I eat ice cream at least a few times a week. This doesn’t mean I’m going out to Culver’s or my local frozen custard joint all the time, but I do keep ice cream pints, bars, cones and sandwiches stocked in my freezer.
Historically, I gravitate toward ice cream flavors with chocolate, peanut butter, cookie dough or Oreo. But since (one of the best parts of) my job is staying on top of the trendiest flavors, recipes and ingredients, I know that banana pudding-inspired desserts are all over the place right now. I’ve been so immersed in banana pudding everything at work that I hadn’t brought it home with me yet—that is, until I saw Nightingale’s banana pudding ice cream sandwiches in the freezer at my local Metro Market.
Because every dessert tastes better when it’s in the form of ice cream, I knew this was my sign to try the trendy flavor. I picked up a box, and boy, I wasn’t disappointed. Nightingale’s ice cream sandwiches definitely deserve a Taste of Home Award.
My Taste in Ice Cream Sandwiches Has Grown Up with Me
There’s a certain amount of respect to be had for a classic ice cream sandwich. And believe me, I have it. As a kid, I remember savoring them for so long that the cakey chocolate wafers melted onto my fingers by the time I was done eating.
As an adult, I want something more creative than chocolate and vanilla—and something with more ice cream, while we’re at it! That’s why Nightingale’s ice cream sandwiches caught my eye in the freezer section. Each sandwich’s ice cream-to-cookie ratio is exactly what I want. And while a classic chocolate wafer will always be good, cookie ice cream sandwiches feel more substantial, because you’re technically getting two desserts in one (or is it three, since you have two cookies plus ice cream?).
There’s No Fake Banana Flavor to Be Found
I have to admit, I braced myself for fake banana flavor before taking my first bite. If you’ve ever had a banana Laffy Taffy, you know exactly what I mean. What I got instead was brown sugary, real banana bliss. I had visions of perfectly overripe bananas, the kind that you save to use in banana bread.
You can instantly tell that the creamy, dense filling is truly ice cream, not any of that “frozen dairy dessert” nonsense that you’ll so often find on the labels of freezer-aisle treats. Sure enough, Nightingale states on the box that its sandwiches always use 14% butterfat ice cream. It definitely pays off.
The “golden-crusted” brown sugar cookie tastes like a chewier, thicker version of a Nilla wafer. Where the chocolate wafers in classic ice cream sandwiches feel like mere vessels for transporting ice cream, the cookies in these Nightingale sandwiches are thick enough to appreciate on their own. They’re pillowy soft, but not too soft where the ice cream squeezes out when you take a bite.
I got the “Chomp” sized sandwiches. Each individually-wrapped, square-shaped sando is about half of a full-sized, rectangular one, but since the ice cream sandwich is so tall, it feels like you’re getting more than half an ice cream sandwich anyway. Nightingale also sells full-size versions of its sandwiches—and I might need to size up soon.
While I’m at it, I’ll be tracking down other fun flavors. For example, Nightingale sells key lime pie, strawberry shortcake, caramel churro and birthday cake sandwiches, and I keep praying that the mocha brownie and raspberry croissant flavors will materialize near me at some point too.
Where to Find Nightingale Banana Pudding Ice Cream Sandwiches
Nightingale ice cream sandwiches are distributed pretty widely across national retailers. They’re available at Pick ‘n Save, Metro Market, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Ralphs and Whole Foods.
Trying every Nightingale ice cream sandwich flavor is on my summer bucket list. My only complaint is that Nightingale sells four ice cream sandwiches per box—but maybe that’s better for my wallet and my already-packed freezer!
