24 Icebox Cakes and Pies to Make This Summer

By MyRecipes
Updated June 27, 2018
Jennifer Davick; Styling: Heather Chadduck, Caroline M. Cunningham

Craving an easy sweet treat this summer but don't want to crank up your oven in this stifling heat? Icebox cakes and pies are the answer. They're easy to assemble in a snap, but still have that impressive wow-factor perfect for summer parties and potlucks. From rich, indulgent, and chocolatey to fruity, tart, and tangy, there's a frozen dessert for every crowd. Just assemble, freeze, and you've got a tasty treat waiting for you when that craving strikes. 

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Mango Royale

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Mango Royale Recipe

American ice box cake meets Filipino crema de fruta (a layered cake often made with canned fruit cocktail) in Isa Fabro's fresh, creamy dessert. "It's American and Filipino at the same time--like me!" says the chef at Unit 120 in Los Angeles. You'll need a 9-in. springform pan, and a small offset spatula is helpful for spreading. Mangoes may need a few days to ripen in a paper bag.

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Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie Recipe

With a rich, creamy filling and melt-in-your-mouth crust, this is quite possibly the best chocolate pie ever.

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Peach Divinity Icebox Pie

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Peach Divinity Icebox Pie Recipe

For a dessert that's as stunning as it is simple, this pie is where it's at. It's also a beautiful way to showcase those in-season summer peaches, and makes for a gorgeous presentation at the table.

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Strawberry-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Gingersnap Crust

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Strawberry-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Gingersnap Crust Recipe

The tangy lemon-buttermilk pie pairs perfectly with the buttery sweet cookie crust. A heaping mound of ripe, juicy summer berries is perfect finish for this summertime stunner.

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Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie Recipe

The brightness of lemon and the tang and richness of buttermilk are a match made in heaven. For a dessert that's sunny, tart, and citrusy, make this your go-to recipe.

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Mango-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Saltine Cracker Crust

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Mango-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Saltine Cracker Crust Recipe

The floral sweetness of mango and buttery savory-ness of the saltine crust may not be an intuitive pairing but they compliment each other beautifully in this easy-to-assemble pie.

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Mint Oreo Icebox Cake

Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Mint Oreo Icebox Cake Recipe

This decadent Oreo icebox cake is incredibly easy to make and requires only six ingredients. It’s a perfect dessert for kids birthday parties that doesn’t require heating up the kitchen. As is, this cooling cake offers a delightful mint-chocolate flavor profile, but feel free to switch things up by using your favorite Oreo cookie flavor (and leaving out the fresh mint). 

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Pink Lemonade Icebox Cake

Credit: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

Pink Lemonade Icebox Cake Recipe

Delicate, thin purchased cookies are the secret to this stunning no-cook dessert. Look for options from Murray or Uncle Al's.

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Mini Vegan Key Lime Icebox Pies

Mini Vegan Key Lime Icebox Pies RecipeThis “custard” has an insanely rich and silky mouthfeel born from a partnership between avocado (which also provides the natural green coloring) and tofu. The blend of fats released from the ground nuts and a bit of added coconut oil combined with the sugary moisture of the dates create not only a cohesive crust, but one that is deep in flavor and wonderfully crisp once chilled. 

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Horchata Icebox Cake with Spiced Mango

Credit: Greg Dupree; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Horchata Icebox Cake with Spiced Mango Recipe

The warm spices and hit of rum from the horchata-inspired mix is just what spiced mangos need in this speedy—but stunning—icebox cake. It's the kind of dessert you may need to make a second batch of, just in case.

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Chocolate Icebox Pie

Chocolate Icebox Pie Recipe

This ultra-decadent chocolate pie recipe features a rich homemade chocolate pie filling topped with whipped cream and chopped chocolate candy bar pieces.

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Key Lime-Shortbread Icebox Cake

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles

Key Lime-Shortbread Icebox Cake Recipe

Layers upon layers of fresh key lime, luscious cream cheese, and shortbread cookies make for a delicious no-bake cake with a show-stopping presentation. A thin layer of pistachios adds a crunch to each creamy, bright bite.

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Key Lime-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Buttery Cracker Crust

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Key Lime-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Baked Buttery Cracker Crust Recipe

A little bit of savory from the cracker crust makes sure this pie doesn't veer over to cloyingly sweet like so many key lime pies do. The buttermilk adds just the right hit of richness, and may make this your new favorite key lime pie recipes.

