Oreo Ice Cream Cake is the dessert I make when I want something that looks impressive but takes almost no real effort. A crushed Oreo crust, a thick layer of ice cream, and a fudge and whipped topping finish come together with fifteen minutes of hands-on time and a long nap in the freezer. If your family loves Oreos as much as mine does, try my Oreo Dip or Oreo Dirt Cake.
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Why this Recipe is a Keeper
This ice cream cake earns its spot in the freezer rotation.
- 15-Minute Prep: Everything comes together before freezing in just fifteen minutes.
- Easy Ingredients: Just five ingredients, and no oven required.
- Family Friendly: This doubles as a birthday cake kids and adults both love.
- Adaptable: Swap the ice cream flavor or cookie type to make it your own.
How Do I Cut Ice Cream Cake Without it Falling Apart?
Run your knife under hot water before each slice, then wipe off the excess water. The warm blade glides through the frozen layers instead of cracking them. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting too, since a slightly softened cake slices much more cleanly. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for the neatest presentation.
Pro Tip
Resist digging in the moment the cake comes out of the freezer. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes first so the ice cream softens just enough to cut clean slices without cracking or crumbling.
Ingredient Notes
A few ingredients make this cake taste like the real thing.
This is an overview of key ingredients. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Oreo Cookies: Both the crust and topping rely on Oreos, so this cake wouldn’t be the same without them.
- Oreo Ice Cream: Cookies and cream ice cream fills out the middle layer and doubles down on the Oreo flavor.
- Cool Whip: Thawed whipped topping creates the fluffy top layer that holds the crushed Oreo garnish.
Variations and Substitutions
This ice cream cake is easy to make your own.
➡️ Swap the Ice Cream: Try vanilla, chocolate, mint chip, or your favorite flavor in place
of Oreo.
➡️ Change the Cookie: Chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies work well instead of
Oreos.
➡️ Add a Different Sauce: Swap the hot fudge for caramel, peanut butter sauce, or
strawberry sauce.
➡️ Double the Recipe: Increase the ingredients proportionately and split the batch into
two dishes for a bigger crowd.
Special Equipment Needed To Make It Easier
A couple of tools make building this cake easy.
- Food Processor: This makes quick work of turning cookies into fine crumbs.
- Parchment Paper: Lining the dish makes lifting and slicing the finished cake much easier.
How to Make the Recipe
These are just highlights. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Press the Oreo crumb mixture into the pan.
- Layer the softened ice cream over the crust.
- Freeze until set.
- Add the fudge and whipped topping layers.
- Freeze again until fully firm.
Prep Ahead and Short Cut Tips
A little planning makes this cake even easier.
➡️ Crush the Cookies Ahead: Blend the Oreos a day in advance and store them in an
airtight container.
➡️ Soften the Ice Cream Early: Set the ice cream out while you prep the crust so it’s
ready to spread.
➡️ Make It Days Ahead: This cake keeps well in the freezer, so you can build it several
days before you need it.
How Long Does Ice Cream Cake Need to Freeze?
This cake needs at least eight hours in the freezer, though overnight is even better. The longer freeze time makes sure every layer, especially the ice cream, is fully firm all the way through. Cutting into it too early can cause the layers to slide instead of holding their shape. Patience here really does pay off in cleaner slices.
How to Store, Reheat, and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Store the cake in the freezer, ideally in a freezer-safe container with a lid, or wrapped tightly if the pan doesn’t have one.
- Reheating: There’s no reheating an ice cream cake, just let slices sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
- Using Leftovers: Enjoy leftover slices as is, or crumble them into a bowl with extra Cool Whip for an easy sundae. For another easy frozen treat, try my Cocoa Condensed Milk Ice Cream (No Churn).
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
➡️ Soften the Ice Cream First: Rock-solid ice cream is hard to spread evenly, so let it
soften before layering.
➡️ Freeze Between Layers: Freezing the crust and ice cream layer briefly before adding
fudge keeps everything distinct.
➡️ Warm the Knife: A knife run under hot water slices through frozen layers without
cracking them.
➡️ Transport with Ice Packs: If you need to bring this cake somewhere, surround it with
ice packs in a cooler bag.
➡️ Give It Time to Soften: Let the cake sit out 10 to 15 minutes before slicing for the
cleanest cuts.
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No-Bake Oreo Ice Cream Cake
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Ingredients
- 36 Oreo cookies, crushed
- 7 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ quarts Oreo ice cream, softened
- 12 ounces Hot fudge sauce
- 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
- 1 cup Oreo cookies, crushed, for topping
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Remove the Oreo ice cream from the freezer and let it soften at room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter until a thick, crumbly dough forms.
- Press the Oreo mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Spread the softened ice cream evenly over the crust.
- Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Spread the hot fudge sauce evenly over the ice cream layer.
- Spread the Cool Whip evenly over the fudge layer.
- Sprinkle the crushed Oreo topping over the Cool Whip.
- Freeze for at least 8 hours, or overnight, until fully set.
- Let the cake sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Recipe Notes: For clean slices, run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts.
Christina’s Notes
-
- Freeze the Crust First: A brief freeze before adding ice cream keeps the crust from getting soggy.
- Don’t Skip the 30-Minute Freeze: Letting the ice cream layer firm up before adding fudge keeps the layers from blending together.
- Use a Freezer-Safe Container: Whatever you freeze this in should be able to go straight from freezer to serving without cracking.
- Storage Tip: Store in the freezer and enjoy within about a week for the best texture.
- Transportation: If you need to transport the actual cake, don’t worry. Surround the cake in ice packs in a cooler bag so you don’t let the ice cream melt.
- Whipped Cream: Use any remaining whipped cream around the top border of the cake.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.