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Home » Cake & Cupcake Recipes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

Published: Jul 29, 2021 by Allison Ferraro · Modified: Jul 29, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Rich peanut butter and chocolate flavor. Smooth, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. And you don't even need to turn on the oven! With layers of vanilla and chocolate peanut butter whipped cream, this no-bake chocolate peanut butter Oreo icebox cake is a summer dessert staple that you'll want to enjoy all year long!

close-up overhead view of a slice of icebox cake with a forkful of cake this Recipe
Jump to:
  • Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
  • Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
  • More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes to Love
  • Recipe
  • Comments

If you've never made an icebox cake, you're going to want to hop right onto this glorious no-bake summer dessert train! Icebox cakes are made by layering and chilling simple ingredients - usually a variation of whipped cream and thin cookies like graham crackers or chocolate wafers - to create a cake that's cool and creamy. They're the perfect dessert when you want something impressive but it's too hot to turn on the oven.

angled view of slices of icebox cake on white plates with forkfuls of cake

I wanted to create a chocolate peanut butter dessert that packs this match-made-in-heaven flavor combo but that feels light enough to enjoy on a hot summer day. One bite of this chocolate peanut butter Oreo icebox cake and you'll immediately understand why icebox cakes are so great!

This simple recipe is made by layering a batch of vanilla whipped cream, three batches of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream, and Oreos (or the chocolate wafer cookie of your choice) in a loaf pan and chilling the "cake" in the freezer. As it chills, the whipped cream becomes a bit more firm (almost like a soft ice cream) while also softening the chocolate wafer cookies. The result is a luxuriously rich "cake" with creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. You'll surely be craving another slice of this cake all summer long!

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

overhead view of recipe ingredients on a gray surface

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - You can't have a chocolate icebox cake without the chocolate! Chocolate chips are an easy, always-on-hand ingredient, but an equal measure of a chopped chocolate baking bar will work in their place.

Creamy Peanut Butter - Steer clear of natural peanut butter, which won't provide the rich, creamy texture we're aiming for.

Heavy Whipping Cream - Be sure to use cream that's well chilled, since room temperature cream won't whip properly. Both heavy whipping cream and heavy cream can be used in this recipe. (Check out my whipped cream recipe to learn more about the different types of cream and which are best for making whipped cream.)

Chocolate Wafer Cookies - In my opinion, Oreo Thins are the ideal cookie for this icebox cake, since they include a thin chocolate wafer plus cream filling, which adds a nice visual layer to the cake. Any chocolate wafer cookie, such as regular Oreos or Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer Cookies can also be used, depending on your preferences.

Peanut Butter Cups - These are used as a garnish, so they're technically optional and you can use any type of peanut butter cup you like. I opted for Reese's Thins for consistency with the Oreo Thins.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

  1. Begin making the chocolate peanut butter whipped cream. Add chocolate chips and peanut butter to a large bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan, heat 3 cups of the cream until hot but not yet simmering.
  3. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Let sit without stirring for 5 minutes, then gently whisk the mixture until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours until well chilled.
  4. Make the whipped cream. Add remaining 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tbsp. of the confectioners' sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it reaches stiff peaks. (To test for stiff peaks, turn off the beaters and lift them straight up out of the bowl. It lifting the beaters formed peaks with tips that remain upright, you're ready to go!)
overhead view of chocolate chips and peanut butter in a glass bowl
Step #1
overhead view of chocolate mixture in a glass bowl with a metal whisk
Step #3
Overhead view of whipped cream in a glass bowl with an electric hand mixer.
Step #7
  1. Begin assembling the icebox cake. Line a standard loaf pan (roughly 8.4"x4.5" with plastic wrap so that all sides are covered and the wrap hangs over the edges (A). Spread the whipped cream into an even layer in the bottom of the pan (B). Cover with a layer of chocolate wafer cookies (C).
  2. Cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil and place in the freezer while you move on to the next step. (This will allow the whipped cream to firm up, making it easier to spread the layers of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream on top.)
overhead view of loaf pan lined with plastic wrap
Step #5 A
overhead view of loaf pan with whipped cream spread into an even layer in the bottom of the pan
Step #5 B
overhead view of loaf pan with layer of whipped cream and chocolate wafer cookies
Step #5 C
  1. Finish making the chocolate peanut butter whipped cream. Once the chocolate peanut butter cream has chilled, remove the bowl from the fridge and add the remaining ⅜ cup (6 Tbsp.) confectioners' sugar. Using a handheld electric mixer, whip the mixture on low speed until fluffy and a bit lighter in color. Be careful not to over-whip the mixture; it should be smooth and fluffy but thick, and over-whipping will cause it to become lumpy.
  2. Finish assembling the icebox cake. Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and uncover. Spread a third of the chocolate peanut butter whipped cream on top of the cookie layer (A), then top with another layer of cookies (B). Repeat this step 2 more times. You will now have 1 layer of whipped cream and 3 layers of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream, each separated by a layer of chocolate wafer cookies and with a final layer of chocolate wafer cookies on the top of the loaf pan.
overhead view of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream blended in a glass bowl with a hand mixer
Step #7
overhead view of loaf pan with a layer of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream
Step #8 A
overhead view of loaf pan with layers of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream and chocolate wafer cookies
Step #8 B
  1. Chill the cake. Cover the loaf pan once again with plastic wrap and foil and place it in the freezer for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Serve the cake. When you're ready to serve the icebox cake, invert the loaf pan onto a cutting board. The cake should pop out of the pan, and the whipped cream layer will now be on top. Sprinkle broken bits of chocolate wafer cookies and chopped peanut butter cups over the cake for garnish. Slice the cake into 10 slices and serve immediately.
side view of slices of icebox cake on white plates on a gray surface

