Beat the heat with these irresistible icebox desserts! From creamy puddings and no-bake cheesecakes to chilled trifles, ambrosias, pies, and cakes—these cool treats are perfect for summer.
Hot Days, Cool Treats!
I live in South Texas, where summer days are almost unbearable at times. As a baker, this is definitely problematic. When the temperature rises, the last thing anyone wants is a hot oven, especially yours truly. (I like to keep my house pretty chilly year 'round.)
That’s where icebox desserts come to the rescue—cool, creamy, and effortlessly satisfying. These sweet treats are always helpful in the summertime, especially if they don't involve the oven.
Let's Bring Down the Temperature!
This roundup gathers my favorite no-bake and chilled treats, from dreamy trifles and classic puddings to decadent cheesecakes, refreshing pies, and nostalgic icebox cakes. I've also got some yummy chilled pastries and ambrosias to share.
Whether you're hosting a summer get-together or just craving something sweet and cool, these desserts are made to beat the heat—no baking required for most. They're perfect for parties, family gatherings, and even simple desserts when you don't feel like baking.
In short, they're perfect!
The Best Icebox Desserts, Perfect for Summer!
You don't have to give up your sweet treats in the summertime. Even when you don't feel like baking, we've got you covered with chilled desserts, perfet on the hottest of days!
Ambrosias
A retro favorite that never goes out of style—ambrosia salads are sweet, creamy, and packed with fruit, marshmallows, and a hint of coconut. These chilled bowls of fluff are summer comfort at its finest.
Old-Fashioned Ambrosia Salad
If you love a light, fluffy dessert, filled with fruity flavor, this ambrosia is perfect for you! Best of all, it comes together in minutes!
Blueberry Cheesecake Ambrosia
If you love the light, fluffy texture of an ambrosia with the creamy sweetness of pudding, I’ve got an amazing and simple dessert recipe for you. I call this fluffy mixture Blueberry Cheesecake Ambrosia. You? Well, you’re going to call it heaven!
Trifles and Layered Desserts
Layered elegance in a bowl—trifles combine cake, custard, fruit, and whipped cream for a no-bake showstopper that chills into creamy perfection.
Heavenly No-Bake Oreo Dessert
This Heavenly No Bake Oreo Dessert is rich, creamy, and irresistibly layered with crushed Oreos, fluffy whipped topping, and smooth pudding. Quick to assemble and perfect for any occasion, it’s the ultimate crowd-pleasing treat!
Lemon Lush (Lemon Oreo Dessert)
If you love the light, bright flavor of lemon in a rich trifle-like dessert you’re going to adore this lovely Lemon Oreo Lush. It’s simple to make and loaded with your favorite cookies—Oreos!
Cookie Butter Trifle
This delicious cookie butter trifle combines layers of butter pecan cake, cookie butter mousse, crushed Biscoff cookies, and homemade whipping cream.
Oreo Dirt Cake with Succulents
Devil's food cake, Oreo Cheesecake Mousse, Chocolate Whipped Cream, Crushed Oreos, Fudge Sauce. . .and Fondant Succulants, all in one dreamy dirt cake/trifle? Yes, please!
Italian Cream Cake Trifles
These fun DIY trifles will be a blast for your party guests to put together!
Summer Pies
From key lime to peanut butter, icebox pies feature crisp crusts and chilled fillings that firm up in the fridge—fresh, fast, and fork-worthy.
No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie
No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie from Out of the Box Baking.com
Easy No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Pie
If you love the rich chocolatey flavor of Oreos but you're in the mood for pie, have I got a treat for you. This recipe for Oreo Cheesecake Pie is simple and delicious! It comes together (literally) in minutes!
Easy Coconut Cream Pie
In this post I'm going to show you how to make my very favorite pie of all time: Coconut Cream Pie. It's lush, rich, sweet, and loaded with coconutty goodness! Perfect for special occasions or any day of the week!
Easy No Bake Key Lime Pie
If you love the tart creamy goodness of a key lime pie but the simplicity of an icebox pie, have I got a treat for you! This easy no-bake key lime pie is simple but delicious!
Fluffy Cherry Icebox Pie
If you love a light, fluffy pie, rich with cherry flavor, you're going to love this recipe. You can make this recipe in the summertime and still keep your waistline in tact!
Pina Colada Pie
In this post I'm going to share a recipe for a delicious Pina Colada Pie. If you love tropical flavors you're going to adore this one!
Easy Key Lime Pie
If you love that light, tart flavor of lime but the luscious texture of cheesecake, you’re going to love this simple key lime pie.
Easy Chocolate Pie from Scratch
Rich, silky, and surprisingly simple—this chocolate pie is made from scratch with real ingredients and chills to sliceable perfection. If you don't feel like baking, use a graham cracker crust and whipped cream in place of meringue!
Puddings & Mousse
Cool, comforting, and spoonable—these creamy classics come in flavors like chocolate, vanilla, banana, and more, perfect for beating the heat.
Simple Chocolate Pudding
If you love a rich chocolate pudding, creamy and luscious, you’re going to love this recipe. Best of all, it comes together in minutes and only calls for a few ingredients.
3-Ingredient Coconut Pudding
If you’re looking for the world’s easiest coconut pudding recipe, you’ve landed on the right post. This one is loaded with texture, flavor, and creaminess. And it comes together in seconds!
Easy Cheesecake Mousse
Creamy, decadent, versatile. . .this rich mousse recipe is perfect for trifles, pies, cakes, cupcakes, or simply to eat as a stand-alone dessert.
Cheesecakes
No oven, no problem. These rich, tangy cheesecakes set up in the fridge for a decadent dessert that’s smooth, sliceable, and summer-ready.
