36 No-Cook Desserts Too Easy Not To Try

Forget the heat for these treats.

By

Kimberly Holland

Updated on June 16, 2024

Southern Living Millionaire Pie in a pie plate to serve — Photo:
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Although Southern cooks love to bake beautiful layer cakes, tricky meringues, and flavorful bread pudding recipes to show off their skills, there's not always time for an elaborate dessert. When you're in a last-minute rush (or if it's just too hot to cook during Southern summers!), turn to our favorite no-cook desserts. Not only are these delicious desserts no-bake, but they're also no-cook, which means you don't even have to turn the stovetop on. If you're short on time, don't preheat that oven—stick with our best no-cook desserts.

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Éclair Cake

Eclair Cake — Molly Bolton/Southern Living

While delicate eclairs can be finicky to make, our no-bake cake version is a breeze, even for the novice baker.

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Lemon Icebox Pie

Southern Living Lemon Icebox Pie — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

If you use a store-bought crust, all you need is 10 minutes of prep time. Make this creamy, tangy friend of Key Lime Pie the night before and you'll surely impress anyone at the potluck.

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Lemon Lush

Two slices of Lemon Lush dessert on plates with forks with a glass of lemonade and a napkin. — Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

Light and airy, this layered citrus dessert will bring back fond memories. And while the layers look impressive, it's foolproof to build.

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No-Bake Honey Cheesecake

Southern Living No-Bake Honey Cheesecake on a cake plate with a slice out to serve — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Don't be fooled—this isn't your run-of-the-mill cheesecake. Tangy cream cheese and sour cream balance the sweet honey, making every bite delicious. Top it with a swirl of honey for a picture-worthy dessert.

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No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars — Iain Bagwell

Look no further than these gooey, toffee bars layered with chocolate, caramel, and crackers to curb your sweet craving.

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Cherries-and-Cream Icebox Cake

Cherries-and-Cream Icebox Cake — Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Without the hassle of the oven, this layered icebox cake is sure to be a showstopper. “This cake is absolutely delicious. It’s also visually beautiful,” wrote one five-star reviewer. “When the first piece is cut, the inside is as pretty as the outside, due to the multiple layers.”

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Peanut Butter Pie

Southern Living Peanut Butter Pie in a pie plate with a slice cut out to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

For all the chocolate and peanut butter fans, this pie takes the award-winning combo to the next level. The chocolate cookie crust and peanut butter filling is perfectly rich, yet not-too-sweet and not-too-salty.

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Orange Sherbet Punch

Orange Sherbet Punch in the bowl to serve — Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

This old-school recipe has all the makings of a classic Southern punch. It is sweet, slightly creamy, fruity, and there is always an occasion for it.

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No-Bake Cheesecake

Southern Living No Bake Cheesecake sliced on a plate to serve — Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

This dreamy dessert combines all the cheesecake flavors you love without even turning on the oven. The best part is, it's a blank canvas ready for whatever flavors you want to add from fresh summer fruit to a chocolate drizzle.

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No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies — Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel

We have the perfect solution for when you're craving cookies, but want a quick, homemade solution without having to wait for the oven.

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Lemon Granita

Lemon Granita Recipe — Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Imagine a fresh glass of lemonade, but make it flaky and icy, like a snowflake. It's a summer-perfect, no-cook dessert that will make everyone ask for more.

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Lemon Tiramisu

Lemon Tiramisu — Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck

This refreshing, zesty spin on a classic tiramisu is the ideal treat to serve at your next summer gathering. (Be sure to use soft ladyfingers in this recipe.)

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Rum Balls

Rum Balls Recipe — Hector Manuel Sanchez

We brought back this easy, no-cook recipe that has stood the test of time from our December 1993 issue.

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Peach Milkshake

Southern Living Peach Milkshake in glasses to serve — Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Everything you love about a fruity and refreshing sundae, but drinkable—this milkshake is exploding with summertime peach flavor.

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White Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries — Micah A. Leal

These white-chocolate covered strawberries make an easy but elegant end to any meal. Or fill up a tin for easy gifting!

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No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Fudge Ice-Cream Pie — Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

There's nothing better during a hot Southern summer than a creamy, chilled pie. Don't count on leftovers when serving this treat.