More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes to Love

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    Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (Small Batch)
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    Chocolate Peanut Butter Whipped Cream
  • overhead view of oatmeal dark chocolate chunk breakfast cookies scattered on a marble surface
    Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chunk Breakfast Cookies

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Recipe

overhead view of a slice of icebox cake on a white plate

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

With layers of vanilla and chocolate peanut butter whipped cream, this no-bake chocolate peanut butter Oreo icebox cake is a melt-in-your-mouth summer dessert staple!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 10 hours hours
Total Time: 10 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Yield: 1 loaf-sized cake (8.5 in. x 4.5 in.)
Calories: 620kcal
Author: Allison Ferraro
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (270 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup (193.5 grams) creamy peanut butter
  • 4 cups (952 grams) heavy whipping cream, chilled and divided
  • ½ cup (60 grams) confectioners' sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
  • about 50 chocolate wafer cookies*
  • about 10 peanut butter cups, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

  • Add chocolate chips and peanut butter to a large bowl. Set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, heat 3 cups of the cream until hot but not yet simmering.
  • Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Let sit without stirring for 5 minutes, then gently whisk the mixture until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours until well chilled.

Make the Whipped Cream

  • Add remaining 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tbsp. of the confectioners' sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it reaches stiff peaks. (To test for stiff peaks, turn off the beaters and lift them straight up out of the bowl. It lifting the beaters formed peaks with tips that remain upright, you're ready to go!)

Assemble the Icebox Cake

  • Line a standard loaf pan (roughly 8.4"x4.5" with plastic wrap so that all sides are covered and the wrap hangs over the edges. Spread the whipped cream into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of chocolate wafer cookies.
  • Cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil and place in the freezer while you move on to the next step. (This will allow the whipped cream to firm up, making it easier to spread the layers of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream on top.)
  • Once the chocolate peanut butter cream has chilled, remove the bowl from the fridge and add the remaining ⅜ cup (6 Tbsp.) confectioners' sugar. Using a handheld electric mixer, whip the mixture on low speed until fluffy and a bit lighter in color. Be careful not to over-whip the mixture; it should be smooth and fluffy but thick, and over-whipping will cause it to become lumpy.
  • Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and uncover. Spread a third of the chocolate peanut butter whipped cream on top of the cookie layer, then top with another layer of cookies. Repeat this step 2 more times. You will now have 1 layer of whipped cream and 3 layers of chocolate peanut butter whipped cream, each separated by a layer of chocolate wafer cookies and with a final layer of chocolate wafer cookies on the top of the loaf pan.

Chill the Cake

  • Cover the loaf pan once again with plastic wrap and foil and place it in the freezer for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Serve the Cake

  • When you're ready to serve the icebox cake, invert the loaf pan onto a cutting board. The cake should pop out of the pan, and the whipped cream layer will now be on top. Sprinkle broken bits of chocolate wafer cookies and chopped peanut butter cups over the cake for garnish. Slice the cake into 10 slices and serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: Store icebox cake in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 5 days. Let the cake thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing and serving. I found it easiest to store the cake in the loaf pan sealed with a sheet of plastic wrap and topped with a sheet of aluminum foil.
*In my opinion, Oreo Thins are the ideal cookie for this icebox cake, since they include a thin chocolate wafer plus cream filling, which adds a nice visual layer to the cake. Any chocolate wafer cookie, such as regular Oreos or Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer Cookies can also be used, depending on your preferences.
Icebox cakes typically chill in the refrigerator, but I prefer to freeze this cake since I think a colder temperature helps the whipped cream to hold its shape the best while supporting the crushed cookie and candy topping and allowing for clean cake slices. If you prefer a softer texture, you can chill and store the cake in the fridge before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 1413IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg

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