THESE ARE THE 39 DESSERTS I MAKE IN THE SUMMER WHEN I JUST CAN’T WITH MY OVEN
When the heat of the summer hits your kitchen, turning your oven on is the last thing you want to do. While we can name more than a few reasons why we might be avoiding our ovens these days, it shouldn't mean you have to skip dessert. Good news: We've got 39 clever no-bake desserts that mean you get to keep your cool AND satisfy your sweet tooth all at the same time!
Some dessert recipes are inherently no-bake, like truffles, ice cream, or fudge, and we’ve included a number of our favorites here. Others are easy shortcuts to more complicated desserts, and that’s where the beauty of no-bake really shines. Love cheesecake, but hate water baths? Yeah, us too. Make our raspberry cheesecake lasagna or our no-bake whipped ricotta cheesecake to get around a long bake. We also love anything that involves Jell-O in the summer, like our no-bake strawberries & cream delight or our lemon delight. And there’s especially nothing like an icebox cake on a hot summer’s day.
No matter what you’re craving or what summer occasion you’re attending, there’s an easy dessert here that is sure to cool you off.
Limoncello Tiramisu
Limoncello, lemon curd, and lemonade are taking center stage in this dessert. If you’re convinced that nothing can compete with the popular Italian classic, we challenge you to dunk your spoon into the layers of zingy custard, mascarpone mixture, and spongy lemony cookies.
Funfetti Cheesecake Icebox Cake
Icebox cakes are summer perfection. They’re a no-bake treat, making them perfect for those days when it’s too hot to turn on your oven. This Funfetti cheesecake version is our go-to, whether we’re celebrating a birthday or simply want a hit of childhood nostalgia.
No-Bake Strawberries & Cream Delight
Fluffy layers of vanilla and strawberry no-bake cheesecake are stacked on top of a salty-sweet golden Oreo crumb crust and topped with fresh strawberries and more crunchy Oreos for a cool, creamy dessert that will bring the summertime vibes wherever it goes.
Oreo Ice Cream Bars
Oreos are not only our favorite store-bought cookie, but they’re ice cream's best friend too. To celebrate the hot summer weather, it only makes sense to take the beloved cookie out of topping territory and make these Oreo ice cream sandwiches. And you only need 3 ingredients!
Lemon-Blueberry Tiramisu
We’re turning it into a tiramisu for the ultimate shareable summer dessert. In this version, we’re replacing coffee with blueberry juice and adding lemon curd to the mascarpone, so every layer is packed with sweet blueberry and zingy citrus flavor.
Hot Fudge Sundae
It never ceases to delight us how simple ingredients like ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles, peanuts, and that iconic cherry on top can combine into such a delicacy. Though you can buy all the ingredients you’ll need to make one at the store, we must insist you make your own hot fudge.
Lemon Delight
Let the 4 layers fool everyone but you—this is a deceptively simple dessert to make but ends up looking like a showstopper! With lemon Jell-o in the center, this lemon delight is the ultimate refreshing summer dessert that you don’t even have to bake!
Cherry Cheesecake Icebox Cake
From childhood memories of my grandma’s cherry cheesecake dessert lasagna comes a new classic: cherry cheesecake icebox cake. Cherry jam, whipped cheesecake, and graham crackers are layered in a loaf pan, chilled until set, then turned out and frosted with more whipped cheesecake for a cool, creamy modern dessert that still carries all the nostalgia of the original.
No-Bake Strawberry Lemon Swirl Tart
As much as we love pies, cakes, and cobblers, the last thing we want to do in the middle of a heat wave is turn on the oven. But, that doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of a sweet treat. This no-bake strawberry lemon swirl tart is the dessert that we'll be making all summer long.
Strawberry Milkshake Pie
This summer pie tastes just like a melted strawberry milkshake, in the absolute best way possible. A shortbread cookie crust supports the creamy, strawberry-studded filling, and a homemade whipped cream completes the milkshake look. When it’s too hot to turn on your oven, but you need a sweet treat, this is the simple summer dessert you should make.
