Are you ready to create the most outrageously delicious, decadent, and wildly crowd-pleasing no-bake dessert of all time? A dessert so legendary, so packed with epic layers of chocolate, peanut butter, and caramel, that it can only be called… Ice Cream Lasagna! Get ready to discover the easiest, most impressive frozen treat you will ever make.
This isn’t just a dessert; it’s a celebration in a pan. This ultimate party dessert is a chocolate and peanut butter lover’s absolute dream come true. We layer ice cream sandwiches with warm, gooey peanut butter, a fluffy chocolate pudding mousse, chopped peanut butter cups, and drizzles of fudge and caramel. It’s a completely stress-free, assembly-only recipe that is guaranteed to be the star of any birthday, potluck, or summer barbecue.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Party Dessert
What makes this Ice Cream Lasagna a viral sensation and a potluck legend is its incredible ease and its show-stopping, multi-layered appearance. This is a true “no-bake” masterpiece that uses a clever combination of store-bought frozen and pantry ingredients to create a dessert that looks and tastes like it took hours to prepare. The final trip to the freezer melds the layers together into a sliceable, scoopable, and utterly irresistible frozen delight.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 2 hours 15 minutes (includes freezing) |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 12-16 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Decadent Dessert
This recipe uses a handful of fun, convenient, and delicious ingredients to create its signature layered look and indulgent flavor.
- Ice Cream Sandwiches: These are the genius “noodles” of our lasagna! A layer of classic rectangular vanilla ice cream sandwiches provides the perfect, easy foundation of creamy vanilla ice cream and soft, chocolatey wafer cookies.
- Crunchy Peanut Butter: This adds a fantastic, savory, and nutty layer of flavor and a wonderful textural crunch. We warm it slightly to make it easily spreadable over the delicate ice cream sandwiches.
- The Chocolate Pudding Fluff: This is a brilliant no-bake dessert hack! By mixing dry instant chocolate pudding mix directly into thawed whipped topping, you create a thick, stable, and incredibly light and fluffy chocolate mousse-like layer, without having to make traditional pudding.
- Peanut Butter Cups: Chopped peanut butter cups are scattered between the layers, providing a wonderful, surprising bite of extra chocolate and peanut butter goodness.
- Hot Fudge and Caramel Toppings: Generous drizzles of rich hot fudge and gooey, sweet caramel sauce create decadent, river-like layers throughout the dessert, just like a giant, sliceable ice cream sundae.
Step-by-Step to the Ultimate Ice Cream Lasagna
This recipe is all about quick, easy assembly. The key is to have your ingredients prepped and ready to go so you can work efficiently before the ice cream sandwiches melt.
Step 1: Build the Ice Cream Sandwich Foundation
First, line the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan with a single, tight layer of 12 of the unwrapped ice cream sandwiches. You may need to cut a sandwich or two with a sharp knife to ensure you have a solid base with no gaps.
Pro Tip: For incredibly easy removal and slicing later, you can line your pan with a long piece of parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides to use as “handles.”
Step 2: Add the Peanut Butter and Pudding Layers
Open your jar of crunchy peanut butter and place it in the microwave. Microwave it on low power for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the peanut butter is just warm and has a smooth, easily spreadable consistency.
Carefully spread half of the warm peanut butter over the layer of ice cream sandwiches.
In a large bowl, combine the instant chocolate pudding mix and the thawed frozen whipped topping. Mix them together until they are fully combined and you have a light, fluffy, chocolate mousse-like mixture.
Spread half of this chocolate pudding fluff over the peanut butter layer.
Step 3: Add the Candy and Sauce Layers
Sprinkle half of the chopped peanut butter cups evenly over the chocolate pudding fluff layer.
Remove the lids from your jars of hot fudge and caramel topping. Microwave them on low power for 10-20 seconds, just until the toppings are warmed and have a liquid, pourable consistency.
Drizzle half of the hot fudge and half of the caramel sauce over the layer of peanut butter cups.
Step 4: Repeat the Layers and Freeze
Now, simply repeat the entire layering process once more.
Start with the remaining 12 ice cream sandwiches, followed by the remaining warm peanut butter, the remaining chocolate pudding fluff, the remaining chopped peanut butter cups, and a final, generous drizzle of the remaining hot fudge and caramel sauce.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer. Let the dessert freeze until it is solidly frozen, which will take at least 1 to 2 hours. For the cleanest slices, freezing for 4 hours or even overnight is highly recommended.
The Ultimate Easy No-Bake Ice Cream Lasagna
An indulgent, no-bake layered dessert, this ‘Ice Cream Lasagna’ is made by stacking layers of popular sweet treats in a 9×13-inch pan. The recipe starts with a base of frozen ice cream sandwiches, followed by layers of warm, spreadable peanut butter, a fluffy mixture of chocolate pudding and whipped topping, chopped peanut butter cups, and drizzles of hot fudge and caramel. The layers are repeated and the entire dessert is frozen until solid before slicing.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (includes freezing time)
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake, Layering, Freezing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 24 frozen ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped
- 1 (16-ounce) jar crunchy peanut butter
- 1 (3.9-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 (16-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 16 peanut butter cups, chopped
- 1 (12-ounce) jar hot fudge ice cream topping
- 1 (12-ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan with 12 of the ice cream sandwiches to form a solid layer.
