Oreo Chocolate Icebox Cake

This classic dessert recipe comes together with just four ingredients and no baking! Oreo Chocolate Icebox Cake is sure to be a favorite.

Chocolate Icebox cake has been a Christmas favorite in my house for as long as I can remember.

My mama would make it every year, using real whipped cream and a box or two of those thin chocolate wafer cookies.

It promptly because one of the Southern daughter’s favorite Christmas dessert traditions, and if you know her even a little you know that you DO NOT mess with her Christmas traditions.

So, somehow last year the Making Of The Chocolate Icebox Cake became my responsibility, and I have to say, I was pretty confident, even in the face of all that pressure.

I mean, it’s basically 4 ingredients, and requires no baking at all, and I had seen my mama make it a thousand times.

AND THEN DISASTER STRUCK.

There were none of those skinny chocolate wafer cookies to be found anywhere.

At any store.

In any town.

I had made the rookie mistake of not purchasing them in late October the way all the experienced chocolate icebox cake makers do.

So I panicked in the middle of Wegmans the way one does, and during my panic I happened to spot a box of Oreo Thins.

Oreo Thins are basically what you think they are – a super thinned down version of the original cookie. With the beloved creme inside and all.

And then it hit me: could I, out of sheer panicked necessity, actually IMPROVE on the wonder that is Chocolate Icebox Cake?

So I bought me the Oreo Thins and got down to work.

(Side note: this happened last Christmas, so that is my old kitchen and my old non-crazy-curly hair, and it seems like one million years ago.)

What Is An Icebox Cake?

So before I give you the verdict on the Oreo Chocolate Icebox Cake, let’s talk icebox cakes in general.

There are all kinds of them, but they all follow the basic principle: Cookies or cake layered in sweet whipped cream, and then popped in the fridge so that the cookies or cake can absorb some of the liquid from the cream until it is a soft, luscious taste and consistency.

How Do You Make Oreo Chocolate Icebox Cake?

Start by making the whipped cream! Beat 4 cups of heavy cream, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of vanilla in a mixer until cream is whipped into soft peaks.

Spread ¼ cup whipped cream on a round cake plate (this is to hold the first cookies in place).  Arrange 7 Oreo Thins cookies in a circle, with one cookie in the middle.

Spread about ¾ cups whipped cream over the cookie circle.  I love an offset spatula for doing this (as well as any and all other kinds of icing!)

Place another 7 cookies in the same design.  Repeat with the remaining cream and cookies, ending with a layer of cream (you will have some cookies left over – save them!)

Pop the cake in the fridge for about 8 hours (overnight is even better if you can!) This is so the cookies can soak up some of the cream and soften up.

Right before serving, crumble up those last cookies and sprinkle on top.

This is going to give you the overall flavor of classic chocolate icebox cake, but with the beloved taste of Oreo mixed in. And in case you need any more convincing, the Southern daughter gave it two thumbs up.

Can you freeze icebox cake?

You absolutely can! Whether you want to make it a few days ahead or just save any leftovers, if you wrap it up in foil or plastic wrap it will freeze just fine.

If you are making it ahead, I highly recommend letting it spend its first 8 hours in the fridge, as this will help the cookies soften better.

I think that is now everything I know about Oreo Chocolate Icebox Cake, but if you have any more questions, throw them into the comments below!