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The $8 Bakery-Section Find I Always Buy for Summer BBQs

Mara Weinraub
Mara WeinraubSenior Editor of Groceries at The Kitchn
I nudged my way into writing about food after a too-long stint working in advertising. At first, I freelanced for several digital food media outlets, and then worked at Hearst Magazines as the Senior Food & Drink Editor across nearly all titles, including Delish, Good Housekeeping, and Pioneer Woman. I’ve been at The Kitchn since August 2021, and one of my proudest accomplishments is my feature detailing the fascinating grocer solutions to America’s food waste problem. (If you haven’t read it, now’s the time!) I nerd out over groceries. One of the best parts of my job is sharing little-known or untold stories that help shoppers navigate the aisles — and their budget — like the “two-finger” rule on how to pick out the perfect watermelon, our editors' favorite hot cocoa mix, or a corner of our country's food system. I’m always looking for new ways to expand the groceries conversation at The Kitchn.
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published May 29, 2022
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reusable grocery bags on the floor in the kitchen filled with groceries
Credit: Joe Lingeman

For years, I’ve hosted a barbecue on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The weather in New York, where I live, is a crapshoot that time of year. Will it be 80 degrees and sunny, 55 degrees and rainy, or something in between? Your guess is as good as the weathercaster’s. No matter what the sky has in store for that day, though, one thing is for certain: There will be ice cream sandwiches for dessert. But not just any ice cream sandwiches. No, these are true crowd-pleasers that call for one very special bakery-section find from BJ’s Wholesale. I’m talking about their massive chocolate chunk cookies. 

Credit: Mara Weinraub

Wellsley Farms Chocolate Chunk Cookies, $8.29 for 37 ounces at BJ’s Wholesale Club

Roughly three inches in diameter, these cookies are studded with chunks and loaded with chocolaty flavor in each bite. Their heftiness (and chew) makes them the ideal cookie to craft ice cream sandwiches. Plus, I love that they vary in shape just enough to give them a homemade look without causing a messy matching game.

The night before the party, I scoop strips of slightly softened vanilla or chocolate ice cream between two of these generously sized cookies over and over until the clamshell packaging is empty. If I’m being totally honest, I usually eat a cookie sans ice cream at some point in the process. (I recommend microwaving it for five to eight seconds first.) As I go, I place the sandwiches in a large rectangular-shaped plastic container in the freezer to limit meltage. Then, I leave them in there so they can firm up overnight.

Credit: Mara Weinraub

One of my absolute favorite things about these desserts is the look on people’s faces when I bring them out. Eyes widen. Mouths gape. Gasps ensue. Even my siblings — who’ve had sneak previews of they’re assemblage — are amazed when the rectangular plastic container lined with rows of these frozen sandwiches stops in front of them. Yes, this dessert is such a stand-out, I don’t even bother plating them on a decorative tray.

Find them in stores: Wellsley Farms Chocolate Chunk Cookies

If you don’t live near a BJ’s or don’t have a membership to one (or know someone who does), don’t fret. You can still make these two-ingredient sandwiches. Look for similar chocolate chunk cookies in the bakery section of your local bulk warehouse or grocery store.

What grocery store bakery finds are you buying right now? Tell us in the comments below.

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