50 Easy No-Bake Recipes for the Hottest Days and Nights (2024)

Home Recipes Techniques No-Cook

When the temperatures climb, skip the oven. These easy no-bake recipes let you have breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert on the table in a snap—no oven required.

1/50

Banana Split Icebox Cake

One day a friend showed me how to make a traditional icebox cake with just cream and graham crackers. I make it extra special with the fruit. Now everyone at your potluck can have a banana split, no muss, no fuss! —Shelly Flye, Albion, Maine

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2/50

Fresh Shrimp and Avocado Nachos

I'm a fan of shrimp, and my family loves nachos. When I combined those favorites and added fresh avocado, the result was a cool yet satisfying snack. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

3/50

Frozen Margarita Mousse

Who doesn't love a frozen margarita? This creamy frozen mousse combines ready-to-drink margarita mix and whipped topping (you could use this whipped topping substitute instead). It's easy to put together and the freezer does all the work. Garnish with additional crushed pretzels and kosher salt to enhance the sweet and salty flavor. —Debbie Glassco*ck, Conway, Arkansas

4/50

Focaccia Sandwiches

Slices of this pretty sandwich make any casual get-together more special. Add or change ingredients to your taste. —Peggy Woodward, Shullsburg, Wisconsin

5/50

Cherry Almond Mousse Pie

Treat your loved ones to a luscious pie with chocolate, cherries and nuts in a creamy vanilla mousse. It's a sweet yet refreshing dessert. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas

6/50

Easy Gazpacho

My daughter got this gazpacho recipe from a college friend and shared it with me. Now I serve it often as an appetizer. It certainly is the talk of any party. —Lorna Sirtoli, Cortland, New York

7/50

Crunchy Peanut Butter Tarts

For a fun, fuss-free dessert, try these darling tarts. They’re a satisfying, rich family favorite. —Mary Kelley, Wilmington, North Carolina

8/50

I thought rice paper wrappers would be a quick, fun way to put salad ingredients into a hand-held snack or meal. I also make this with shrimp or add in cranberries. Go ahead, experiment! —Marla Strader, Ozark, Missouri

9/50

Pistachio Mallow Salad

This fluffy salad is a real treat since it's creamy but not overly sweet. It's easy to mix up, and the flavor gets better the longer it stands. It's perfect for St. Patrick's Day, served in a green bowl. —Pattie Ann Forssberg, Logan, Kansas

10/50

Cool Summertime Oatmeal

Start this breakfast the night before so you can get a few extra z's in the morning. My husband adds coconut to his, and I stir in dried fruit. —June Thomas, Chesterton, Indiana

11/50

No-Cook Fresh Tomato Sauce

Try this sauce at times when you have a box of pasta or a store-bought pizza shell and need a sure-fire topping. Dinner is served. —Julianne Schnuck, Taste of Home Designer

12/50

Cherry No-Bake Cookies

I always loved my no-bake cookie recipe, but I was never able to place at the fair with it. So I mixed in some maraschino cherries, added almond extract and voila! I won a blue ribbon at the county fair in 2010. —Denise Wheeler, Newaygo, Michigan

13/50

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cannoli Cheesecake

I make this cannoli cheesecake in the summer for a flavorful and refreshing treat. I love the added bonus of not having to turn on the oven in hot weather. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York

14/50

Shrimp Avocado Salad

This salad can be served as a cool and satisfying dinner or lunch. The delicious taste and smooth texture of avocados mixed with the crisp shrimp salad is heavenly. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

15/50

16/50

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

My secret to these rich no-bake bites? Pretzels in the crust. They add a salty crunch to the classic peanut butter and chocolate pairing. —Jennifer Beckman, Falls Church, Virginia

17/50

Peach Mango Caprese Salad

Summer in the Midwest offers a bounty of fresh produce. I wanted to come up with a new recipe for the harvested goods, and this bright, flavorful salad is the refreshing end result. —Richard Robinson, Park Forest, Illinois

18/50

Creamy Coffee Pie

It’s easy to stir mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips and crushed sandwich cookies into coffee ice cream to create this irresistible frozen dessert. —Cherron Nagel, Columbus, Ohio