- Gently warm the peanut butter in the microwave in 30-second increments on low power until it is easily spreadable. Spread half of the peanut butter over the layer of ice cream sandwiches.
- In a separate bowl, mix the instant chocolate pudding mix into the thawed whipped topping. Spread half of this pudding mixture over the peanut butter layer.
- Sprinkle half of the chopped peanut butter cups over the pudding layer.
- Gently warm the hot fudge and caramel toppings in the microwave for a few seconds until they are liquid and drizzlable. Drizzle half of the fudge and half of the caramel over the peanut butter cups.
- Repeat all the layers: add the remaining 12 ice cream sandwiches, followed by the remaining peanut butter, the rest of the pudding mixture, the remaining peanut butter cups, and finally the rest of the hot fudge and caramel sauces.
- Cover the pan and freeze the dessert for 1 to 2 hours, or until it is solidly frozen.
- Slice into squares to serve.
Notes
- This is a very quick and easy recipe that uses all store-bought ingredients for fast assembly.
- Warming the peanut butter and jarred toppings slightly in the microwave is a key step to make them easy to spread and drizzle.
- A minimum freezing time of 1 to 2 hours is required for the dessert to set properly for slicing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 750-900
- Sugar: 80-100 g
- Sodium: 500-650 mg
- Fat: 40-50 g
- Saturated Fat: 20-28 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 90-110 g
- Fiber: 3-5 g
- Protein: 12-15 g
- Cholesterol: 40-60 mg
Serving Your Frozen Masterpiece
This Ice Cream Lasagna is a true showstopper. For the best, cleanest slices, it’s helpful to let the dish sit out at room temperature for about 5 minutes before you plan to serve it.
Use a long, sharp knife to cut the lasagna into squares. A great trick is to run the blade of the knife under hot water and then wipe it dry before each cut. The hot knife will glide through the frozen layers, creating beautiful, clean slices that show off all your hard work.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This dessert is the absolute ultimate make-ahead party food, as it needs to be made in advance and waits for you in the freezer.
- Make-Ahead: You can assemble this entire Ice Cream Lasagna up to a week or more in advance. Simply wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn.
- Storage: Store any leftovers, well-covered, in the freezer. It will stay fresh and delicious for at least a week.
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Creative Recipe Variations
This layered dessert formula is a fantastic template for all sorts of fun and delicious creations.
- “Death by Chocolate” Lasagna: For the ultimate chocolate lover, use all-chocolate ice cream sandwiches. Use the chocolate pudding fluff, drizzle with only hot fudge sauce, and top with a mix of chopped brownie bites and chocolate chips instead of peanut butter cups.
- Mint Chocolate Lasagna: This is a wonderfully refreshing version. Use mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches, omit the peanut butter layer, use the chocolate pudding fluff, and top with chopped Andes mints or Junior Mints.
- “Nut-Free” Cookies and Cream Lasagna: If you need to avoid nuts, simply omit the peanut butter and peanut butter cup layers. Use cookies and cream ice cream sandwiches, the chocolate pudding fluff, and top with a generous layer of crushed Oreo cookies.
Enjoy Your Outrageously Delicious Creation!
You’ve just created the most fun, festive, and decadent no-bake dessert imaginable. This Ice Cream Lasagna is a guaranteed hit for any occasion that calls for a fun, celebratory treat. It’s the perfect, stress-free dessert for feeding a crowd and is sure to have everyone coming back for a second slice.
We hope you love every last, glorious, and gooey bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share your own favorite flavor combination!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is Ice Cream Lasagna?
Ice Cream Lasagna is a fun, popular name for a layered, no-bake frozen dessert. It gets its name from its layered appearance, similar to a traditional lasagna. It’s typically made in a 9×13-inch pan and features layers of ice cream sandwiches, creamy fillings, sauces, and candy or cookie toppings.
Q2: Do I have to use peanut butter? What’s a good substitute?
No, you don’t have to use peanut butter if you have a nut allergy or simply don’t like it. You can either omit that layer entirely, or you can substitute it with another spread, like a cookie butter (such as Biscoff), or simply add an extra thick layer of hot fudge or caramel.
Q3: How do I get clean, beautiful slices of this dessert?
The two keys to clean slices are a very firm freeze and a hot knife. Make sure the dessert has been in the freezer for at least 4 hours. When you’re ready to cut it, fill a tall glass with hot water. Dip a long, sharp knife in the hot water for a few seconds, quickly wipe it dry, and then make a clean cut. Repeat this process for each slice you make.
Q4: Can I make this dessert ahead of time for a party?
Yes, this is one of the best make-ahead desserts you can find! You can assemble it completely up to a week in advance and keep it well-wrapped in the freezer. It takes all the stress out of party prep.
Q5: Why do you mix the dry instant pudding mix directly into the whipped topping?
This is a classic no-bake dessert hack! The dry pudding mix contains starches and stabilizers. When you mix it into the already-thick whipped topping (without adding the milk the pudding box calls for), the pudding mix absorbs some of the moisture from the whipped topping and acts as a thickener and a stabilizer. This creates a wonderfully thick, fluffy, and scoopable mousse-like layer that freezes beautifully.