Crêpe Cake
Crêpe cake is a cool, lofty masterpiece composed of layers of crêpes and lightened vanilla pastry cream, all topped with a billowing cloud of whipped cream and a crown of fresh berries. It’s light, creamy, and absolutely irresistible.
Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Lasagna
This easy no-bake dessert is filled with layers of lemon Oreos, blueberry cheesecake, and lemon whipped cream for the ultimate warm-weather treat. Tart, tangy, and sweet, this lasagna is the perfect way to follow up a spring dinner or a summer potluck.
Strawberries & Cream Semifreddo
Semifreddo—meaning “half frozen”—is a classic Italian summer dessert. Made up of eggs, sugar, and cream, this no-bake, frozen stunner is like the creamiest ice cream you’ve ever had, in a unique decorate-able, sliceable package that’s perfect for sharing. Think ice cream cake, without all that assembly, or icebox cake, but elevated.
Drumstick Pie
Sugar cone fans—get ready to meet your new fave dessert. We use sugar cones not only for the topping in this no-bake dessert, but also in the homemade crust. Layered with vanilla ice cream, chocolate ganache, and crumbled peanuts for a sweet-salty, topping, this "pie" truly has something for everyone.
Dunkaroos No-Churn Ice Cream
This easy-to-make Dunkaroos-inspired no-churn ice cream will bring you back to the '90s! Using sweetened condensed milk along with whipped cream creates a smooth and light texture without the hassle of churning your own ice cream. This easy dessert recipe is not too sweet, deliciously creamy, and the perfect treat for your next throwback party.
Strawberries & Cream Tiramisu
Step aside, strawberry shortcake—this strawberries & cream tiramisu is taking over. In family-sized 13" x 9" tiramisu fashion, this easy dessert is perfect to make for all your summer potlucks. Instead of coffee-dipped ladyfingers, we're using heavy cream and our Food Team secret ingredient: triple sec.
Banana Split
Topped with fruit syrups, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry, few desserts are as recognizable as an ice cream sundae, and this recipe will help you make the ultimate version. The truly classic banana split features strawberry and pineapple syrup as well as chocolate sauce, so we've got it all for you here.
No-Bake Peaches And Cream Pie
There's simply nothing better than sweet cream and juicy peaches together. The gently cooked and fresh peaches really highlight the summer fruit, and the salty pretzel crust puts this over the top. It’s an easy dessert to make ahead and without turning on the dreaded oven.
Espresso Martini Icebox Cake
Our espresso martini icebox cake has layers of chocolate graham crackers, coffee chocolate ganache, and espresso whipped cream stacked in a loaf pan and chilled until set and sliceable. The top is decorated with cocoa powder and chocolate-covered espresso beans for an added crunch and a hint about the flavors hiding inside.
Piña Colada Lasagna
This easy no-bake piña colada-inspired "lasagna" has a base of toasted coconut and crushed graham cracker, layered with a smooth and velvety coconut cream cheese, buttery shortbread cookies, and juicy pineapple Jell-O. Topped with a cloud of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut, this dessert will take center stage.
Caramel Crunch Tart
This chocolate tart is great for a last-minute dessert because it mainly uses store-bought ingredients, and the majority of time required for this recipe is just letting it chill in the refrigerator. Sometimes, you just need an easy dessert that doesn’t require a lot of effort.
Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is a creamy, chilled dessert that while delicious, does tend to be pretty rich. We put a slightly more nutritious spin by incorporating Greek yogurt and honey into the recipe and swapping out most of the cream. The result is a rich treat that isn’t overly sweet, perfect for enjoying again and again.
Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches
If you’ve ever felt there was never enough chocolate chip cookie dough in the namesake ice cream, then these ice cream sandwiches are for you. And yes, the edible cookie dough is easy to make and safe to eat! It’s important to heat your flour to kill off any bacteria; it only takes a minute in the microwave, hardly adding any time (or heat in your kitchen).
