[No Bake] Peanut Butter Lover’s Icebox Cake

We've talked a lot in the past about Sunday dinners at our grandma’s house… there was always enough food to feed an army and our grandma had a rotation of desserts that she made. A simple icebox cake was one of them – just layers of graham crackers, pudding and Cool Whip. Whenever we see a recipe for icebox cake, we can’t pass it up, especially when it’s loaded with all of our favorite peanut butter treats.

Our father-in-law emailed us this recipe last week (he knows us so well!); we couldn’t wait to get our kitchen unpacked so that we could dig in!

Instead of graham crackers, this recipe uses Nutter Butter cookies as the base and then layers vanilla pudding and Cool Whip with melted peanut butter and chopped peanut butter cups. Oh our goodness, we can’t even tell you how memorable this dessert is… creamy, sweet and ultra peanut butter-y.

A couple of recipe notes – be sure that you chill the dessert at least overnight, as this will ensure that the Nutter Butter cookies will soften and be evenly scoopable. Also, the recipe calls for Cool Whip, which is what our grandma always made her icebox cakes with, but you could just easily use fresh whipped cream if you’d like.

If you are a fellow peanut butter lover, this is a reliable summer dessert… cool, light, refreshing and, best of all – no oven required! It reminds us of sitting around our grandma’s dining room table with her windows open, curtains blowing in the breeze, and wishing that Sundays never had to turn into Mondays.

One year ago: Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Two years ago: Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone and Raspberries
Four years ago: Kentucky Derby Chocolate Bourbon Walnut Pie
Five years ago: Snickery Squares

[No Bake] Peanut Butter Lover's Icebox Cake

Yield: 8 to 10 servings If you love peanut butter then this icebox cake featuring Nutter Butters, peanut butter cups and melted peanut butter is for you!

• 3.4 ounce (96.39 g) box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups (488 ml) milk
• 26 Nutter Butter cookies, plus extra for garnish
• ½ cup (129 g) creamy peanut butter, melted
• 8 ounce (226.8 g) carton Cool Whip
• 24 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped, plus extra for garnish

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mix with the milk for 2 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with Nutter Butter cookies.
• Drizzle with one-third of the melted peanut butter.
• Spread half of the pudding over top of the cookies and peanut butter. Top with half of the Cool Whip, then sprinkle with half of the chopped peanut butter cups.
• Repeat the layers of Nutter Butter cookies, another third of the melted peanut butter, remaining half of the pudding and remaining half of the Cool Whip.
• Garnish the top by drizzling the remaining melted peanut butter and additional chopped peanut butter cups and crushed Nutter Butter cookies.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (this is essential so that the cookies soften). The dessert can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Notes

Nutritional values are based on one serving

• Yield: 8 to 10 servings
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3.4 ounce ( 96.39 g ) box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups ( 488 ml ) milk
• 26 Nutter Butter cookies, plus extra for garnish
• ½ cup ( 129 g ) creamy peanut butter, melted
• 8 ounce ( 226.8 g ) carton Cool Whip
• 24 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped, plus extra for garnish

Method

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mix with the milk for 2 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with Nutter Butter cookies.
3. Drizzle with one-third of the melted peanut butter.
4. Spread half of the pudding over top of the cookies and peanut butter. Top with half of the Cool Whip, then sprinkle with half of the chopped peanut butter cups.
5. Repeat the layers of Nutter Butter cookies, another third of the melted peanut butter, remaining half of the pudding and remaining half of the Cool Whip.
6. Garnish the top by drizzling the remaining melted peanut butter and additional chopped peanut butter cups and crushed Nutter Butter cookies.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (this is essential so that the cookies soften). The dessert can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.