No Bake Samoa Cake (icebox cake)
No-Bake Samoa Cake is layers of coconut, chocolate, caramel, and shortbread cookie HEAVEN! Turn your favorite Samoa Girl Scout cookie into a creamy, decadent cake!
Why You’ll Love This
This Samoa Cake recipe is creamy layers of coconut pudding, caramel and chocolate sauce, toasted coconut, and shortbread cookies.
You must stop what you are doing (well, finish reading first) and run out for these ingredients immediately. I can honestly claim this is the most amazingly delicious dessert I have had to date.
You will have to turn the oven on for about 15 minutes to toast the coconut. It is worth the small amount of heat in the kitchen for this dessert. I kid you not. This stuff is so irresistible my family would not allow me to share it with anyone.
Basically, it’s a Samoa icebox cake, and those are the best desserts for hot summer days!
This cake is perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or just a nice easy dessert for the family.
Some of our other favorite dessert recipes to make are Cannoli Cheesecake, Eggless Key Lime Pie, Easy Coconut Cake, Homemade Carrot Cake, and Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars.
Ingredients Needed
- Shortbread Cookies – We use Keebler’s Sanides Classic Shortbread. But you can use your favorite brand of thick shortbread cookies.
- Pudding – We use instant coconut pudding. But you can certainly substitute instant vanilla pudding.
- Whole Milk and Whipped Topping – The milk and whipped topping are blended with the pudding making it extra creamy and thick.
- Toppings – Caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, and sweetened shredded coconut.
How to Make No Bake Samoa Cake
I was craving a cool, creamy no-bake dessert I could whip up in no time. So Samoa icebox cake it is!
Blend 3 cups of milk and coconut pudding packets for about 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Add caramel sauce and stir. Fold in Cool Whip. Refrigerate while you toast the coconut.
You start with a classic shortbread cookie. (found in the cookie aisle of your local supermarket) I dip the cookies in milk for a second or two to soften them just a bit.
Top the cookies with half of the coconut pudding, toasted coconut, caramel sauce, and chocolate sauce or hot fudge sauce.
Repeat the layer a second time and refrigerate overnight. Yes, it’s pure torture to wait overnight but worth your willpower.
Two decadent layers of absolute dessert heaven! You must try this super easy no bake Samoa cake recipe.
Tips
- You can make homemade whipped cream by whipping 1 1/4 cups of cold heavy whipping cream (heavy cream), 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 3/4 tsp vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form.
- For the past few years, I have been unable to find instant coconut pudding at my local grocery stores. So I had to use instant vanilla pudding and add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut extract.
- Depending on the type of shortbread cookie you use, you will probably have to break some to fill the pan properly.
- We noticed the cookie packages are now less in volume than when I originally wrote this recipe. (of course) So I suggest buying three packages which are now 11.2oz.
FAQs
Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
I do not recommend freezing this Samoa Cake. The pudding can separate and weep due to the whipped topping.
More Cake Recipes
No Bake Samoa Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 3.4 oz packages coconut instant pudding mix dry
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup caramel sauce divided
- 12 oz. cool whip
- 2 packages classic shortbread cookies (up to 2 1/4 packages possible) see notes
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut toasted
- 1 cup whole milk (for dipping the cookies)
- 1/2 cup chocolate sauce
Instructions
- Blend 3 cups of milk and coconut pudding packets for about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup caramel sauce and stir. Fold in Cool Whip. Refrigerate while you toast the coconut.2 3.4 oz packages coconut instant pudding mix, 3 cups whole milk, 12 oz. cool whip, 3/4 cup caramel sauce
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Toast coconut until lightly brown about 10 minutes. Watch closely and stir about every 3 minutes. (Coconut will burn quickly.)1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- In a 9×13 pan, dip the cookies in 1 cup of milk for a second or two and layer them to cover the bottom of the pan. You may need to break the cookies to fit the pan.1 cup whole milk, 2 packages classic shortbread cookies
- Pour half of pudding/cool whip mixture on top and level.
- Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce and 1/4 cup chocolate sauce on top of pudding layer. Sprinkle with half of the toasted coconut.1/2 cup chocolate sauce
- Place another layer of cookies to cover the surface. (don’t forget to dip these cookies in milk as well) Break cookies accordingly to fill.
- Place the second half of pudding/cool whip mixture on top and level.
- Repeat with the remaining caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, and toasted coconut.
- Refrigerate overnight and serve.
Oh my goodness, can I have a slice please… Thank you for sharing. I wanna try this.
