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Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake

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If you love chocolate, you’ll love this Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake. The layers are built with chocolate graham crackers, a chocolate Oreo mousse, whipped cream, and plenty of Oreos and fudge on top!

Looking for more Oreo dessert ideas? Try this easy Oreo Ice Cream Cake recipe!

No-Bake Oreo Dessert

I wish I could fully get across just how good this Oreo Icebox Cake is. I mean, for one, it’s an icebox cake with Oreos. It’s also layered with chocolate graham crackers, a chocolate Oreo mousse, whipped cream, and plenty of Oreos and hot fudge on top.

Seriously. People fought over the last slice of this.

Why Are They Called Icebox Cakes?

Icebox cakes are a dessert that became popular in the 20th century when iceboxes, a non-mechanical form of refrigeration, became popular. Icebox cake recipes were promoted to encourage people to purchase iceboxes!

an icebox cake with a slice cut out set on top of a cake stand

Key Ingredients

  • Cream Cheese – don’t forget to bring the cream cheese to room temperature so it incorporates smoothly when you beat it with the electric mixer.
  • Oreos – you can easily crush the Oreos for the filling using a rolling pin or another similar heavy object.
  • Chocolate Graham Crackers – I like to use chocolate graham crackers to layer into the Oreo icebox dessert, because extra chocolate. Feel free to use other varieties of graham crackers if preferred.

How to Make Oreo Icebox Cake

This no-bake Oreo dessert takes a quick 20 minutes to prep!

  1. Make the chocolate mousse: Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream at a time until the mixture is liquid, then add the rest of the heavy cream along with the vanilla extract. Beat until soft peaks, then add powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Beat until stiff peaks form.
  2. Add the Oreos: Place Oreos into a ziplock bag, then use a rolling pin to crush into pieces. Fold the Oreo pieces into the mousse.
  3. Make the crust: Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then line the bottom of the pan with chocolate graham crackers. Cut as needed to fill the bottom completely.
  4. Layer the cake: Divide the chocolate mousse in half, then spread one half over the graham crackers. Add a second layer of graham crackers followed by the rest of the mousse. Finish with a third layer of graham crackers.
  5. Add the topping: Place a mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for a few minutes to chill. In the cold bowl, add heavy whipping cream, then use an electric mixer to beat until soft peaks form. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Pipe a border of the topping around the edge of the Graham Cracker Icebox Cake.
  6. Chill: Cover with foil, then freeze for 2-4 hours. Before serving, top with more crushed Oreos and warm hot fudge.
front view of a slice of Oreo cake on a white plate drizzled with fudge

Recipes Notes and Tips

  • Use a springform pan. A springform pan makes it so easy to remove the cake from the pan without damaging it. If you have one, I highly recommend using it.
  • Line the pan. I like to line the pan with parchment paper to prevent the graham crackers from sticking. You can either hang it out of the edges and close the pan around it, or cut a 9-inch circle to fit the bottom.
  • Cut the graham crackers. Don’t be afraid to cut the graham crackers up to fit the pan. We want the bottom to be completely covered to form a nice crust. The mousse will help hold it all together.
  • Wait on the toppings. I like to add the toppings right before serving. I prefer the Oreos to be a little bit crunchy and the hot fudge will melt the cake if added to soon.
  • For clean slices, run a sharp knife under warm water. Slice,, then clean and repeat between slices.
a fork being plunged into a slice of Oreo icebox cake on a plate

Does an Icebox Cake Go in the Fridge or Freezer?

Either one! The graham cracker icebox cake can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge or for up to 1 month in the freezer.

A refrigerated icebox cake is more soft and pillowy and the graham crackers take on a cake-like texture. A frozen icebox cake is a little more firm and the graham crackers are crunchier. Both ways are delicious. It just depends on your preference!

More Oreo Desserts You’ll Love

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closeup of a slice of Oreo icebox cake topped with Oreos and hot fudge

Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake

  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Chill Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes
  • Yield: 10 slices

Description

If you love chocolate, you’ll love this Chocolate Oreo Icebox Cake. The layers are built with chocolate graham crackers, a chocolate Oreo mousse, whipped cream, and plenty of Oreos and fudge on top!

