No-bake desserts for warmer weather

By Susan McClanahan

Memorial Day weekend with very warm weather and cool, no-bake desserts are a great go-together combination. You may need a dessert for entertaining or one to take to a carry-in dinner, and you just don't want to use the oven. Most no-bake desserts are convenient as they can be made in advance and held until serving time.

Today I am including a variety of no-bake desserts from lemon, chocolate and peanut butter to cookie dough and Twinkie dessert. There's a little bit of everything here that will be sure to please just about any crowd.

Lemon-Berry Ice Cream Pie

I love the combination of fresh strawberries and lemon curd in this ice cream pie. It's so refreshing, especially in an easy make-ahead dessert like this.

• 1 pint strawberry ice cream, softened
• 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)
• 1 cup lemon curd
• 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, halved

Spoon ice cream into pie crust; freeze 2 hours or until firm. Spread lemon curd over ice cream; top with whipped topping. Freeze, covered, 4 hours or until firm.

Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Serve with strawberries. Yield: 8 servings.

Layered Lemon Pie

This is a great ending for almost any meal that kids and adults all enjoy. The creamy lemon filling is always a hit with my husband.

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 can (15-3/4 ounces) lemon pie filling, divided
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in half of the pie filling. Fold in the whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Spread remaining pie filling over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

Macaroon Ice Cream Torte

My family loves frozen treats. With chocolate four ways, this one is so beautiful, people think it came from an ice cream shop.

• 30 chocolate or plain macaroon cookies, crumbled
• 1 quart coffee ice cream, softened if necessary
• 1 quart chocolate ice cream, softened if necessary
• 1 cup milk chocolate toffee bits or 4 (1.4-ounce) Heath candy bars, coarsely chopped
• Hot fudge topping, warmed

Sprinkle a third of the cookies into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Layer with 2 cups coffee ice cream, another third of the cookies, 2 cups chocolate ice cream and 1/2 cup toffee bits; repeat layers.

Freeze, covered, until firm. May be frozen up to 2 months. Remove torte from freezer 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with fudge topping. Yield: 16 servings.

Creamy Hazelnut Pie

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/4 cups Nutella, divided
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inches)

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 cup Nutella until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly into crust.

Warm remaining Nutella in microwave for 15-20 seconds; drizzle over pie. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Yield: 8 servings.

Twinkie Pudding Cake

• 1 box Twinkies snack cakes
• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 can (20 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained well
• 1 box (3 ounce) instant vanilla pudding
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 tub (8 ounce) Cool Whip, thawed
• Maraschino cherries, dried on paper towel
• Pecans, chopped, for garnish

Slice Twinkies in half lengthwise, so there is cream on the top and bottom of each half. Place sliced Twinkies in a 9x13-inch baking pan, cream side up.

Arrange sliced bananas on top of the Twinkies in an even layer. Spread the crushed pineapple on top.

In a medium bowl, mix together the pudding mix and milk. Set aside and allow to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Spread pudding on top of pineapple in an even layer.

Top with Cool Whip, sprinkle with maraschino cherries and chopped pecans. Cover and chill for about an hour before serving.

Frozen Mud Pie

• 1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, optional
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 4 cups chocolate chip or coffee ice cream, softened
• 1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Additional Oreo cookies, optional

In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and sugar if desired. Stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spoon 2 cups ice cream into crust. Drizzle with half of the chocolate syrup; swirl with a knife. Gently top with remaining ice cream. Drizzle with remaining syrup; swirl with a knife. Freeze until firm.

Remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with whole cookies if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Creamy Key Lime Pie

• 1 frozen deep dish pie crust (from 12-ounce package)
• 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
• 1 tablespoon grated lime peel
• 1/3 cup Key lime juice or regular lime juice
• 1 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping

Additional grated lime peel, if desired

Place cookie sheet on oven rack. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Let 1 crust thaw 10 to 20 minutes. Prick bottom and around side thoroughly with fork. Bake on cookie sheet 9 to 11 minutes or until very light golden brown.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in egg and condensed milk. Beat in 1 tablespoon lime peel and the lime juice. Spread over crust.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate at least 3 hours until chilled. Just before serving, top with whipped topping. Garnish with additional lime peel. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Frozen Lime Layered Dessert

Block parties, cookouts or anytime you need a super-cool dessert, this is just the thing. The crust is a snap, and the ice cream and sherbet layers are delish. Everyone loves this!

• 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
• 3/4 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (about 15 cookies)
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 pints pineapple-coconut or vanilla ice cream, softened
• 2 pints lime sherbet, softened
• Whipped topping, optional

In a small bowl, combine almonds, cookies and butter. Press onto the bottom of a 9-inch square pan. Freeze 15 minutes.

Spread ice cream over crust. Cover and freeze at least 30 minutes. Top with sherbet. Cover and freeze 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Garnish servings with whipped topping if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

3-Layer Lemon Pie

• 1 pre-made graham cracker crust, homemade or store-bought
• 2 (3.4 ounce) boxes instant lemon pudding mix
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

In a large bowl, whisk together instant pudding mixes, milk and fresh lemon juice until just combined. Pour 1 1/2 cups of pudding mixture into prepared pie crust and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, mixing in powdered sugar until incorporated.

