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You only need 5 ingredients for this simple, old-fashioned icebox cake! Layers of chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers and freshly whipped cream create an easy no-bake dessert that has been loved for generations.
Table of Contents
If you appreciate the convenience of no-bake desserts, be sure to try this 5-ingredient ice cream sandwich cake, a pan of quick and easy banana pudding, and these peanut butter chocolate bars, too!
Made these with my family for fun. I’d never made an icebox cake before, so this was my first time. The assembly was super fast and easy. I was expecting these to be good, but holy cow they blew me away. I was not expecting for the crackers to have such a perfect texture. Amazing! It was so hard to not eat it all at once!
– Rebecca B.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Nostalgic. The classic icebox cake became popular in the 1920’s and 1930’s, as housewives began using the “icebox” (a compact, non-mechanical refrigerator) as a kitchen appliance. Companies like Nabisco started printing icebox cake recipes on the back of boxes of Nabisco chocolate wafers, and the dessert took off. This particular recipe holds a special place in many hearts, thanks to the fond memories of Grandma’s kitchen and the nostalgia associated with the simple treat.
- Easy. You can’t beat a classic chocolate icebox cake when you need a crowd-pleasing dessert that both adults and kids adore. You really don’t need any special culinary skills for this one, friends — just some whipped cream and chocolate wafers. There’s no need to turn on the oven for this cool and creamy no-bake dessert!
- Make-Ahead. When hosting a birthday party, holiday meal, or family gathering, nobody wants to spend time in the kitchen assembling or baking a dessert at the last minute. Instead, this convenient recipe for icebox cake is best when prepared the day before.
What is an Icebox Cake?
An old-fashioned icebox cake is a dessert that’s typically made by layering cream and wafers, and then chilling them in the refrigerator. There’s no baking required!
Like the original icebox cake recipe from Nabisco, this version involves stacking chocolate wafers with whipped cream to form a log, and then turning the log on its side. Additional whipped cream covers the exterior like a frosting. As the cake sets in the refrigerator (or icebox) overnight, the wafers absorb the moisture from the whipped cream, soften, and take on a cake-like texture that you can easily slice. It’s light and fluffy with a rich, creamy, chocolatey flavor.
There are now endless variations of no-bake icebox cakes, some that add sliced bananas, key lime, or fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries; some that involve a layer of cookies (like Oreos or Nilla Wafers) or layers of graham crackers; and others that use pudding in the layers.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you’ll need for an old-fashioned chocolate icebox cake. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt: combine to create the fluffy whipped cream. While it won’t taste nearly as good, you can also prepare this icebox cake with Cool Whip for a shortcut. You’ll need about 7 total cups of thawed Cool Whip.
- Chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers: this ingredient can be tricky, because both Nabisco chocolate wafers and chocolate graham crackers are hard to find in stores these days. I purchase chocolate wafers at a local country market near our house, but you might be able to find them online or in a shop near you. You can also use more readily available substitutes, such as Goya Maria Chocolate Cookies or Dewey’s Bakery Brownie Crisp Cookies.
- Chocolate sprinkles: an optional garnish for the top of your icebox cake. You might like crushed cookie crumbs or chocolate shavings, too.
Directions
Since you can prepare this recipe for icebox cake using either chocolate wafers or chocolate graham crackers, I’ve included both sets of instructions in the recipe card below. Here, I’ve shown the round log version with the chocolate wafer cookies.
- Make the Whipped Cream. In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until stiff peaks form. The cream needs to be very cold when you whip it, so keep it refrigerated until the last minute. I also like to chill my mixing bowl and whisk attachment (or rotary blades) in the refrigerator for at least 15-30 minutes before using them to whip the cream.
- Stack the Cookies and Whipped Cream. Spread a very thin layer of whipped cream on the bottom of a long serving tray (to hold down the cookies). Sandwich the cookies with the whipped cream and arrange them in a log on the tray. This doesn’t need to be perfect, because you’ll coat everything in whipped cream at the end!
- Frost the Cake. Spread the remaining whipped cream in a thick layer on the sides and top of the cake. An offset spatula is a great tool for evenly spreading the cream mixture.
- Garnish with Toppings. Garnish the top of the cake with crushed graham crackers or cookies, chocolate sprinkles, or chocolate shavings, if desired.
- Refrigerate. Cover the cake loosely with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight is best). Then it’s time to slice and serve the no-bake cookies and cream dessert!
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best. This allows the wafers time to absorb the moisture from the whipped cream. The dessert sets up and the cookies soften to a cake-like texture.
- How to Store: The cake needs to be refrigerated at all times. Covered loosely and packed in an airtight container, leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s best within the first two days, though.
- How to Freeze: Wrapped tightly, you can store the icebox cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Easy, quick and delicious. I found the chocolate wafers at both Publix and Kroger.
