Peanut Butter Icebox Cake

This Peanut Butter Icebox Cake is easy to make with layers of grain-free cookies or graham crackers, peanut butter, coconut whipped cream, crunchy pecans and melted chocolate. Takes just 10 minutes to assemble and is the perfect no bake dessert to serve a crowd. Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, vegan with paleo, low carb + keto options.

Easy Peanut Butter Ice Box Cake recipe

Crazy about the chocolate peanut butter combo? This Peanut Butter Icebox Cake comes together in just 10 minutes and a few simple ingredients. It’s a healthier twist on a classic icebox cake made with layers of grain-free cookies, coconut whipped cream, peanut butter, powdered maple sugar, peanut butter and dairy-free chocolate.

It’s creamy, a little crunchy and absolutely dreamy! The hardest part is just waiting for all the layers to set and the flavors to meld together.

The make-ahead option makes it easy to put together the night before company arrives or if you plan on bringing it along to your next holiday shindig.

Icebox cakes are one of the easiest desserts and always such a crowd-pleaser. They are perfect for spring or summer birthday parties, cook-outs, potlucks, picnics and family barbecues.

Looking for more healthy icebox cake recipes? We also love this Strawberry Icebox Cake, S’mores Icebox Cake, Chocolate Icebox cake and  Cherry Icebox Cake!

What is an Icebox Cake

A traditional icebox cake is a no bake dessert made with chocolate wafers and whipped cream. You assemble them into layers  resemble a cake. Then you store the cake either in the fridge or the freezer to set up.

After a few hours, you get a no bake cake that tastes sort of like a delicious ice cream cake.

Ingredients you need

Classic icebox cakes are made with graham crackers or wafers, heavy cream, cream cheese, sugar and sometimes pudding. For this healthy gluten-free and dairy-free icebox cake recipe, we’re going to use:

• Gluten-free cookies – we like Simple Mills Grain-Free Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins, Simple Mills Crunchy Cinnamon Cookies or Hu’s Kitchen Grain-Free Snickerdoodles to keep this recipe grain-free, vegan and paleo-friendly. For a low carb / keto version, use High Key Snickerdoodles  or my keto shortbread cookie recipe. You can also use regular or gluten-free graham crackers if not paleo.
• Chilled Canned Coconut cream – whipped until stiff peaks. Be sure to chill the entire cans of coconut cream overnight before using. Works best with brands only containing coconut with no other fillers – etc. Trader Joe’s, Aroy-D, Savoy or Nature’s Charm. For easier prep you can sub with coconut whipped topping such as So Delicious Coco Whip. If not dairy-free, you can sub with regular heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or regular whipped topping of choice. 
• Peanut butter – we like to use an all natural creamy peanut butter with no sugar-added. You can also sub with any other nut butter such as almond butter or cashew butter for a paleo icebox cake or use sunflower see butter or other seed butter to keep this recipe nut-free.
• Powdered maple sugar or powdered coconut sugar – helps to sweeten things up and stabilize the whipped cream. For a low carb / keto version, use powdered sweetener such as powdered Lakanto powdered monkfruit sweetener, erythritol or SWERVE. You can also use this powdered organic icing sugar or your favorite brand. 
• Pure vanilla extract – to balance out the sweetness and add flavor,
• Pecans – chopped.
• Dairy-free chocolate – finely chopped or grated.

Optional for topping

• Dairy-free Chocolate – melted.
• Vegan caramel – for drizzling before serving. This is completely optional so feel free to use your favorite homemade caramel sauce or store-bought brand. This

How to make Peanut Butter Icebox Cake

1. Make the whipped cream:  With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip chilled coconut cream until it just holds soft peaks. Add peanut butter, powdered sugar and whip to combine until stiff peaks hold. Set aside 1/2 cup whipped cream for topping.
2. Assemble the cake: Spread a thin layer of the cream mixture in an 8 x 8 pan to coat the bottom.
3. Place a single layer of cookies / crackers across the center of the pan and then break up 1 or 2 more cookies / crackers as needed to fill in the gaps. Spread half of the cream mixture on top. Sprinkle 1/3 amount of the shaved chocolate and pecans. Top with another layer of cookies / crackers, breaking them as needed to make them fit. Spread the remaining cream mixture over the top. Add another layer of shaved chocolate and pecans. ADD the final layer of cookies / crackers. Spread reserved cream evenly on top.
4. Decorate cake: Sprinkle on crushed cookie / cracker crumbs and top with remaining shaved chocolate and pecans. Drizzle with melted chocolate and caramel sauce, if desired.
5. Chill cake in fridge: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until the cookies / crackers have softened completely.

Tips for success

1. Choose a good quality brand of coconut milk: We like the one from Trader Joe’s or Aroy-D. For easier prep you can sub with coconut whipped topping such as So Delicious Coco Whip to keep things simple and omit the powdered sweetener.
2. Chill the coconut cream: Be sure to chill the coconut cream overnight prior to whipping. Otherwise, the coconut cream won’t harden and will not whip up.
3. Add reserved liquid from the can: If your whipped cream is too stiff or you see clumps, add some of the reserved liquid from the can to help it blend smoother.
4. Keep chilled if making ahead: Be sure to store in the fridge if making ahead to firm up.

