Spatula Diaries: 3 no-bake desserts for a late summer win
Who wants to turn on the oven when it’s hot and steamy outside? Um, no one. That’s why dishes like salads, charcuterie boards and backyard burgers are such reliable summer favorites. You need a few no-bake desserts in your arsenal, too, and we’re not just talking about cold watermelon or ice cream. Classic Lemon Ice Box Pie, Rice Krispies Treats zhuzhed with Fruity Pebbles, and triple-layer Mississippi Mud Pie are just the right sorts of cool, retro, stove-free indulgences required in the season’s final act.
Lemon Ice Box Pie
A Southern staple, lemon ice box pie has been around as long as the refrigerator’s earliest iteration. With less than five ingredients and easy assembly, it’s a must-try when you need a cold, tart sugar bomb.
Serves 8
1 8-ounce block cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 12-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 10-inch graham cracker crust
Whipped cream and fresh blueberries for garnish
Note: The lemon zest and juice will require about 3 medium lemons. Zest the lemons first, then squeeze the juice.
1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the softened cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice and condensed milk. Blend until thoroughly mixed, and pour into pie crust. Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.
2. Garnish with homemade or store-bought whipped cream and fresh blueberries.
Rice Krispies Treats with Fruity Pebbles
Rice Krispies Treats transcend generations and fads, with interpretations popping up everywhere from TikTok to The New York Times. This recipe integrates that other cereal-gone-dessert, Fruity Pebbles, a trendy addition these days to cookies and frozen treats.
Makes 24
1 stick unsalted butter
16-ounce bag mini marshmallows, 1 cup reserved
9 cups Rice Krispies
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. With one cup of marshmallows set aside, add the remainder of the bag to the melted butter, stirring continuously until the consistency is smooth. Add Rice Krispies and stir until incorporated. Remove from heat. Add the reserved marshmallows and Fruity Pebbles, and stir gently to combine.
2. Spray a 9-by-12 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a buttered rubber spatula, or the wrapping from the stick of butter, gently press until the cereal marshmallow mixture fills the dish evenly. (Don’t press too hard, or the treats will be hard.)
3. Allow the mixture to cool thoroughly. Flip dish over a cutting board to remove treats. Cut into squares and serve.
1 cup Fruity Pebbles
Mississippi Mud Pie
There are lots of versions of this layered chocolate dessert, which tastes rich, but still seems light.
Serves 12
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 8-ounce block cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
16-ounce tub Cool Whip, 1 cup reserved
2 6-ounce boxes instant chocolate pudding and pie mix
Chopped pecans for garnish
1. Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter and combine until mixture resembles wet sand. Press evenly into a 9-by-12 baking dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and 1 cup of Cool Whip. Mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Prepare chocolate pudding according to directions.
4. Add cream cheese mixture to top of graham cracker crust. Add pudding to top of cream cheese. Top pudding with remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
5. Garnish with chopped pecans.
This article originally appeared in 225 magazine’s 225 Daily newsletter.