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Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Bites

Credit: Jamie Vespa

Vegan Mini Pumpkin Spice Bites Recipe

For a guilt-free, vegan dessert that's sure to get you in the fall spirit, there's no better option than these adorable mini pumpkin spice bites. Encased in a simple walnut-pecan-date crust, the key to this autumnal treat lies in the silken tofu filling. Providing a creamy consistency without affecting flavor, silken tofu is the best kept vegan dessert secret.

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Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

Credit: Oxmoor House

Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert Recipe

This make-ahead dessert is quite a crowd-pleaser, even for people who aren't counting carbs. Look for the rectangular no-sugar-added or low-carb ice cream sandwiches instead of the round ones because the rectangles will fit better in the baking dish.

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Ice Cream-Only Ice Cream Cake

Credit: Gina DeSimone; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Deb Wise

Ice Cream-Only Ice Cream Cake Recipe

For some, a typical ice cream cake is a wonderful, frozen amalgamation of two of life’s great desserts: ice cream and cake (obviously). However, for others—those who truly prefer ice cream over cake—the fact that most ice cream cakes still contain layers of frozen cake is… a disappointment. And it is for these ice cream loving people that we created this “cake,” made purely of frozen dairy goodness. We use fresh whipped cream fortified with gelatin to “frost” the cake, holding the layered scoops together and coating the exterior, because a stabilized whipped cream holds its texture incredibly well (without becoming rock-hard) in the freezer. You can use any number and variety of flavors/colors to create your own take on this ice cream-only cake; we opted to go with a rainbow of colors to achieve a festive feel in every slice. Use any custom combination to create the perfect frozen cake for a birthday party, gender reveal party, college game day event, etc. You can even dress the concept up to create an adorable Ice Cream Princess Cake. 

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No-Bake Samoa Pie

Credit: Daniel Agee; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

No-Bake Samoa Pie Recipe

Save a stash of Samoas (or Caramel DeLights) in order to make an epic pie that looks, and tastes, just like the classic Girl Scout cookie. Use the back of a measuring cup to press the crust into the pie plate and add heavy cream to the caramel when melting for a smoother, drizzle-with-ease consistency. Serve chilled, as you would a coconut creme pie.

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Vegan Mini Peanut Butter Pies

Credit: Jamie Vespa

Vegan Mini Peanut Butter Pies Recipe

Love peanut butter cups? This is the treat for you. With a rich, chocolatey crust and a deep, nutty, creamy inside, this dessert is for all the peanut butter and chocolate lovers, whether you're vegan or not. Silken tofu acts as a smooth, thickening component for the filling, as well as canned coconut cream. This easy, no-bake dessert packs all the indulgent flavors of your favorite candy bar, yet it's still dairy-free, gluten-free, and made with natural sweeteners.

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Oreo Icebox Cake

Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio

Oreo Icebox Cake Recipe

This decadent Oreo icebox cake is incredibly easy to make and requires only six ingredients. It’s a perfect dessert for kids birthday parties that doesn’t require heating up the kitchen. As is, this cooling cake offers a delightful cookies-n-cream flavor profile, but feel free to switch things up by using your favorite Oreo cookie flavor. 

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Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff

Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake Recipe

Strawberries add brightness to this fun take on banana pudding. Instead of the usual vanilla wafers, use graham crackers, which make neater slices. An instant hit with your family and guests, this recipe makes delicious use of the fresh strawberries you pick up at the local farmers’ market.

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Peach Icebox Cake

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Peach Icebox Cake Recipe

One delicious warm-weather treat, two ways to serve it: Make it in a glass trifle dish and scoop out helpings, or prepare it in a large cake pan and serve by the slice.

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Chocolate-Bourbon-Butterscotch Icebox Cake

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Chocolate-Bourbon-Butterscotch Icebox Cake Recipe

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Key Lime Icebox Cake

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Key Lime Icebox Cake Recipe

Add the lime juice once you've fully cooked the custard to let the cornstarch thicken the mixture properly.

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Piña Colada Icebox Pie

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Heather Chadduck, Caroline M. Cunningham

Piña Colada Icebox Pie Recipe

Press the crumb mixture all the way up the sides of the pie plate before baking; otherwise, you'll end up with a thick, uneven crust that's too shallow to hold the filling.

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