25 Easy No-Bake Desserts: Icebox Cake, Cheesecake, Pudding And More
There's a lot to be celebrated during summer. In addition to a few patriotic holidays, there are bridal showers, bachelorette parties and countless birthday events for the Cancers, Leos and Virgos in our lives. And what's one thing every celebration needs? Dessert. But firing up the oven on a 90-degree day isn't our idea of fun. When you need something extra special, turn to these incredible no-bake desserts and you'll avoid preheating your oven for the rest of the season.
Lemon Icebox Cake
Even the name of this dessert takes our body temp down a few degrees. Icebox cakes have been around since the 1920s and they're not going out of style any time soon. The retro dessert is usually made with cream, fruit, nuts and wafers. This version calls for extra refreshing lemons.
Strawberry Margarita Pops
Margaritas are a welcome cocktail during summer, but margarita ice pops take the concept to another level. The splash of tequila makes this one of the best boozy desserts. Just add the ingredients to a blender, mix until smooth, add the mixture to popsicle molds and store it in the freezer to set.
Frozen Yogurt With Whipped Honey
Frozen yogurt is easier to make from scratch than you might think. Made with two ingredients, the light dessert comes together in about an hour. This recipe suggests adding a whipped honey topping but if you don't feel like it, drizzle honey over the treat for a similar effect.
For the Frozen Yogurt With Whipped Honey recipe, click here.
Frozen Strawberry Custard
Strawberries are in season starting in late spring and remain fresh throughout summer. Here, they're mashed in a food processor and mixed with an egg-cream mixture to form a delightfully sweet and refreshing frozen custard.
Orange Creamsicle Jell-O Mold
Orange creamsicles are a popular ice cream truck treat, but in this recipe, the timeless dessert is turned into a fluffy, lighter-than-mousse Jell-O mold that's guaranteed to melt in your mouth.
Homemade Honeycomb Candy
If you need to get a dessert on the table fast, this homemade honeycomb candy is the way to go. Made with just four pantry staple ingredients, this treat is ready in 30 minutes. Serve it as is, or use it as an ice cream topping.
Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding
Rice pudding may not be as popular as it once was, but that doesn't mean it's not delicious. Skip the packaged stuff and make it from scratch by following this easy recipe.
No-Bake Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwich
If you're someone who can't resist taking a few bites of raw cookie dough when baking, you're in luck. This frozen cookie dough ice cream sandwich is prepared with an unbaked, egg-free chocolate chip cookie dough so you can snack on it without getting sick.
For the No-Bake Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwich recipe, click here.
Crushed Orange Shaved Ice
Shaved ice is one of the most iconic desserts in the country, and it tastes especially good during summer when 90-degree days are the norm. On top of being an ideal way to cool down, shaved ice is a perfect dessert to make with your kids. Let them pour the food coloring over the shaved ice.
Mint Chocolate Chip Fudge
Chocolate Truffles
Another way to get your chocolate fix is by making truffles. Although they're typically found at dessert shops, these fudgy delights are super easy to make at home. Case in point: you only need four ingredients for this recipe.
Watermelon Pie
Of course, the easiest way to cool down during summer is to have ice cream or another frozen dessert. This "pie" might have the appearance of watermelon, but it's made out of sherbet, sorbet, gelato and chocolate chips.
Pretzel Peanut Butter Cups
Peanut butter cups are one of the most popular candies around, but did you know that you can easily make the treat from home? It's true! This recipe adds a pretzel to the center of each cup, giving the dessert a balance of sweet and salty flavors.
Limoncello Mousse
This limoncello mousse will easily turn a meal at home into a 5-star dining experience. Buttery, fluffy mascarpone cheese is whipped to perfection with cream, lemon zest and limoncello liqueur. The ethereal dessert is perfect for dinner parties, but keep in mind that the mousse needs four hours to chill before serving.
Japanese Milk Pudding
Dairy-Free Dole Whip
One bite of this pineapple-flavored Dole Whip and you'll feel like you're at Disney World. The light, creamy dessert is dairy-free and is sure to cool you down on hot summer days when you don't feel like leaving the house for ice cream.
Nectarine and Berry Parfaits
Parfaits aren't just for breakfast; they also make for great desserts. Swap out granola for crumbled cookies and sweetened whipped cream. You can use any of your favorite fruits, but this recipe suggests adding in peaches and strawberries.
Frozen Sweet and Sour Cherry Granita
Cherries are a versatile ingredient that can be used in everything from salads to pies and tarts. Here, the sweet-and-sour fruit is pureed with water, simple syrup and salt, then frozen until it has a slushie-like consistency for an easy, refreshing dessert.
For the Frozen Sweet and Sour Cherry Granita recipe, click here.
Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake
If you love strawberry shortcake but don't want to turn on the oven, take the same idea but turn it into an icebox cake instead. It'll have that quintessential strawberry and whipped cream flavor without heating up the entire house.
For the Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake recipe, click here.
Mango Rum Tiramisu
If you want to impress your dinner guests during dessert, tiramisu is the way to go. But this recipe strays away from the typically chocolaty espresso treat and gives it a summer flare by using mango and rum instead.
Lemon Mascarpone Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is a popular Italian dessert that translates to "cooked cream." The dessert itself is a simple mixture of cream, sugar and vanilla. Gelatin is used to give the dessert its firm structure. Give the treat a bright pop of flavor by adding in the juice and zest of a lemon, as this recipe does.
Honey Lavender Ice Cream
Dried lavender buds are used in this honey lavender ice cream recipe from Salt & Straw to bring floral notes to this elegant take on a summertime staple. After forming a honey syrup to punch up the sweetness, steep the lavender in the syrup for four hours, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake
Just looking at the picture for this chocolate peanut butter icebox cake makes us hungry. The confection seems complicated at first glance but it's actually a cinch to pull together — you only need five ingredients and 20 minutes.
For the Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake recipe, click here.
Dirt Cake
When you were young, no dessert was more laugh-inducing than dirt cake. The treat, which looks like worms are growing out of the ground, is a mixture of crushed Oreos, gummy worms and pudding.
Cold Strawberry Cheesecake
Cheesecake crust typically requires baking, but this cold confection uses vanilla wafers instead. The cream cheese filling is topped with strawberry Jell-O and fresh strawberries. Once you have your dessert list down, check out more cold dishes to make on hot days.
For the Cold Strawberry Cheesecake recipe, click here.
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