchment between layers.