Take 1/2 of whipped cream and fold into remaining lemon pudding mixture. Spread whipped cream lemon pudding into pie crust, then gently top with remaining whipped cream.

Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and set, then top with lemon zest, slice, and serve.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Crust:

• 30 graham crackers, ground into crumbs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Filling:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 cups strawberries, hulled, plus extra for garnish
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 (1 ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 (8 ounce.) container frozen whipped topping
• Red gel food coloring, optional
• Whipped cream, garnish

In a large bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter, until mixture resembles damp sand. Pour into springform pan and use your hands or the bottom of a measure cup to form into an even layer. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Microwave 2/3 cup water for 30 seconds, then sprinkle in gelatin powder and whisk until fully dissolved.

Place strawberries in food processor and pour in gelatin mixture, then pulse for 30-60 seconds, or until smooth.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy, then mix in sugar and yogurt, mixing until combined.

Once strawberry gelatin mixture is blended and smooth, gently fold into cream cheese mixture, along with frozen whipped topping. Add red food coloring here, if desired.

Once everything is fully incorporated, transfer mixture to springform pan and smooth into an even layer.

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or until set, then remove outer ring of springform pan, slice, serve and enjoy.

Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

• 1 Oreo crust, homemade or store-bought
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups frozen whipped topping
• 1/4 cup hot fudge sauce, warmed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese for 30-60 seconds, or until smooth, then add in peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Beat in sugar and salt, if using, until thoroughly incorporated, then mix in frozen whipped topping.

Pour or spoon mixture into Oreo crust and smooth the top with a knife or rubber spatula so it's smooth and even.

Take warmed hot fudge out of the microwave and drizzle it over pie, then lightly drag a knife, toothpick or skewer through the fudge (making sure to not dig too deep into the peanut butter) to create a swirled, marbled pattern. Don't mix too much or topping will look messy.

Cover pie (without touching surface of pie) and place pie in refrigerator and let chill 3-4 hours, or until set. Slice, serve and enjoy.

Cherry Cheesecake Lush

• 1 package vanilla sandwich cookies (approximately 36 cookies), crushed
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 (16 ounce) containers frozen whipped topping, divided
• 2 (3.4 ounce) boxes cheesecake instant pudding mix
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Add melted butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt to large bowl and toss until cookie crumbs are all thoroughly coated.

Pour crumb mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and press into an even layer. Place in refrigerator and chill until ready to use.

In a large bowl or mixer, beat cream cheese for 1-2 minutes, or until creamy and smooth, then add in powdered sugar and 1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping. Beat until just combined, then spread out over chilled crust.

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, cheesecake pudding mixes and remaining 1 cup frozen whipped topping. Mixture will thicken.

Carefully spread pudding mixture out over cream cheese layer, then top with a layer of cherry pie filling.

Gently top with frozen whipped topping, trying not to drag cherry filling through it too much, then refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours, or until set.

When ready to serve, top with chopped pecans. Slice and serve.

Peanut Butter Sandwiches

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
• 10-12 graham crackers (in full sheets of 4 crackers)
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons shortening

Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray generously with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the peanut butter, butter, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is still sticky, add more powdered sugar 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached. You should be able to easily form a ball with the filling.

In a separate bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and shortening in 30-second intervals until melted, stirring in between.

Line the bottom of the prepared baking pan with half of the graham crackers in a single layer. Evenly spread a third of the melted chocolate on top, then add the peanut butter mixture, spreading out as evenly as possible.

Top the peanut butter layer with another third of the melted chocolate, again evenly spreading it out, then with another layer of the graham crackers, followed by the remaining chocolate.

Place in the refrigerator to chill until set, about an hour. Once chilled, slice into bars and serve. Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Angel Dessert

Make the most of angel food cake, pie filling and whipped topping by creating this light impressive dessert that doesn't keep you in the kitchen for hours. It's the perfect way to end a summer meal.

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cans (21 ounces each) blueberry pie filling

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth; fold in whipped topping and cake cubes. Spread evenly into an ungreased 13x9-inch dish; top with pie filling. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

Cookie Dough Layered Dessert

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tub thawed whipped topping
• 2 cups chocolate sauce
• 18 graham crackers (full 4-piece large rectangles)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Make cookie dough: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt and beat until just combined. Stir in mini chocolate chips.

In a 9-x-13-inch baking dish, lay down an even layer of graham crackers and spread about a third of cookie dough on top. Cover the cookie dough with chocolate sauce then top with another layer of graham crackers. Spread a thick, fluffy layer of whipped topping on top then top with more graham crackers.

Repeat layering process, reserving about 1/3 cup of cookie dough and ending with a fluffy layer of whipped topping on top of the lasagna.

Roll remaining cookie dough into small balls and scatter on top of the of whipped topping. Sprinkle more mini chocolate chips on top.

Refrigerate until the graham crackers layers have softened, about 4 hours. Slice into squares and serve cold.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.