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Yields:
12 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
4 hrs 30 mins
During those blazing summer months when your air conditioner is working overtime, easy no-bake desserts are your best friend. This chocolate chip cookie icebox cake is a cool, creamy, nostalgic treat layered with bakery-style cookies and a light, fluffy filling. Bonus: it's requires almost zero effort—just stack, chill, and enjoy.
The secret is in the whipped cream filling; it’s rich, silky, and spiked with malted milk powder which adds just the right amount of nutty sweetness. It’s so good, you might find yourself sneaking spoonfuls straight from the bowl before it even makes it into the pan! Since the cake takes just 30 minutes of hands-on time and a long chill in the fridge, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for backyard cookouts, birthday parties, or lazy summer weekends. Use store-bought cookies to keep things simple, or stack it with your favorite homemade chocolate chip recipe. Either way, this no-bake beauty is sure to earn a permanent spot on your list of go-to summer desserts.
Can you use other cookies besides chocolate chip?
Definitely! This recipe is incredibly flexible and can be adapted with a variety of store-bought or homemade cookies. Most soft or chewy drop-style cookies are a great fit, such as these peanut butter cookies, M&M cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, triple chocolate cookies, or even snickerdoodles. Each one gives the cake a different personality, so feel free to experiment with your favorites. Just avoid cookies packed with hearty ingredients like oats, nuts, or dried fruit. They may not soften enough in the fridge and can make the texture of the cake less consistent.
How long can chocolate chip cookie icebox cake be stored?
This icebox cake can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored for up to 5 days total in the refrigerator. Keep in mind the whipped cream may start to deflate the longer it sits. After it has chilled in the fridge for at least 4 hours, the cake can be wrapped in plastic and foil and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup malted milk powder
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 (16-ounce) packages supermarket chocolate chip cookies (from the bakery section)
- 2 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips
Directions
- Step 1In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, malted milk powder, and vanilla, and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the speed to medium, and beat until smooth, 1 minute more.
- Step 2Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add 1 cup of the heavy cream, and beat on low speed until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups heavy cream, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until firm peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Step 3Spoon ¼ cup of the cream mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan, smoothing it into a thin, even layer with a spoon or offset spatula.
- Step 4Top the cream mixture with a single layer of cookies, breaking a few as needed to fit. Spread about 1¼ cups of the cream mixture over the cookies, smoothing it into an even layer. Repeat with another layer of cookies, followed by another 1¼ cups of cream. Repeat the layering process once more. Finish with a final layer of cookies, then spread the remaining cream mixture over the top, swooping it decoratively with a spoon if desired. (You’ll have four layers total.) Sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips.
- Step 5Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Step 6Run an offset spatula round the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. Slice into wedges and serve.
Tip: If you would like to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan to serve, chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, then freeze it for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours to firm up. Use a very large, flat spatula or a cake mover to slide the cake off the springform bottom and onto a serving plate or cake stand.
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