Storage and freezer instructions

How to store: This healthy peanut butter cake is an easy make ahead dessert that you can store covered in the fridge overnight for up to 3 days.

For make ahead: Simply assemble in advance and store covered in the fridge overnight

How to freeze: The great thing about ice cakes is that they taste great slightly frozen so you can go ahead and store in the freezer for up to one week. I wouldn’t store it for longer than one month though as the cookies will soften too much and crumble.

How to serve this no bake peanut butter cake

After the cake is set, remove the pan from the fridge, slice into squares and serve immediately. Feel free to garnish and add more toppings such as chopped nuts, a drizzle of chocolate or whatever you have on hand!

Peanut Butter Cake Variations

• For a low carb keto icebox cake: use High Key Snickerdoodles  or my keto shortbread cookie recipe. Swap powdered sugar for powdered monk fruit sweetener
• For gluten-free ice box cake: use any gluten free graham crackers, cookies or my gluten free sugar cookie recipe or keto lemon cookie recipe
• For an old-fashioned icebox cake: You can use Vanilla Oreo cookies, chocolate or vanilla wafer cookies
• Make it lemon: Swap out the berries for a lemon custard for a Lemon Icebox Cake
• Add more toppings: Add in some chopped nuts, a drizzle of chocolate or whatever you have on hand!

More easy no bake cakes: 

• Monster Cookie Cake
• Pumpkin Icebox Cake

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Peanut Butter Icebox Cake

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

This Peanut Butter Icebox Cake is easy to make with layers of grain-free cookies or graham crackers, peanut butter, coconut whipped cream, crunchy pecans and melted chocolate. Takes just 10 minutes to assemble and is the perfect no bake dessert to serve a crowd. Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, vegan with paleo, low carb + keto options.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy icebox cake, healthy icebox cake, icebox cake easy, no bake cake recipe, no bake icebox cake, vegan icebox cake

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 328 kcal

Author: Kelly

Ingredients

• 3 cups chilled canned coconut cream (two 13.5 oz cans)  , be sure to chill the entire cans of coconut cream overnight before using. Works best with brands only containing coconut with no other fillers - etc. Trader Joe's, Aroy-D, Savoy or Nature's Charm. For easier prep you can sub with coconut whipped topping such as So Delicious Coco Whip. If not dairy-free, you can sub with regular heavy cream, heavy whipping cream or regular whipped topping of choice. 
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter , may sub with any nut butter or seed butter for paleo
• 1/3 cup powdered sweetener of choice We like powdered pure maple sugar or powdered coconut sugar. For a low carb / keto version, use powdered sweetener such as powdered Lakanto powdered monkfruit sweetener, erythritol or SWERVE. You can also use any powdered organic icing sugar of choice.
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 25-30 grain-free cookies , or more depending on the size of pan and brand of cookies you use. We like Simple Mills Grain-Free Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins, Simple Mills Crunchy Cinnamon Cookies or Hu's Kitchen Grain-Free Snickerdoodles to keep this recipe grain-free, vegan and paleo-friendly. For a low carb / keto version, use High Key Snickerdoodles, High Key Vanilla Wafers or my keto shortbread cookie recipe. You can also use regular or gluten-free graham crackers if not paleo.
• 3/4 cups dairy-free chocolate , we like Lily's Sweets, Pascha's, Hu's Kitchen or Eating Evolved. Grated or shaved and divided into three portions.
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans , divided into three portions

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

• crushed grain-free cracker crumbs
• chopped nuts
• drizzle of melted dairy-free chocolate
• dairy-free caramel sauce

Instructions

MAKE WHIPPED CREAM:

1. Make the whipped cream:  With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip chilled coconut cream until it just holds soft peaks. Add powdered sugar (and vanilla if using) and whip to combine until stiff peaks hold. Set aside 1/2 cup whipped cream for topping.

   

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

1. Spread a thin layer of the cream mixture in an 8 x 8 pan to coat the bottom. Place a single layer of cookies / crackers across the center of the pan and then break up 1 or 2 more cookies / crackers as needed to fill in the gaps.

   

2. Spread half of the cream mixture on top. Sprinkle 1/3 amount of the shaved chocolate and pecans. Top with another layer of cookies / crackers, breaking them as needed to make them fit. Spread the remaining cream mixture over the top. Add another layer of shaved chocolate and pecans. ADD the final layer of cookies / crackers. Spread reserved cream evenly on top.

   Sprinkle on crushed cookie / cracker crumbs and top with remaining shaved chocolate and pecans. Drizzle with melted chocolate and/or caramel sauce, if desired.

   

3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until the cookies / crackers have softened completely.

   

Recipe Notes

*To make this icebox cake in a 9x13 pan, increase the amounts by 1.5

This cake tastes bests on the day it is made. However if you have leftovers: 

How to store:  Store leftovers covered in the fridge overnight for up to 3 days.

For make ahead: Simply assemble in advance and store covered in the fridge overnight

How to freeze: Store in the freezer for up to one week. I wouldn't store it for longer than one month though as the cookies will soften too much and crumble.

Nutrition Facts

Peanut Butter Icebox Cake

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 328 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 5g10%

* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.