The Dreamiest Peanut Butter Ice Box Cake Recipe Ever Made

Peanut butter ice box cake crafts ordinary dessert into a creamy, decadent experience that tantalizes taste buds with minimal effort.

Sweet layers of rich, velvety goodness stack between crisp cookies, creating a no-bake marvel that chills to perfection.

Each bite promises a luxurious blend of smooth, nutty flavors that melt delightfully on your tongue.

Cool and indulgent, this dessert combines classic comfort with sophisticated simplicity that impresses without complex techniques.

Kitchen novices and seasoned bakers alike can craft this stunning treat with just a few pantry staples.

Minimal ingredients and zero oven time make this recipe a summer superhero for satisfying sweet cravings.

Prepare to revolutionize your dessert game with a treat that looks gourmet but feels effortlessly fun.

Ice Box Cake That’s a Cool Classic

• Indulge in No-Bake Bliss: This peanut butter ice box cake offers a delightful dessert experience without ever touching the oven, making it perfect for lazy summer days or when you want a quick sweet treat.
• Creamy Texture Explosion: The luxurious combination of cream cheese, peanut butter, and whipped topping creates an incredibly smooth and light texture that melts in your mouth with each delectable bite.
• Customize with Ease: The simple layering technique allows for endless variations, letting you experiment with different cookie types or add chocolate drizzles to make the dessert uniquely yours.
• Minimal Effort, Maximum Satisfaction: With just a few ingredients and simple mixing steps, this recipe delivers a crowd-pleasing dessert that looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.

Peanut Butter Lovers, Grab These Ingredients

• Nutter Butter Cookies: Classic sweet cookie that forms the cake's crunchy base and provides delightful peanut butter flavor.
• Whipped Topping: Light and airy ingredient that creates a smooth, creamy texture and adds softness to the dessert.
• Cream Cheese: Rich and tangy dairy product that helps stabilize the mixture and provides a creamy consistency.
• Peanut Butter: Signature flavor ingredient that gives the dessert its distinctive nutty taste and smooth texture.

• Crushed Nutter Butter Cookies: Crunchy topping that adds texture and extra peanut butter flavor to the finished dessert.

• Plastic Wrap: Essential for covering the cake during chilling and helping it set properly in the refrigerator.

Building a Chilled Cake Worth Savoring

Step 1: Prepare the Base

Line the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish with Nutter Butter cookies, creating a solid foundation for the cake.

Step 2: Blend Cream Cheese and Peanut Butter

In a large mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and peanut butter until the mixture becomes silky smooth and fully incorporated.

Step 3: Incorporate Whipped Topping

• Add half of the whipped topping to the peanut butter mixture
• Beat gently to maintain the airy texture
• Carefully fold in the remaining whipped topping with a spatula

Step 4: Create First Layer

Spread approximately 1/3 of the peanut butter cream mixture over the cookie base, ensuring an even distribution.

Step 5: Build Cake Layers

• Add a new layer of Nutter Butter cookies
• Top with peanut butter cream mixture
• Continue until you've created multiple layers

Step 6: Final Cream Layer

Finish with a top layer of peanut butter cream mixture for a smooth, luxurious appearance.

Step 7: Add Crunchy Topping

Sprinkle crushed Nutter Butter cookies over the top for a delightful textural contrast.

Step 8: Chill and Set

Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to allow the cake to set and flavors to meld.

Step 9: Serve and Enjoy

Remove from refrigerator, slice, and savor this cool, creamy dessert.

Tips for Layers That Stay Smooth

• Crush Cookies Precisely: Break Nutter Butter cookies into uniform, small pieces to ensure even texture and consistent crunch throughout the dessert.
• Soften Cream Cheese Perfectly: Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before mixing to achieve a smooth, lump-free blend with peanut butter.
• Whip Gently: Fold whipped topping carefully to maintain its light, airy texture, preventing the mixture from becoming dense or flat.
• Chill Completely: Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to meld and achieve the ideal creamy consistency.
• Garnish Strategically: Sprinkle crushed cookies just before serving to keep their crisp texture and prevent them from becoming soggy.