– Marianne
More Icebox Cake Recipes to Try
Key Lime Icebox Cake
4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Strawberry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake
4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Eclair Cake
8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups very cold heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 9 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (about 29 wafers) (or 40 chocolate graham crackers)
- Optional garnish: chocolate sprinkles, crushed chocolate wafer cookies or graham cracker crumbs, or shaved chocolate curls
Instructions
- In a large bowl that has been chilled in the freezer for about 10 minutes, use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until stiff peaks form.
CHOCOLATE WAFER COOKIE INSTRUCTIONS
- Spread a very thin layer of the whipped cream in a stripe down the middle of a serving platter (I use a platter that is 14 inches long by 5 inches wide). This whipped cream will help to hold the cake in place.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of whipped cream onto a round chocolate wafer cookie. Top with another chocolate wafer cookie to create a sandwich. Spread another tablespoon of whipped cream on top, and stack another cookie on top. Repeat until you have 5 cookies sandwiched together. Place the stack of cookies sideways like a log on the platter.
- Repeat with the remaining cookies to create one long log on the platter.
- Use the remaining whipped cream to frost the outside of the cake.
- Garnish with sprinkles, crushed cookies, or chocolate shavings. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight is even better). The cookies will soften as they sit in the whipped cream, creating a cake-like texture that you can easily slice.
- Slice diagonally so that you can see the chocolate stripes in each piece of cake.
ALTERNATE CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKER INSTRUCTIONS
- Spread a very thin layer of the whipped cream in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch dish.
- Place a layer of the graham crackers in the bottom of the dish, breaking them as necessary in order to fit. Gently spread ¼ of the whipped cream on top of the crackers. Top with a second layer of crackers and then another layer of whipped cream. Repeat the layers until you have used a fourth layer of crackers and the final ¼ of the cream.
- Garnish the cake with crushed chocolate grahams, sprinkles, or grated chocolate. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight is even better). Slice into squares and serve.
Notes
-
- In recent years, both Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers and chocolate graham crackers have become hard to find in stores. I purchase the chocolate wafers at a local country market near our house, but you might be able to find them online. You can also use more readily available substitutes, such as Goya Maria Chocolate Cookies or Dewey’s Bakery Brownie Crisp Cookies.
- How to Store: The cake needs to be refrigerated at all times. Covered loosely and packed in an airtight container, leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-4 days (but it’s best within the first two days).
- How to Freeze: Wrapped tightly, you can store the icebox cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in May, 2020. It was updated in May, 2024.
My mother made that often. She used those chocolate wafer cookies. The recipe Was on the package. I have trouble finding those cookies now. I also use them to make bourbon balls at Christmas. They make a delicious base instead of the vanilla wafers. Ask Sallie. She loves those chocolate bourbon balls I make.
It’s definitely a classic! I find the chocolate wafer cookies locally at Yoder’s, since I can’t usually get them at our Food Lion. Great tip about the bourbon balls. I always make mine with nilla wafers since that’s how my grandmother made them, but I’ll have to try the chocolate twist next. 🙂
Love this recipe. Where do you buy those cool Nestle chocolate curls? It looks beautiful topped like that.
Hi, Teresa! I actually picked them up in the cake decorating section at my little local Food Lion grocery store. 🙂
Thank you for a JOYFUL KITCHEN MADE WITH your WONDERFUL RECIPES Hell’s Kitchen disappears with your kind teaching and serenity
Thank you so much for your kind note, Marvine!
Would it be possible to use canned whipped cream, such as Redi-whip? I’m looking for a quick alternative to whipping the cream and I’ve spotted mint flavored canned whipped cream and thought it would be a good idea. I don’t like Cool Whip so I wouldn’t use that. Thanks!
Hi, Marie! I’m worried that the canned whipped cream would be too “airy” and will just deflate when layered. My recommendation for a short cut would be Cool Whip. You’ll need a total of about 7 cups of thawed Cool Whip here. Hope that helps!
Easy, quick and delicious. I found the chocolate wafers at both Publix and Kroger.
Excellent. Thanks for that tip, Marianne. So glad that you enjoyed it!
Made these with my family for fun. I’d never made an icebox cake before, so this was my first time. The assembly was super fast and easy. I was expecting these to be good, but holy cow they blew me away. I was not expecting for the crackers to have such a perfect texture. Amazing! It was so hard to not eat it all at once!
I’m so happy to hear that, Rebecca! Thank you for taking the time to come back here and let me know. 🙂
I have a question rather than a comment. There are three adults in the house we have a lot of food wasted. Can you tell me how to make meals for 3 servings instead of multiple servings? I have tried to look up on my phone but everything comes up for multiple servings.
Hi SallyAnn,
You can adjust the serving size for any recipe on our site by simply typing in the number of servings you want in the serving size box on our recipe cards.
Just keep in mind that some recipes will work better than others when adjusted for 3 servings!
Oh my! This brings back such loving memories of my grandma! My sister & I we’re so intriqued with the layers when sliced. I should make it for my grands!
Thanks, Susan. I bet your grandchildren will love it. My boys devour this dessert! 🙂