By Ali Slagle
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus at least 2 hours’ freezing
- Rating
- 4(1,003)
- Notes
- Read community notes
With just a 9-by-13 pan, a spoon and four store-bought ingredients, you can make an ice cream cake that’s creamy, crunchy and fudgy in every bite. It starts with crushed chocolate-mint cookies that are covered with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Next, it’s topped with a layer of ice cream sandwiches, with their cakey cookies and vanilla ice cream. Follow that with more mint chip ice cream, and you’ve made a six-layer cake without breaking a sweat. Feel free to experiment here: Swap out the mint cookies for snickerdoodles, pretzels or broken waffle cones, and the mint-chip ice cream for coffee, peanut butter or strawberry ice cream — or any combination that sounds good to you. Slice the cake into pieces big or small, then drizzle them with hot fudge or Magic Shell. This cake serves a crowd, but you can halve the ingredients and build it in an 8-by-8-inch pan for a smaller group.
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Ingredients
Yield:One 9-by-13-inch cake (15 to 18 servings)
- 2cups coarsely crushed crisp chocolate-mint or chocolate cookies (about 10 ounces)
- 2(1.5-quart) cartons or 6 pints mint chocolate chip ice cream
- 12full-size rectangular ice cream sandwiches
- Store-bought or homemade hot fudge sauce or Magic Shell, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)
272 calories; 10 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 31 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 167 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with two layers of plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang on all sides. Open all of the ice cream containers. Place one 1½ quart (or 3 pints) on the counter and let soften until it resembles thick cake batter, 5 to 10 minutes; you’ll use this ice cream first. Place the other containers in the refrigerator to soften while you build the first half of the cake. (Ice cream will reach the desired consistency in the refrigerator in 20 to 30 minutes.)
Step
2
Scatter the crushed cookies in a thin, even layer across the bottom of the pan. Spoon the first softened container of ice cream over the cookies and spread into an even layer. Press down as you go to adhere the ice cream to the cookies. If at any point the ice cream is melting to liquid, pop the cake and ice cream in the freezer to firm to a spoonable consistency.
Step
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Place the pan in the freezer while you unwrap the sandwiches. Top the ice cream with a layer of ice cream sandwiches, cutting some as needed to fill the layer to the edges.
Step
4
Spoon the remaining ice cream over the top and spread into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
Step
5
To serve, use the plastic overhang to remove the cake from the pan. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve with a drizzle of hot fudge or Magic Shell. If you’re finding the cake too solid to cut, don’t wait for it to soften: Warm your knife by running it under hot water and wiping it dry between cuts.
Ratings
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1,003
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Cooking Notes
Dave
This was great. Family and friends loved it. Another reviewer disparaged it as being from a mom blog. Well, it would be from an awesome mom blog. A recipe doesn’t have to be pretentious to be good.
ellen
Oh please get over yourself! No need to disparage. Just look and move on. This is a great recipe to make with kids...who are not making the fancier stuff here. Lighten up and realize that cooking does not always have to be high level technique.
PV
I needed to make something easy for a neighborhood party on a hot, humid evening. Not being a mint fan, I opted for the alternatives suggested. Crushed pretzels for base, praline pecan ice cream next, the ice cream sandwiches as directed, topped by Mackinac Island fudge ice cream. I used a Ghirardelli chocolate topping and added kahlua for the grown ups. The neighbors were delighted. Mine was in the freezer 3 hours but just an hour more would have helped.
KC
Oreos are the go-to cookie for this. They have a mint chocolate flavored variety.
Donna G
No, this is not haute cuisine, but it is also ridiculously good. It is drop dead easy, and WAY better than it has any right to be. I also vote for using mint oreos. This is perfect for any bbq, pool party, or birthday gathering. May we never lose our ability to enjoy both Raiders of the Lost Ark AND The Seventh Seal, or from scratch French pastry as well as a simple summer ice cream confection of premade ingredients. Artfully drizzle it with fudge sauce & it will even impress, trust me.
Elizabeth Dilts
Honestly, don’t use alternatives. Make this as is. I made it for a crowd that included skeptical foodies and a serious chef and everyone was just delighted. They declared it “silly good.” It’s like all of your little kid delights making a reappearance in one dessert.
Omatokai
My daughter & her best friend made this for this for their joint 12th birthday. They made it completely on their own and marveled about how easy it was. They used graham crackers for the bottom crust, then a layer of chocolate ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, and strawberry ice cream on top. They made it in a round springform pan, so it looked like a perfectly frosted, classic layer cake--candles on top and all. Frozen for 5 hours, it sliced perfectly, for a gorgeous (delicious) slice! Amazing!
juliana w
Aldi’s has an excellent off-brand Thin Mint-style cookie, for anyone who wants to make this the other 11 months of the year when Girl Scout cookies aren’t sold!
nowRcookin
Heaven's-to-Betsy, this was good! Sum greater than its parts. I didn't go all fancy and spent about 10 bucks, using 2 bags of mini oreos from the checkout line ($0.99 each), 2 pints of Haagen Daz on sale, and Kroger ice cream sandwiches, also on sale. I did make Melissa's Magic Shell - very cool! Used an 8x8 pan. My friend, who it was for, loves mint chip ice cream. What a winner! Thanks, Ali Slagle.