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (354g) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (130g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (10g) cocoa powder
  • 24 Oreos, crushed
  • 1 box (14.4 oz) chocolate graham crackers

For the Topping:

  • 1 ¾ cups (413ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ¼ cup (162g) powdered sugar
  • Hot fudge sauce for drizzle
  • 6 Oreos

Instructions

For the Filling

  1. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes until it is completely smooth. Add ¼ cup of the heavy whipping cream and beat until the cream cheese resembles a liquid mixture. Then add all the remaining heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed. Once the mixture reach soft peaks. Then add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until stiff peaks form.
  2. Place the Oreos in a large Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or another heavy object to crush the Oreos. Fold the crushed Oreos to the chocolate mousse until well incorporated.
  3. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. I prefer to hang it out of the edges and close the pan around it, but you can cut a 9-inch circle to fit as well. Align the chocolate graham crackers in the bottom of the pan, cutting crackers as needed to fit, but the more large/whole pieces you have, the better structure they will provide.
  4. Divide the chocolate Oreo mousse in half. Spread half of the mousse over the bottom layer of graham crackers. It helps if you hold the graham crackers in place with your fingers if they are sliding around. Next, add a second layer of graham crackers and spread the remaining mousse. Finally, add the third and final layer of the graham crackers.

For the Topping

  1. Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream at medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Pipe a border around the outside edge.
  2. Cover this with aluminum foil and freeze for 2 to 4 hours or you can choose to keep this in the refrigerator, but allow at least 4 hours for the graham crackers to soften.
  3. Prior to serving, remove the icebox cake from the freezer and allow it to thaw for 20 minutes. Crush 6 Oreos and sprinkle over top of the cake. Drizzle warm Hot Fudge sauce over the Oreos.

Equipment

Notes

Storing: The graham cracker icebox cake can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge or for up to 1 month in the freezer. A refrigerated icebox cake is more soft and pillowy and the graham crackers take on a cake-like texture. A frozen icebox cake is a little more firm and the graham crackers are crunchier. Both ways are delicious. It just depends on your preference!

 

Nutrition Information:
1 slice
645
45.7 g
261.6 mg
43.4 g
61 g
0.5 g
5.3 g
110.3 mg
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Freezer
  • Cuisine: American

Leave a Comment

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15 Responses
  1. Danabee

    Hi! Found your recipe searching for ice box cake when it was my son’s birthday and 90+ degrees! I could not find chocolate graham crackers anywhere so had to use plain. Still delicious! And easy. And didn’t have to turn on the oven, hallelujah! Thanks.






    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Love that! I am so happy to be a part of your son’s birthday! We always had ice cream cakes for our birthdays when I was growing up

  2. Sarah

    This was great! I made it for my Oreo-loving son’s birthday and he LOVED it! I was a little daunted with trying to get the graham cracker right with not wanting it to be too hard/ crunchy and complete mush, but some how it came out perfect. I love how the recipe was easy to make, even for this less-experienced cook. Even better, it made the perfect amount of whipped cream topping and made some extra which helped account for my frosting goofs and redo! Thanks!

  3. Bouchra

    for the topping, isn’t it too much sugar for the whipping cream.

    for a whipped cream, I had in mind 1 cup of whipping cream for 1 tablespoon of icing sugar.

    here it’s 1 cup and 3/4 whipping cream for 1 cup and 1/4 of powdered sugar.

    is it right ?
    Thanks in advance.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi there, I actually always make my whipped cream 50% powdered sugar to the liquid. So for 1 cup of heavy cream I use 1.2 cup powdered sugar. This isn’t every time, but most of the time. This ensures a nice stuff whipped cream, however it is much sweeter than if you make it without the powdered sugar.

  4. Elizabeth

    Somehow I missed this post. Holy Moses!!! It is stunning to look at and contains everything I LOVE!!! I will have to find a reason to make this!!! It for sure is a crowd pleaser!!

  5. Holly N @ SpendWithPennies.com

    You make such gorgeous desserts, I’m kind of glad we’re not neighbors (in the nicest way possible, because I’d likley be at your doorstep every day)!

    Ice box cakes are amazing and I’ve made a bunch of them, but none quite this pretty!!

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