Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Checkpoint: Oven should be preheated and sheets ready before you start mixing.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside. Checkpoint: All dry ingredients should be combined and there should be no lumps in the flour mixture.

In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. The mixture should look pale, fluffy, and light in color. Checkpoint: The butter-sugar mixture should have doubled in volume and look creamy.

Add 1 large egg to the butter mixture and beat for 1 minute until fully incorporated. Checkpoint: No streaks of egg should be visible.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, and beat for another 30 seconds. Checkpoint: The mixture should smell fragrant and the extracts should be evenly distributed.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until a dough forms. Do not overmix. Checkpoint: Dough should hold together when squeezed but shouldn't be sticky or tough.

Divide the dough in half. Leave one portion plain vanilla. Into the second half, stir 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder until the dough is evenly chocolate brown. Checkpoint: You should have two distinct dough colors with no streaks.

Drop rounded tablespoons of plain vanilla dough onto the first prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart (dough will spread slightly). You should have about 12-14 cookies. Checkpoint: Dough portions should be evenly sized and have space between them.

Drop rounded tablespoons of chocolate dough onto the second baking sheet the same way, spacing 2 inches apart. Checkpoint: Both sheets should have evenly spaced dough portions of similar size.

Place both baking sheets into the preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges look set and slightly golden, but the centers still look slightly soft to the touch—they should not be hard or dark brown. Checkpoint: Cookies should be light golden at edges with soft centers. Bake a full 12 minutes for chewier cookies, 10 minutes for slightly firmer ones.

Remove baking sheets from the oven and let cookies cool on the pan for exactly 5 minutes. They will continue to cook slightly from residual heat. Checkpoint: Cookies should be cool enough to handle but still slightly warm.

Using a thin spatula, carefully transfer each cookie to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool completely at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Checkpoint: Cookies should be completely firm and at room temperature before assembling sandwiches.

While cookies cool, remove 1 quart of your favorite ice cream from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes until it's soft enough to scoop easily but not melted. Checkpoint: Ice cream should be soft but still hold its shape when scooped.

In a small bowl, stir together the softened ice cream with 2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles or mini chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix until the mix-ins are evenly distributed throughout. Checkpoint: Ice cream should be uniformly mixed with no white streaks, and should still be spreadable.

Quickly work with one pair of cookies at a time (keep remaining ice cream in freezer). Place one vanilla cookie flat side up on a clean surface. Checkpoint: Cookie should be at room temperature and completely hard.

Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the chocolate chip-honey ice cream mixture onto the flat side of the vanilla cookie. Checkpoint: Ice cream should be centered and about 1/4 inch thick.

Take one chocolate cookie and press its flat side directly onto the ice cream. Press gently to create an even sandwich—ice cream should squeeze slightly at the edges. Checkpoint: Sandwich should hold together, with ice cream visible at the edges.

Immediately wrap the assembled sandwich in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer. Checkpoint: Sandwich should be securely wrapped.

Repeat steps 14-18 with remaining cookies and ice cream. Work quickly so ice cream doesn't melt. Checkpoint: All sandwiches should be wrapped and on the freezer sheet.

Freeze all assembled ice cream sandwiches for at least 2-3 hours, or until the ice cream is very firm and the sandwich holds together easily. For best texture, freeze overnight or up to 5 days. Checkpoint: When you unwrap a sandwich, the ice cream should be hard enough that it doesn't squish out immediately when bitten.

To serve, remove sandwiches from freezer 2-3 minutes before eating so the cookies soften slightly and are easier to bite through. Enjoy immediately or return to freezer between bites.