How to Keep Ice Box Cake Fresh

• Refrigerate: Store your Peanut Butter Ice Box Cake covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep the dessert away from strong-smelling foods to prevent flavor absorption.
• Freeze: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving to maintain its creamy texture.
• Serve Chilled: Always serve the cake cold directly from the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for just 5 minutes before slicing to ensure easy cutting and the best flavor experience.

What Complements This Peanutty Dessert

• Pair with Creamy Chocolate Milk: Dive into a nostalgic combo that amplifies the rich peanut butter flavors, creating a smooth and indulgent dessert experience.
• Match with Cold Espresso Shot: The intense coffee notes cut through the cake's sweetness, providing a bold contrast that elevates the entire dessert profile.
• Complement with Caramel Drizzle: Enhance the cake's creamy texture by adding a golden, buttery caramel sauce that introduces a luxurious depth to each bite.
• Serve alongside Vanilla Bean Latte: The subtle warmth and vanilla undertones of the latte perfectly balance the cake's dense, nutty characteristics, creating a harmonious dessert pairing.

Swaps and Extras to Personalize Your Cake

• Nutty Chocolate Crunch: Replace Nutter Butter cookies with chocolate wafer cookies and add chocolate chips between layers for extra richness and texture.
• Banana Peanut Butter Dream: Incorporate sliced fresh bananas between cookie and cream layers, enhancing the dessert with natural sweetness and fruity flavor.
• Salted Caramel Indulgence: Drizzle homemade salted caramel sauce over each layer and sprinkle sea salt flakes on top for a sophisticated sweet-salty contrast.
• No-Bake Almond Edition: Swap peanut butter with almond butter and use graham crackers instead of Nutter Butter cookies, creating a lighter, nuttier version of the classic dessert.

Peanut Butter Ice Box Cake Recipe

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4.7 from 16 reviews

• Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Peanut butter ice box cake delivers creamy bliss with layers of graham crackers and smooth peanut butter mousse. Cool dessert lovers will savor each chilled spoonful of this simple no-bake treat that promises delightful indulgence.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 family-size packages Nutter Butter cookies
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 package (16 ounces / 454 grams) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Dairy Ingredients:

• 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons Nutter Butter cookies, crushed

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Instructions

1. Meticulously arrange Nutter Butter cookies in a single, uniform layer across the bottom of a 9×13 inches (22.86×33.02 centimeters) casserole dish, ensuring complete coverage.
2. Using an electric mixer, thoroughly blend cream cheese and peanut butter until achieving a velvety, homogeneous consistency with no visible lumps.
3. Incorporate half of the whipped topping into the peanut butter mixture, gently mixing to preserve its delicate, airy texture.
4. Delicately fold the remaining whipped topping into the mixture using a silicone spatula, maintaining maximum volume and lightness.
5. Carefully distribute approximately one-third of the peanut butter cream across the cookie base, spreading evenly with smooth, deliberate strokes to create a consistent layer.
6. Methodically construct a second layer of Nutter Butter cookies atop the initial cream layer, covering the entire surface.
7. Repeat the cream application process, ensuring complete and uniform coverage of the cookie layer.
8. Add a final layer of Nutter Butter cookies, followed by the remaining peanut butter cream mixture, creating a smooth, enticing top surface.
9. Generously sprinkle crushed Nutter Butter cookies over the entire top, providing a textural and visual garnish.
10. Completely seal the casserole dish with plastic wrap, preventing moisture loss and potential flavor contamination.
11. Refrigerate the dessert for a minimum of 4 hours or ideally overnight, allowing flavors to meld and texture to set perfectly.

Notes

• Chill this decadent dessert for at least 4 hours to ensure the layers meld together perfectly, creating a creamy and indulgent treat.
• Use room temperature cream cheese and peanut butter for a smoother, easier-to-mix consistency that prevents lumps in the filling.
• Fold whipped topping gently to maintain its light and airy texture, which gives the cake its signature fluffy and creamy structure.
• Crush Nutter Butter cookies just before adding as a topping to preserve their crunch and prevent them from getting soggy.
• Make ahead friendly: This no-bake dessert can be prepared a day in advance, making it ideal for entertaining or busy schedules.
• Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, allowing you to enjoy this delightful treat throughout the week.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 380 kcal
• Sugar: 22 g
• Sodium: 280 mg
• Fat: 26 g
• Saturated Fat: 12 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 32 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Cholesterol: 35 mg