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This no-bake berry icebox cake is layered with cream cheese filling, digestive cookies (or graham crackers), and juicy macerated berries for an easy dessert that tastes light, fresh, and incredibly delicious. As the dessert chills, the crackers slightly soften, creating a texture that’s rich and creamy without requiring any baking. Simple to assemble and only takes 20 minutes to make. It is perfect for warm weather, and this layered berry dessert is ideal for spring and summer gatherings.
What makes this no-bake berry icebox cake special is how effortlessly it transforms simple ingredients into an elegant dessert. The graham crackers soften into tender layers as the dessert chills, while the creamy filling and juicy berries create the perfect balance of rich and fresh flavours.
For more no-bake dessert recipes, try Rhubarb Tiramisu, Tiramisu Cheesecake and Limoncello Tiramisu.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Quick and Easy to assemble: The recipe only takes 20 minutes to make and assemble, plus you need no oven for this no-bake recipe.
- Cookies: The cream cheese filling is layered with digestive cookies or graham crackers.
- No-bake cheesecake filling: The cream cheese filling taste like cheesecake and only has 4 ingredients.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Digestive biscuits: We don't have graham crackers in Danmark, so I therefore use Digestive cookies. But if you can buy graham crackers then you can definitely use those instead.
- Cream cheese: It's important that it's full-fat cream cheese. Use it straight out of the fridge.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar is used to sweetened the cream cheese filling.
- Heavy cream: The heavy cream is whipped up to a stiff peak when added to the cream cheese.
- Vanilla paste: I recommend using pure vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
- Fresh berries: I use a mix of fresh berries, but you can choose which ever berries you prefer. I use a mix of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make this No-Bake Berry Icebox Cake. This recipe needs an electric mixer, two large bowls and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
STEP 1: With a hand mixer or in a stand mix using the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste on low speed until smooth. Then add the heavy cream and whisk it until it can hold a stiff peak.
STEP 2: Lay a layer of cookies in the baking dish. Add half of the cream cheese filling and even it out. Repeat the process.
STEP 3: Add plastic wrap over the cream cheese filling and let it sit in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours.
STEP 4: 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving, clean all the berries and pat them dry. Slice the strawberries into thin slices and in a bowl, mix all of the berries together with granulated sugar. Set the berries aside on the kitchen counter while the dessert rests in the fridge.
STEP 5: Once ready to serve, add the macerated berries on top of the dessert and it’s ready to be enjoyed.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
For a minimum of 4 hours. After 4 hours the cookies still has some crunch to them. Overnight they will soften but hold there shape and have more of cake-like texture. I'd recommend eating it on the day, but both taste great.
Yes, but if you want the cookies to still have some crunch, I'd recommend making it on the day of eating.
We don't have graham crackers in Danmark, so I use Digestive cookies instead.
HOW TO STORE
Store the No-Bake Berry Icebox Cake in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. It's best enjoyed within 1-2 days.
Other No-Bake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
No-Bake Berry Icebox Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 600 g cream cheese
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
- 360 g heavy cream
- 20 digestives or graham crackers you might need more or less cookies depending on the tray you use
- 650 g mix of berries of your choice I used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- With a hand mixer or in a stand mix using the whisk attachment, cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste on low speed until smooth.600 g cream cheese, 150 g powdered sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
- Then add the heavy cream and whisk it until it can hold a stiff peak.360 g heavy cream
- Use a baking dish to a 27x20 cm (8x10.5 inch) dish or 23x23 cm (9x9 inch) or anything similar in that size.
- Lay a layer of cookies in the baking dish. You might need to break a few to fill any gaps.20 digestives or graham crackers
- Add half of the cream cheese filling and even it out. Repeat the process.
- Add plastic wrap over the cream cheese filling and let it sit in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. After 4 hours the cookies still has some crunch to them. Overnight they will soften but hold there shape and have more of cake-like texture. I'd recommend eating it on the day, but both taste great.
MACERATED BERRIES
- 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving, clean all the berries and pat them dry. Slice the strawberries into thin slices and in a bowl, mix all of the berries together with granulated sugar. Set the berries aside on the kitchen counter.650 g mix of berries of your choice, 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Once ready to serve, add the macerated berries on top of the dessert and it’s ready to be enjoyed.
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