A few weeks back I made this creamy, dreamy ricotta-based coffee mousse that was awesome all by itself. But I had so much left over that it was calling to be re-purposed into something else. Enter this SO easy and so delicious coffee mousse icebox cake.
Icebox cakes are awesome because they’re no-bake — although you’ll still have to wait a bit while it sets in ye olde “icebox.” Spoiler: that’s your freezer or fridge. It’s like we’re back in the ’50s with that name. Love it.
You can absolutely save a ton of time by using your favorite pudding mix in lieu of the homemade ricotta mousse in this mousse icebox cake. Not that it isn’t totally worth it, but I realize how much faster pudding mix is. In fact, I’ve made I think three more icebox cakes with pudding since I made this one? A lemon, a cookies and cream, and a raspberry version. They’re that fast and easy.
The other trick with icebox cakes is that you can replace the graham crackers with almost any kind of cookie: Nilla Wafers, Oreos, chocolate chip cookies… anything you like. Just don’t be tempted to use coated cookies that are covered in chocolate. They need to be able to absorb some liquid from the mousse, pudding, and cream to become cake-y, and the coating will prevent that. Ditto with wafer cookies, which have a layer that doesn’t seem to absorb well.
If you do end up using cookies instead of graham crackers, feel free to give them a quickie dip in some milk before you start layering to get them started on their journey into becoming soft like cake. Yum.
AND since you’re not baking anything, you can top this bad boy with anything you want! Think cookie crumbles, caramel sauce, coconut, peanuts, almonds, pretzels, potato chips (oooh!), whatever! Just know that it may get a little softer as it sits in the fridge, so maybe keep crunchier ingredients off until you serve it.
Need more easy dessert ideas? Here are a few no bake faves:
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Ingredients
- About 28 graham cracker squares
- One 12 oz tub of light whipped topping, thawed
- 1 recipe homemade ricotta coffee mousse (recipe here!) OR 1 3.4 oz package of dry sugar free pudding mix, prepared
- Optional: shaved chocolate or 1 oz chocolate chips (I used sugar free)
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment. Add one layer of graham crackers as the base.
- Smooth on half of the mousse or pudding mixture on top of the graham cracker layer. Add another layer of graham crackers on top.
- Evenly spread the rest of the pudding mixture on top of the cookies. Add another layer of graham crackers
- Spread a layer of whipped cream on the top of the last graham cracker layer.
- Sprinkle on chocolate chips, shaved chocolate, and any other toppings you like.
- Loosely cover and freeze for 2-4 hours. Once frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving. Store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
If you make this recipe, share a photo and hashtag it #BIJOUXANDBITS. I’d love to see what you’re cooking!
Catherine Clark is a Chicago native sharing noteworthy things she sees and attempts to make in the world. She's a geek, cat lady, designer and editor by day, and noob chef by night.
