No-Bake Icebox Cake Recipes to Cool Your Summer and Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

There's a whole world of icebox cakes and desserts out there, and if you haven't explored it yet, summer is the perfect time. The cool, creamy treats require no baking, and often very little work at all besides some mixing and layering — the fridge or freezer does all the work. Most icebox cakes include a premade crunchy component, whether that's Oreo cookies, graham crackers, or even Saltine crackers. As they rest in the fridge with layers of pudding-like filling, they soften and turn into a dessert that often slices like a cake, or can be scooped like a trifle. When you're deciding on desserts for your next summer party, consider one of these easy icebox cake recipes.

There are only five ingredients in this dessert, and the most difficult thing you have to do is whip some cream (if you must, you can just substitute Cool Whip instead). Chocolate wafers and chocolate pudding make this a chocoholics dream, but you can switch up the pudding flavor and the topping of toffee candy bar if you like.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Classic Southern banana pudding is practically an icebox cake already, since those Nilla wafers get all soft in the pudding and whipped cream. This recipe takes it one step further into cake territory by layering it all in a round springform pan so you can slice it like a cake at the end. 

Recipe: Delish

Think of this recipe as a no-bake cookies and cream cheesecake. It's got an Oreo crumb crust, cream cheese and Oreo-stuffed filling, and a smooth chocolate ganache topping. It calls for freezing before serving for extra cold and solid slices.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Chips Ahoy lovers, this one's for you! Instead of using plain cookies or graham crackers in this icebox cake, the recipe calls for packaged chocolate chip cookies. They're stacked with cream cheese and heavy cream layers to form the ultimate milk and cookies dessert. You can also make it in a trifle bowl instead of a 9x13 pan for a fancier occasion. 

Recipe: Amanda's Cookin'

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The richness in the filling of this icebox cake comes from mascarpone, an Italian cheese similar to cream cheese. But once you find that, the recipe is just as easy as every other icebox cake. Chocolate wafer cookies, toasted pecans, and jarred caramel sauce give it turtle vibes.

Recipe: Southern Living

We make this super simple key lime pie-style icebox cake all the time. There are only four ingredients because the pudding is thickened thanks to the acid in the lime juice — it's basically dessert magic. 

Recipe: Serious Eats

Got extra matzo after Passover — or need a unique Passover dessert? This icebox cake using matzo as the cookie layers is just what you're looking for. It combines lots of chocolate and cream for a mousse-like pudding, and you dip the matzo in coffee for extra flavor before layering. 

Recipe: Tasting Table

Take banana pudding one (or two, or three) steps further into deliciousness with this banana split-inspired icebox cake recipe. Sliced bananas, crushed pineapple, cherries, and nuts all go into this creamy dessert, with graham crackers in between the creamy pudding layers. A drizzle of chocolate syrup tops it off, of course.

Recipe: Spend With Pennies

Ina Garten can do no wrong in the kitchen, and her mocha chocolate icebox cake is no exception. It's kind of like tiramisu, with mascarpone cheese, cocoa powder, coffee liqueur, and espresso powder. Store-bought chocolate chip cookies add the structure to this cake for an extra chocolate punch.

Recipe: Food Network

This Smitten Kitchen recipe was adapted from Magnolia Bakery, and it's super popular. It relies on those thin, crispy wafers with the deep chocolate flavor. All you do is layer lots of them (11 layers of cookies, to be exact!) with slightly sweetened whipped cream in the form of a round cake. It's as gorgeous as it is tasty.

Recipe: Smitten Kitchen

Even if you're not a huge fan of Snickers candy bars, you're still going to love this icebox cake — chocolate pudding, caramel, peanuts, and hot fudge are hard to beat. It even includes chocolate graham crackers instead of regular for even more cocoa flavor. 

Recipe: Beyond Frosting

Forget shortcake and try a strawberry icebox cake instead. Strawberry Jell-O, chopped strawberries, and strawberry pie filling give it plenty of fruity flavor, not to mention a beautiful pink color. Cheesecake flavored pudding mix and graham crackers are also included in this thick 9x13 cake.  

Recipe: The Country Cook

This icebox cake recipe goes by a few different names, including Boston cream cake and chocolate eclair cake. Vanilla pudding and Cool Whip are mixed together and layered with graham crackers. It's topped with a thick layer of chocolate ganache that stays nice and soft straight from the fridge. 

Recipe: Averie Cooks

Chocolate and peanut butter is a classic combination, and it works really well in this Butterfinger-laced icebox cake. Peanut butter mousse and Oreos form this dessert, with chopped Butterfinger candy bars mixed into the filling and sprinkled on top for that satisfying crunchy texture. 

Recipe: Spicy Southern Kitchen