Cookies and Cream Icebox Cake

Cookies and Cream Icebox Cake

This simple, no-bake dessert is perfect for any chocolate lover. Chocolate sandwich cookies are enrobed in fluffy whipped cream enriched with a bit of vanilla and sugar. The whipped cream has a generous amount of cream cheese, which helps balance the sweetness of the cookies with a little tang. The cake requires very little prep and a long chill time, which makes it perfect for a party. You can assemble the entire thing the day you plan to serve it, or even two days before the celebration. You can make this in just about any 2-quart dish with a flat bottom; an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pan works perfectly.

Yield: 8 servings

1 (8-ounce/226-gram) block cream cheese, at room temperature

1 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste

3 cups/720 milliliters heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

40 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos), from 1 (18-ounce) package

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle, then mix again until smooth, 30 seconds more.

If using a stand mixer, switch to the whisk attachment. While mixing on medium-low, slowly stream about ½ cup of the cream. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix until smooth and slightly aerated.

Turn the mixer up to medium-high and stream in the rest of the cream, followed by the vanilla extract. Mix until fluffy soft peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Spread 1 ¼ cups cream mixture in a 2-quart baking dish (such as an 8-by-8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan). Arrange a single layer of cookies over the cream. Spoon about 2½ cups of the cream mixture over the top and smooth it out. Top the cream with another layer of cookies, then the rest of the cream.

Cover the pan and chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Before serving, crush the remaining cookies and sprinkle them over the top. Spoon the icebox cake into bowls and serve chilled.