Classic Homemade Cheesecake
If you love a really good homemade cheesecake like you get at fancy restaurants, you’ve come to the right place. This recipe is simple enough to make at home but rich enough to make you feel like you’ve spent a fortune for a slice of it!
No Bake Lemon Swirl Cheesecake
This chilled cheesecake is as pretty as it is refreshing, with tangy lemon curd swirled into a creamy no-bake filling. Nestled in a cookie crust and set in the fridge, it’s a zesty, elegant dessert that tastes like sunshine on a plate.
Easy Patriotic Fruit Pizza
If you love a tender shortbread crust with a creamy cheesecake topping, you've stumbled across the right recipe! This luscious fruit pizza has a buttery crunch on bottom, is rich and creamy in the middle, and is covered with fruit to give it an extra burst of flavor on top.
No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Pie
This luscious No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Pie is one of the tastiest--and easiest--things I've ever made! You're going to love the combination of sweet and tart, creamy and crunch. Best of all, you won't have to bake a thing!
Cheesecake Bars
These layered Crescent Rolls Cheesecake Bars are refrigerated and served cold, perfet for the summertime!
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars with Crescent Rolls
Flaky crescent dough wraps around layers of creamy cheesecake and sweet strawberry filling in these easy-to-make bars. Baked until golden, then chilled to perfection, they’re a fruity, flaky twist on classic cheesecake.
Cherry Pie Bars with Crescent Rolls
Rich with cherries, a crispy crescent roll crust, loaded with a butter and sugar coating. . .these Cherry Pie Bars are divine!
Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
If you love sopapillas, but you’re also in love with sugar and cinnamon, have I got a treat for you! These easy Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are simple to make and absolutely packed with texture and flavor.
Orange Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
If you’re a fan of cheesecake and you’re looking for the perfect holiday treat with a twist, this is the dessert recipe for you! I’m going to show you how I make my delicious orange-cranberry cheesecake bars using crescent rolls!
Apple Pie Sopapilla Bars
If you love a luscious cheesecake bar with a yummy crust and you're also a fan of apple pie, this is the perfect combination for you!
Puff Pastry Cherry Pie
If you’re looking for the world’s simplest but most delicious cherry pie, you’ve certainly come to the right place. This recipe is easy and over-the-top scrumptious!
Summery Cookie Bars
These cookie bars are baked and then refrigerated to be served cold. They're perfect for a hot summer day!
Luscious Lemon Blueberry Bars (Doctored Cake Mix)
These vibrant bars layer sweet blueberries and zesty lemon over a buttery crust for a refreshing dessert that’s equal parts tangy and sweet. Baked just until set and served chilled, they’re perfect for summer picnics or potlucks.
Luscious Lemon Bars
They're tart, sweet, crisp and creamy. These luscious lemon bars are all of the above. . .and then some!
Delicious Lemon Coconut Bars
If you’re in the mood for some tropical flavors in the ease of a bar, have I got a special treat for you! You’re going to adore this simple lemon coconut bar. Best of all, it starts with a box of cake mix!
Chilled Cakes
These cool confections are made for chilling—think icebox cakes with whipped cream and cookies, or sponge cakes soaked in flavor. Some of theese fruity cakes are baked in the oven, but served cold, straight from the fridge. (Delicious!)
Black Forest Icebox Cake
If you love the softness of a delicious dark chocolate cake but the light fluffiness of a mousse, this is the recipe for you! This chocolate cake is covered in a cherry cheese mousse that’s guaranteed to make you swoon!
Strawberry Lemonade Icebox Cake
Enjoy this luscious Strawberry Lemonade Icebox Cake Recipe from Out of the Box Baking.com
Strawberry Lemonade Cake
Tart, sweet, lemony, loaded with strawberry preserves and fresh berries. . .no one will ever know this fluffy chiffon cake starts with a couple of boxed mixes!
Traditional Coconut Cake
Coconut cake is a popular offering in the south, but there’s no reason why we need to limit it geographically! This luscious cake is perfect for families across the globe and great for Christmas, Easter, and every day in-between!
Easy Pineapple Coconut Cake with Lime
If you're in the mood for a summery cake, filled with tropical flavors, you've come to the right place. This delicious Pineapple Coconut Cake with Lime will make you feel like you're on a Caribbean beach, ocean waves crashing in the background.
Dolly Parton Pineapple Coconut Cake
Whip up a tropical treat with this easy 3-ingredient Dolly Parton Pineapple Coconut Cake! Bursting with bold coconut flavor and juicy pineapple, it’s a simple, delicious dessert perfect for summer—or any time you're craving something sweet and sunny.
Pastries
Flaky, creamy, and just a little indulgent—these chilled pastries (like cream horns and custard-filled puffs) need minimal baking but deliver maximum cool delight once they've spent time in the fridge.
Easy Cream Puff Recipe
They're light, fluffy, and loaded with sweet whipping cream. Cream Puffs are truly luscious! And (surprise!) they're also easy to make! They start with a simple pastry called "choux."
Puff Pastry Cream Horns
If you love those light flaky cream horns loaded with creamy goodness on the inside, you're going to flip over this recipe. It's easy and delicious and starts with a package of store-bought puff pastry.
Nutella Cream Horns
If you love the light, crisp texture of a flaky puff pastry but you’re also a fan of that creamy Nutella goodness, you’re going to flip over this simple recipe!
Chocolate Cream Horns
If you love light, crisp cream horns but you’re in the mood for chocolate, this is the recipe for you! You’re going to flip over these simple chocolate cream horns!
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed these delicious chilled desserts, perfect to beat the heat.
Whether you're whipping up a pie, trifle, layered dessert, ambrosia, or more, we've always got you covered at Out of the Box Baking.
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About the Author
Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.