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No-Bake Strawberry Pie

No-Bake Strawberry Pie — Joy Howard

Similar to a traditional icebox pie, this no-bake sweet treat has a buttery graham cracker crust filled with a creamy strawberry filling.

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Key Lime Ice-Cream Pie

Summer Cakes and Pies Key Lime Ice-Cream Pie — Hector Sanchez

It's hard to go wrong with key lime pie, especially when it involves indulgent avocado-key lime pie ice cream for the filling.

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Millionaire Pie

Southern Living Millionaire Pie in a pie plate to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

This tropical, fruit-filled treat is about as Southern as desserts get. Best of all, it only takes 10 minutes of hands-on time and an hour to chill.

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Macerated Strawberries

Southern Living Macerated Strawberries in a bowl to serve — Photographer: Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

A simple bowl of strawberries gussied up with a pinch of sugar, fresh basil, and lemon juice and zest is hard to beat. So good you'll want to eat the whole bowl as is, but you can also add the berries atop pound cake, ice cream, and more.

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Chocolate Lasagna

Chocolate Lasagna — Southern Living

This vintage dessert was made to feed a crowd, so it's perfect for potlucks and big family gatherings year-round.

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Sea Salt Ice Cream

Sea Salt Ice Cream — Greg DuPree Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey

For all the sweet and salty fans out there, this is sure to be your new favorite dessert.

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S'mores Pie

S'mores Pie — Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Melissa Gray

No oven, no problem. We already know everyone will be wanting some more of this delicacy.

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Strawberry-Orange Trifle

Strawberry-Orange Trifle Recipes — Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Fresh fruit makes for a light dessert sure to satisfy everyone at your table, especially when it's layered with lemon curd whipping cream and topped with crumbled shortbread cookies.

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No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Southern Living Peanut Butter Bars cut on a plate to serve with a glass of milk — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

With only five-ingredients, these oh-so-simple crunchy, chocolate covered bars are the easiest way to please a crowd.

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Mascarpone Cheesecake

Mascarpone Cheesecake — Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Mascarpone cheese is the secret to the fan-favorite dessert. For added flavor and a festive feel, add a colorful topping of raspberry jam, raspberries, and blueberries.

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Watermelon Daiquiri

Watermelon Daiquiri — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Summer is the season for a cold, refreshing drink bursting with the best flavors of the season, so we're keeping it simple with a watermelon daiquiri. It's just as good with or without the booze.

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Ice Cream Cake

Southern Living Ice Cream Cake decorated cake is ready to serve on a platter with a slice out on a plate — Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

While we aren't ashamed of a store-bought ice cream cake, this recipe might become your new go to. Be sure to check out the “Tips From the Test Kitchen” section of the recipe to ensure your layers look their best.

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Preacher Cookies

Southern Living Preacher Cookies on serving platters — Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke

No matter the season, these no-bake cookies will hit the spot. Filled with cocoa, oats, crunchy peanut butter, and crispy rice cereal, they're full of flavor and texture.

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Tiramisu

Southern Living Tiramisu two servings on plates with a small cup of coffee — Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke

This traditionally Italian dessert gets a Southern twist with bourbon.

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Strawberry Icebox Cake

Strawberry Icebox Cake — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Five ingredients and a few hours in the fridge later and you'll have a centerpiece worthy dessert.

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Chocolate Parfaits

Chocolate Parfaits — Southern Living

Treat yourself with a dessert on the lighter side. We tried using both sugar-free instant and regular pudding mixes. To our surprise, we preferred the flavor of the sugar-free.

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Banana Split Cake

Banana Split Cake — Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ali Ramee, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck

The only thing easier than a 13x9 dessert is one that doesn't have to go in the oven. This one is a great make-ahead option because it takes just 20 minutes to assemble before ample time to chill.

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Kool Aid Pie

Kool Aid Pie — Micah A. Leal

We're taking you back to your days of running around the park with Kool Aid stains on your lips (and probably your T-shirt too).

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Homemade Cookies-and-Cream Ice Cream

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream — Caitlin Bensel

There's no complaining about your ice cream not having enough cookie pieces or the chunks being too mushy when you go the homemade route. Add all the cookies you want!

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Red, White, and Blue Popsicles

Red, White, and Blue Popsicles — Jennifer Causey

Don't chase the ice cream truck down—make these nostalgic goodies at home!

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