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake
Golden sandwich cookies (like Oreos) and freeze-dried strawberries are the secret to the irresistibly crunch topping for this ice cream spin on strawberry shortcake.
Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake
Layers of blueberry jam, whipped cream cheese, and graham crackers are stacked together for a no-fuss cool and creamy masterpiece that looks like you spent hours crafting it—when all you did was shove it in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours. No oven required.
Copycat Klondike Bars
Klondike Bars are a freezer case staple, but what if we told you that it’s easy to make a homemade version with a simple no-churn ice cream and a two-ingredient DIY chocolate topping? IT'S TRUE.
Better Than Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
After testing and retesting, our better than Magnolia Bakery banana pudding was born. This is a very bold statement, we know. But once you’ve had a spoonful of this version with its from-scratch pudding, perfectly ripe bananas, and luxurious Italian meringue, you’ll understand where we're coming from.
Peach Melba
This take on peach melba continues the tradition of pairing peaches with a fresh tart-and-sweet raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. In just half an hour, you’ll have a tasty, memorable, kid-friendly dessert that will please everyone post-dinner.
Green & Red Grape Sorbet
If you’re looking for something sweet and light during the hot summer, look no further. This easy sorbet is the perfect treat when grapes are at the peak of their season. We also love this recipe because it’s so simple to make. You only need a few ingredients and a food processor to make this super refreshing dessert.
Raspberry Cheesecake Lasagna
Summer is all about big pans of fruity no-bake cheesecake, and this cheesecake lasagna is giving all that and more. Fresh raspberry filling sits atop layers of crunchy graham cracker crust and silky whipped cream cheese for a cool, creamy dessert that’s equally simple to make and impressive to serve.
Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Sure, you could buy it in a pint or trek to a scoop shop, but ice cream made in your own kitchen not only tastes better, it has a bit of magic to it. All this one requires is an electric mixer and a bowl, plus some time in the freezer to let the mixture set up.
Cannoli Icebox Cake
With the not-too-sweet creamy filling inside a crispy shell, cannoli are a nearly perfect dessert. Making your own is a fun little project but a little time consuming, and frying the shells can be intimidating. This easy cake is a great alternative. The filling is similar: sweetened ricotta and orange zest combine with whipped cream to make the cake even lighter.
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Milk 'N' Cookies Icebox Cake
All you need to make this show-stopper no-bake dessert are 4 ingredients—cookies, heavy cream, cream cheese and powdered sugar—and a couple hours. While tCh crunchy on their own, the second they hit milk ... BOOM! Chips Ahoy absorb liquid like a sponge while still maintaining their structure, which is ideal for an icebox cake.
No-Bake Whipped Ricotta Cheesecake
"No-bake" and "whipped" in the same recipe name as "cheesecake"? Sure! The whipped ricotta and mascarpone combination lightened with whipped cream atop a Biscoff.
No-Bake Blackberry Oreo Tart
Blackberries are that “side” berry we kind of forget about. But when Oreos come knocking, there is something special to be said about their lovely pairing. And the title of “no-bake” anything should be relieving, especially in the summertime.
Orange Creamsicle Bars
These triple-layered orange bars have us feeling all nostalgic for the classic frozen Popsicle treat that inspired them. Just like their inspiration, these bars are irresistibly good. They’re creamy, dreamy, and the perfect blend of citrusy orange and vanilla bean flavor paired with a graham cracker crust.
Spumoni Ice Cream Cake
Six pints of ice cream and magic shell to top it off? This ice cream cake, inspired by the classic Italian gelato flavor of pistachio, strawberry, and chocolate, is too good.
No-Bake Creamsicle Cheesecake
If you're a nostalgic fan of creamsicles, then let us introduce you to your new favorite cheesecake. We incorporated the sweet orange flavors of the classic treat into this ultra-creamy cheesecake with a buttery crust for the ultimate summer treat.
Raspberry Tiramisu
We love a classic tiramisu and couldn’t imagine it getting much better—until raspberries entered the picture. We use a little orange liqueur instead of rum to amplify the bright flavors.
