The Original Ice Cream Sandwich Replaced Something Much Less Delicious

History

The Original Ice Cream Sandwich Replaced Something Much Less Delicious By Alba Caraceni Aug. 31, 2025 8:20 pm EST

Ice cream is a sweet hot weather treat on the go, whether it's scooped into a cone or takeaway cup, frozen on a stick, or sandwiched between two cookies. But before there were portable — and often tasty — vessels for this creamy goodness, ice cream was sold on the street in other ways. One technique that New York City pushcart vendors used around the turn of the 20th century inspired the creation of the ice cream sandwich. But before there were cookies, there was paper.

The pushcarts sold "hokey pokeys" which were two-inch square slices of ice cream held between two pieces of paper. According to food historian and writer, Jeri Quinzio, a vendor in Lower Man