Craving a sweet treat? I found my new favorite one this past week at BakeHouse in Logan Circle. It’s their Ice Cream Sandwich, made with freshly baked peanut butter cookies, homemade strawberry jam and peanut butter ice cream. I really can’t say enough good things about it. The cookies are crumbly, buttery and tremendously comforting, packed with nutty, smokey flavor which is brought out even more by the fleur de sel sprinkled over the top. The coarse grains of hand-harvested sea salt add an awesome contrast and make a fun, carefree childhood classic into a mature adult dessert. I also appreciate that entire halves of peanut are left in to give the cookie an extra crunch and boost of nuttiness. The sweet and tart strawberry jam in there is also wonderful with its ripe fruit flavor that balances out perfectly with the velvety smooth ice cream. The type of jam used changes on some days, depending on what kind of fruit the kitchen can get their hands on. (Plum and ginger is in the works for late October!) The cookie itself doesn’t freeze over from the ice cream or become stiff and hard to bite into as is often the case with these snacks. The ratio is perfect – a good amount of each texture in every mouthful. If you’re not a fan of peanut butter or have an allergy to it, no problem! They also make the sandwich with gooey oatmeal cookies and spiced chai ice cream. I have yet to try it, but it promises to be quite delicious.

I  also cannot stop saying good things about the husband and wife team responsible for this delicious treat. Lindsey, originally from Florida, first started baking while living in the rather isolated and cold South Georgian island near Antarctica with her husband, Niall, who ran a small museum there and conducted tours for guests of Antarctic cruise ships. While they enjoyed the company of the hordes of penguins that surrounded their cottage, they missed the access to fresh ingredients and to the variety of food that we city-slickers take for granted. As a way to reconnect, Lindsey started to combine the raw ingredients they had in storage to make fresh breads, cakes and pastries. They incorporated the recipes of Niall’s family, originally from the UK, into Lindsey’s classic American baking. They eventually decided to work in the food business and after working at bakeries and coffee shops for some time, they decided to open their own business in D.C., specializing in modern takes of traditional favorites.

Bake House stays open until 9 on weekdays and until 11 on Friday and Saturday nights to accommodate the young’uns dining out on 14th. The place is definitely on my radar for a cocoa mate (which they’re getting soon!) and an ice cream sandie as a sweet treat to end the night with.