Cookie Stacks Are the Perfect No-Bake Summer Treats — 3 Fast and Easy Recipes
Move over, icebox cake — these individual treats are guaranteed to hit the spot!
It’s true that store-bought cookies are a fast and easy way to satisfy a sweet tooth on warm days, but let’s face, sometimes we all crave something a little more decadent. But who wants to turn on that oven to bake anything? Enter cookie stacks! We love them in the Woman’s World test kitchen — they’re so simple to make and the flavor combinations are practically endless. That means you can treat your taste buds to exactly what they’re craving. Read on for our tips on how to make ’em even more special, plus our three favorite recipes.
What are cookie stacks?
Cookie stacks are individual treats, sometimes chilled for several hours, that can be similar to icebox cake and are super-simple to put together. First, start with your favorite store-bought cookies then layer them with frosting, sweetened whipped cream or even prepared pudding — that’s all it takes! The crisp cookies absorb some of the moisture and flavor from the filling, creating a dessert that simply melts in your mouth. “I like to mix lemon curd with a little whipped cream, then layer the filling with gingersnap cookies. It’s so yum!” says Woman’s World test kitchen manager Susan Chiusano likes to mix
Tricks to make them extra delicious
For best results with cookie stacks, Susan says thinner cookies are her top pick since they will soften up more easily, resulting in a perfectly tender bite. You can use lemon wafers, chocolate chip cookies or Biscoff cookies. Or you can even separate sandwich cookies like Oreos and mix the filling with other ingredients like whipped topping.
And to create picture-perfect treats, we like to pipe cream or frosting between the cookie layers. Trouble is, getting the fluffy confections into a pastry bag can be a messy chore — seems like more falls onto the counter than makes it into the bag. To keep things neat and tidy, Susan recommends this trick: Place the bag upright in a tall glass and fold the top edge over the side. Then, simply use a spoon or spatula to transfer the frosting to the bag. The glass holds the bag firmly in place, making it a snap to fill.
Our 3 favorite cookie stack recipes
Ready to start layering those cookies to create your own no-bake crowd-pleasers? Keep scrolling to find a few deliciously easy cookie stack recipes.
1. Lime Cookie Stacks
A touch of honey and plenty of zesty citrus flavor in the sweetened cream cheese filling makes a perfect compliment to lemon cookies.
2. Peach ‘n’ Berry Cookie Stacks
Pecan sandies are the perfect complement to fresh fruit and orange-scented cream in these Southern-inspired bites.
3. Mint-Kissed Cookies ‘n Cream Stacks
We folded cream of coconut into the fluffy filling to create these fudgy treats finished with a sprinkle of shredded coconut and an Andes candy.
For more no-bake treats, click through to these sweet ideas:
Ditch the Oven and Surprise Your Family With These No-Bake Cookie Recipes
This 3-Ingredient, No-Bake Twix Recipe Will Make You Say Goodbye to Store-Bought Candy