Cindy
Not a mint fan, so am planning to try this with chocolate cookies and coffee ice cream with a chocolate drizzle. Another option that sounds amazing would be the same plan but with strawberry ice cream and balsamic glaze drizzled on top.
Stephanie
I just made this for my son’s 8th birthday. I usually go all out and toil late into the night to make homemade birthday cakes for my kids, yet not this year when pandemic-related stress pressed in on me from all sides. This cake turned out to be blissfully easy—it really just took about a half an hour to assemble. And, it was a big hit with everyone! If you want to make it a bit more sophisticated for adults I highly recommend topping it with Julia Moskin’s Chocolate Ganache.
Sally F
In my dreams I envision a coffee/almond/chocolate version: chocolate thins crushed on the bottom, then a strong coffee ice cream like Haagen Dasz, then the vanilla sandwiches, then HD Swiss almond vanilla on top, with a sprinkling of crushed roasted (like 5 min in toaster oven roasted) almonds on top and whatever (almond caramel? Chocolate? Mocha? Sauce you want to pour on top. What a great combo.
MCH
The Girl Scouts sell Thin Mints - everyone loves them and they freeze well!
Rolnrn
Maybe chocolate graham crackers with a layer of ice cream of choice between them
Stephanie
I used Newman O's, organic ice cream & organic ice cream sandwiches. The results are in the freezer now. I had to let the ice cream get softer than anticipated, otherwise, it kept lifting the cookies. And if you eat organic, this is not a cheap dessert. $40 to put it together - which is enough to buy a fairly elegant cake from an actual bakery.My husband reminded me we can get a cake from an old favorite bakery on the west coast delivered for not much more than that.
Nielou
This was very simple and good! I made a smaller version using a loaf pan using 1 qt of mint chocolate chip ice cream and reversed the layering pressing the cookie crust on the top of the loaf and then inverted the cake when I took it out of the pan. I used about a sleeve and a half of cookies. The ice cream sandwich layer in the middle adds a nice texture. This is a quick and easy one!
Sarah Beatty
Oreos work fine. We scraped out the filling before crushing. 2nd time making this. Everyone loves it
Analisa
One of the most clever recipes I’ve ever tried. It looks gorgeously complicated, gets raves all around, and even won me over to mint chip ice cream. There’s no rule that you have to tell your guests about the ice cream sandwiches! Contrary to the recipe, the cake will need to set in the freezer for at least six hours before serving; two is nowhere near enough, and overnight is ideal. While you’re at it, freeze a metal sheet pan to place the cake on once you’ve lifted it out of the 9x13 pan.
Christine
Um, we have found our new go-to when we need to bring a fun dessert. This was so good! We used Thin Mints as it's Girl Scout cookie season. So many other flavor combos possible; thinking shortbread cookies and strawberry ice cream next time. Cut it in hafl for a more manageable size. Needs more than 2 hours in the freezer to set up properly, I'd say 4 or more.
ES
Fantastic birthday cake. A must make for any occasion. My family really enjoys it. Easy and cheap.
Joe
Fabulous. Second time of making it, I tipped the solid ice cream out of the tub and sliced it while solid. Much easier!
HT
Amazing recipe! Made it for my coworkers, and they all raved about it. Definitely recommend making this!
Sum is greater than the parts
But use an ice cream (or two) that you love! People went wild for an Oreo crust.
caitlin
A wonderful party cake on a hot day. I was a little skeptical of the amounts but it all worked well. Oreos, vanilla and chocolate ice cream. Regarding the Saran Wrap, my advice is to make it extra long so you can wrap the ends underneath for presentation.
elishbet
This recipe was perfect for a quick summer bday cake! I really stirred the ice cream for an easy, spreadable consistency before assembling. Was a HUGE hit with my turning-9-year-old kid who doesn’t like cake.
Beth
Made as directed, with a crushed Oreo base, and it was a hit. A great cooking project to share with kids and for anyone wanting to spread some joy!
Tiffany
This is a fantastic summer dessert. Could not be any easier and is an incredible crowd pleaser. I’ve made it twice in two days, once for dinner guests and once for a bbq at a friend’s. Personally, I love the 1950s feel of it - packaged, processed everything. Such a throwback. Can’t wait to branch out and try with other ice cream flavors - I’m contemplating berry and coffee versions.
Q
Wow. Low effort-huge reward. Served this at a summer dinner party. Nobody didn’t love it. Will absolutely repeat.
Hannah
What brand of ice cream sandwiches are in the video?
Jeanine B.
Perry's
Chicago_bakes
The most important tip the recipe leaves out is that you need a pan that’s DEEP enough for three layers of ice cream!
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