From nostalgic icebox cakes to berry trifles to chilled puddings, these desserts prove that the freezer is just as valuable as the oven. Whether you’re planning a casual cookout or an elegant dinner al fresco, these no-bake, make-ahead desserts are ideal for summer entertaining.
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RecipeS’mores Icebox Cake for a Crowd
The campfire classic is transformed into a cool, creamy party dessert with layers of graham-cracker crust, chocolate pudding and toasted seven-minute “marshmallow” topping. -
RecipeNo-Bake Almond Cheesecake with Cherry-Kirsch Compote
Cherries and almonds are a classic combination. In this creamy no-bake cheesecake, a swirl of cherry juice on the top makes this dessert a real showstopper. -
RecipeTahini Chocolate Icebox Cake
Nutty, slightly bitter tahini makes a good foil for chocolate wafers. You’ll be tempted to make the sesame brittle year-round; a package of this crunchy, sweet treat makes a great holiday gift. -
RecipeLemon Icebox Cake
Here, slices of angel food cake (which can be store-bought, for a truly no-bake dessert) are layered with a luscious lemon mousse, creating the dessert’s light-as-air texture.
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RecipeChocolate Raspberry Cookies & Cream
You can make this with both crème fraîche and heavy cream, or you can use all cream if that’s easier. Kids will love it by the scoopful, but do dress it up for guests by drizzling a ribbon of raspberry sauce around the plate, tucking a cookie into the cream, and garnishing with a mint sprig. -
RecipeGinger-Mascarpone Icebox Cake
Delicious on its own, this cake is also lovely paired with some bright-flavored fruit, such as blueberries or slices of mango or peach. -
RecipeBlueberry Lavender Fool
If you’ve never tried lavender in a dessert, here’s the perfect introduction. Lavender’s floral notes harmonize beautifully with sweet blueberries in this cool, creamy treat. -
RecipeFrozen Lime and Dulce de Leche Terrine with Blackberry Sauce
A delicious twist on Key lime pie, this frozen dessert has dulce de leche, a Latin American milk caramel, tucked inside. Fresh blackberry sauce adds a burst of summery flavor and color, and balances the intense creamy sweetness. -
RecipeSummer Berry Trifle
Use any kind of berry you like, just make sure you choose the ripest, tastiest ones available. Day-old bread soaks up all their sweet juices. -
RecipePeach-Almond Icebox Cake
Layers of fresh peaches, almond cookies, and whipped mascarpone cream meld together in this take on an old-fashioned favorite. Make this when you have juicy, sweet ripe peaches. -
RecipeBlueberry Orange Summer Pudding
Ripe fresh fruit is nature's own fast food. It's already sweetened, it's loaded with flavor, it has interesting textures, and it's the perfect building block for intriguing desserts like this vibrant summer pudding made with blueberries and ladyfingers. -
RecipeWhite Chocolate Mousse Parfaits
Mango and gingersnap is an especially good, but you could play with other fruit and cookie-crumble combos as well: fresh raspberries or quartered strawberries with crushed chocolate cookies; reconstituted dried apricots with gingersnaps; blueberries with vanilla wafers. -
RecipeChocolate Mousse Pie
This impressive and insanely delicious dessert requires only six ingredients, but that can be your little secret. Italian chocolate-filled sandwich cookies make a crust reminiscent of a Kit Kat bar; you can also use chocolate wafer cookies. -
RecipeCoffee & Cream Icebox Cake
Coffee and hazelnuts give this cake—a variation on Nabisco’s Famous Wafer Roll recipe—a more sophisticated flavor. -
RecipeDeep-Dish Mascarpone Fig Pie with Ginger-Hazelnut Crust
Purply-brown figs and toasted hazelnuts add earthy flavor to a rich mascarpone cream and a spicy gingersnap crust. You’ll need two large chilled bowls to make the mascarpone filling. -
RecipeSummer Berry Pudding with Moscato Whipped Cream
It may look elegant, but the ingredients in this spectacular dessert are simple (white bread, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries) and the flavor, thanks in part to Grand Marnier and the Moscato D’Asti whipped cream, is celebratory. -
RecipeLemon Caramel Icebox Cake
Lemon meringue pie lovers will go crazy for this gorgeous make-ahead cake. The caramel and the lemon curd can be made up to 5 days ahead and store-bought graham crackers make a wonderfully-textured crust. -
RecipeStrawberries & Cream Semifreddo
Semifreddo means “half-cold” in Italian and refers to a chilled or half-frozen dessert containing whipped cream or meringue. This creamy version is like a frozen strawberry mousse.
