With layers of flavored mascarpone cheese and thin crisp cookies, this Mocha Chocolate Chip Icebox Cake is one of my family’s favorite no-bake desserts. It has just the right balance of chocolate and coffee flavors, thanks to coffee liqueur, instant espresso powder, and cocoa powder, and the texture is so light and creamy. And it’s SO easy to assemble without any baking!
Very few get-togethers happen in my family without this Mocha Chocolate Chip Icebox Cake! My sister Jen made it one year for Mother’s Day and we fell in love at first bite. My daughter proclaimed it one of the best desserts she’d ever tasted and now requests it for every holiday. Not only is the taste heavenly, but it’s so easy to make without any oven or baking needed.
What Is An Icebox Cake?
An icebox cake is an old-fashioned no-bake dessert that became popular back in the 1920s when an icebox (non-mechanical refrigerator) was a popular appliance. It was traditionally made with layers of whipped cream, wafer cookies, and fruit. As the dessert chilled in the fridge, the cookies would soften into a more cake-like texture.
The classic dessert has made a comeback in recent years and there are so many more variations than just using wafer cookies and fruit, like my chocolate icebox cake, lime icebox cake, and this mocha icebox cake recipe I’m sharing today.
What’s in this Mocha Chocolate Chip Icebox Cake Recipe?
This mocha chocolate icebox cake recipe is made with a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Mascarpone cheese – Mascarpone is similar to cream cheese but is softer and has a sweeter, less tangy flavor.
- Granulated sugar – Needed for sweetness and the balance the other flavors.
- Instant espresso powder – Adds the coffee portion of the mocha flavor.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Adds the rich chocolate portion of the mocha flavor.
- Coffee liqueur – Kahlúa is the most popular brand but you can use any coffee liqueur. You could also use Baileys.
- Vanilla – For added flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream – Helps to stabilize the mascarpone layer. Be sure it’s cold!
- Chocolate chip cookies – You want the thin, crispy packaged chocolate chip cookies for this icebox cake. I use Tate’s brand.
- Garnishes – Cocoa powder & chocolate curls.
Tips for Success
- You need thin, crispy packaged chocolate chip cookies. I use Tate’s brand. I’ve used other cookies and none of them have the same great results as Tate’s.
- Use the right size pan. I make this icebox cake in an 8-inch springform pan, but if you don’t have one, you can use a deep 8-inch square baking dish.
- Chill overnight. This mocha chocolate chip icebox cake should chill overnight (or at a minimum 8 hours) before serving. This chill time is necessary to soften the cookies and the dessert to set properly so you can cut it.
- Non-alcoholic option. If you don’t drink alcohol, you can replace the coffee liqueur with coffee syrup, which is a 1:1 ratio of brewed coffee to sugar, heat it until the sugar has dissolved and thickens. I would also add in a bit of vanilla extract.
Proper Storage
Store any leftovers, covered tightly, in the fridge. It will keep up to 4 days but ideally consume within 2 days – the cookies become mushy the longer the dessert sits. It still tastes delicious, but the texture isn’t as nice. I do not recommend freezing this icebox cake.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Mocha Chocolate Chip Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese (2, 8 ounce containers)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons Kahlúa coffee liqueur
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 packages thin, crispy, chocolate chip cookies (such as Tate's) – 28 cookies, 7 ounce packages
- cocoa powder , for dusting
- chocolate curls , for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl add (2) 8 ounces containers of mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons Kahlúa, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- With an electric mixer, beat together the ingredients until nice and creamy. Turn the mixer down to low, and slowly beat in 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream.
- Increase speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Coat an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper (see note below if you don’t have a springform pan.)
- Arrange 7 thin crispy chocolate chip cookies in the bottom of the prepared pan, overlapping slightly or breaking one of them up into smaller pieces if necessary to fill in any gaps.
- Spread 1 cup of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies. Repeat 3 more times. (You should end up with 4 cookie layers and 4 mascarpone layers.) Smooth out the top.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap, transfer to the fridge, and chill overnight (or at least 8 hours) to let the flavors combine, cookies soften, and layers to set so you can cut it.
- Run a dull knife between the pan sides and cake; remove the ring.
- Dust the top with unsweetened cocoa powder and garnish with chocolate curls around the parameter, slice, and serve.
Love this recipe. You really do need the Tate’s cookies for this and in a springform pan. You have so many great recipes!!! Thanks much