Oh, my, word, this looks amazing! Thank you so much for sharing at Project Inspire{d} and have a lovely week. hugs, mb
Thanks, Mary Beth!
What a fabulous summer dessert! I definitely couldn’t resist your No Bake Samoa Cake, Leigh! Shared on our Hearth and Soul Facebook page and will pin! Thank you so much for sharing, and for being a part of Hearth and Soul.
Thanks so much, April!
I’ve been seeing this recipe all over the place recently! Looks scrumptious – and hubby’s favorite is the samoa. 🙂 Looking forward to trying it out. 🙂
Samoa is a bit hit in my house, also! I hope you enjoy it! Thank you, CJ!
This No Bake cake looks positively dreamy! Thanks so much for sharing at my Creative Ways Link Party!
Nici, thank you it is!! 🙂
This looks so decadent and delicious that I couldn’t help but feature it tomorrow on You Link It, We Make It. Thanks so much for this and all of your fabulous recipes! So glad to have you link up with us! -Kim @ knockitoffkim.com
Thank you so much, Kim!! 🙂
Oh my, talk about eye candy heaven! These look amazing, can’t wait to give them a try.
Thank you so much, Trina! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This looks amazing! Samoas are my absolute favorite cookie and this would be great to make!
Thank you so much, Audrey! I tend to go between the samoa and thin mint. This dessert is absolutely divine!
On my mercy! This looks wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. Pinning it now. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Thank you so much, Cindy! 🙂 Blessings to you also!!!
Thank you so much for this nice cool dessert.
I am going to make it sugar free by using vanilla pudding with coconut flavoring.
SF ice cream syrups, cookies and unsweetened coconut…yummmmmmmmmmy!!! I will be my hubbies best girl!
Again my thanks, and blessings to you,
J
That sounds perfect for a lighter version! Your husband won’t be able to resist this dessert. My husband absolutely LOVED it! 🙂 Thank you so much for coming by, Jaybird.
This dessert turned out SOOOOOOOOO good. Sweet (diabetic) hubby can’t walk past the frig without sneaking a spoonful :^)
The rest of our clan was around on Sunday, and this sweet treat was voted THE BEST!!
Again my thanks,
J
I’m so happy to hear you tried it and loved it! This makes me happy…you have made my day! 🙂 Thank you so much.
This might just send me over the top with delicious cravings! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you.
Please drop by and say hello!
ஐღLauraღஐ
Harvest Lane Cottage
…doing what I can with what I’ve got where I am
on a short shoestring budget!
~~~~~
It will, Laura! Thank you for coming by! 🙂
Oh My!! I think I’ve died and went to heaven!! YUMMY!! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Hope to see you again this week!! Pinned!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful no bake dessert! I will be featuring it at SYC Thursday! xx Jo
Thank you so much, Joanne!!! 🙂
Okay, now this is just ridiculous. Seriously, who could ever resist something this delicious!? I HAVE to try this out ASAP!
Thank you, Karly! This dessert is extremely hard to resist, just ask my scale! 😉
This looks amazing! I am literally going to make this right now! It is a twist on one of my favorite desserts- eclair cake. Can’t wait to try!
-Jo letskeeprunning.com
I hope you like it, Jo! Let me know. 🙂
This looks amazing! I am not a big fan of coconut but I want to try this!!
– Jaclyn
Thanks, Jaclyn! It is addictive…you could use vanilla pudding and maybe leave off the toasted coconut.
Wow, this looks delicious and completely decadent! My grandbabies will be stopping by for a week-long visit and this looks to be something they’d really love. Thanks for sharing (Stopping by from the What’d You Do This Weekend Blog Party)
~Taylor-Made Homestead~
Texas
Thank you so much, Taylor! I hope you grandbabies (and you) enjoy this recipe. 🙂
It is just as well that I can’t get my hands on this delicious looking cake, because there would be none left for you 🙂
Yum score 5 stars
Kathleen
Blogger Pit Stop
🙂 Thanks, Kathleen! Unfortunately, I indulged!!
This cake looks luscious. And decadent. Can’t wait to try this. Thank you for sharing at Your Inspired Design Link Party.
It is, Carol! You have been warned. 😉
Oh my goodness, this surely would be a special treat! Have a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Oh my…ingenious! This looks so flippin’ good! I love Samoas, and I miss them when they’re gone. This might be my go-to dessert for when the cravings hit! Pinned and Yummed! 🙂
Martie, this dessert is ADDICTIVE! You have been warned! 🙂 Thank you.