19/50

Cucumber Salad Boats

Scoop out the seeds and fill fresh cucumbers with your favorite salad for a crunchy and refreshing light lunch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

20/50

Potluck Antipasto Pasta Salad

I love trying new recipes, and this one for Italian pasta salad tops all other varieties I've tried. With beans, cheese, sausage and vegetables, it's a hearty complement to any meal. —Bernadette Nelson, Arcadia, California

21/50

Tarragon Tuna Salad

It's surprising how a few herbs can brighten up tuna salad. Made with reduced-fat mayonnaise, this version gets its zip from mustard. It makes a terrific light lunch or Sunday brunch dish. —Billie Moss, Walnut Creek, California

22/50

Creamy Pineapple Fluff Salad

Guests of all ages will gravitate to this traditional “fluff” salad, chock-full of pineapple, marshmallows and cherry bits. —Janice Hensley, Owingsville, Kentucky

23/50

California Roll in a Jar

I'm a big sushi fan, but I don't always have time to make those intricate rolls at home. This jar is layered with my favorite California roll ingredients, so I can get the flavor I love without the fuss.—James Schend, Dairy Freed

24/50

Artichoke Caprese Platter

I dressed up the classic Italian trio of mozzarella, tomatoes and basil with marinated artichokes. It looks so yummy on a pretty platter set out on a buffet. Using fresh mozzarella is the key to its great taste. —Margaret Wilson, San Bernardino, California

25/50

Raspberry Ice Cream Delight

This gorgeous make-ahead dessert is a light, refreshing ending to a summer meal. I first made it for my aunt's 85th birthday dinner and everyone loved it! —Nancy Whitford, Edwards, New York

26/50

Classic Cobb Salad

Making this ham cobb salad is a lot like putting in a garden. I plant everything in nice, neat sections, just as I do with seedlings. —Patricia Kile, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

27/50

Smoked Salmon Egg Salad

Served on croissants, these grown-up sandwiches offer a great way to use leftover Easter eggs. Salmon adds smoky flavor. —Cathy Tang, Redmond, Washington

28/50

Chicken, Nectarine and Avocado Salad

This salad is really summery and comes together very quickly. Using granola adds crunch and makes it different. I've tried using a various types of granola, and our favorites have been those that aren't overly sweet but have lots of nuts. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

29/50

Easy Berry Cheesecake Parfaits

These sweet little parfaits take everything that's wonderful about cheesecake and make it way easier. You get the rich creaminess, graham cracker crunch and bright berry flavor all in fun individual portions. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

30/50

Spinach and Turkey Pinwheels

Need an awesome snack for game day? My kids love these easy four-ingredient turkey pinwheels. Go ahead and make them the day before—they won’t get soggy! —Amy Van Hemert, Ottumwa, Iowa

31/50

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

This old-fashioned banana cream pie recipe is full of flavor. Because it uses instant pudding, this no-bake dessert is ready in just minutes. —Perlene Hoekema, Lynden, Washington

32/50

Rosemary Citrus Sorbet

This pretty pastel dessert bursts with the fresh flavors of grapefruit, lime and rosemary. —Rebecca Baird, Salt Lake City, Utah

33/50

Spinach and tortellini go so well together, and this salad makes an easy meal with leftover cooked chicken. What really makes it special is the roasted onion that adds oomph to bottled salad dressing. —Robin Haas, Hyde Park, Massachusetts

34/50

Root Beer Float Pie

This is the kind of recipe your kids will look back on and always remember. And you don't even need to use an oven! —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

35/50

Garden-Fresh Chef Salad

For much of the year, I can use my garden's produce when I make this cool salad. In spring, the salad mix and radishes come from my crop. In summer, I use the tomatoes, cabbage and carrots. What a good feeling! —Evelyn Gubernath, Bucyrus, Ohio

36/50

Frozen Key Lime Delight

In the middle of summer, nothing hits the spot quite like this sublime Key lime dessert. Cold, creamy and tart, it tastes like sunshine. —Melissa Millwood, Lyman, South Carolina

37/50

Lemony Zucchini Ribbons

Fresh zucchini gets a shave and a drizzle of lemony goodness in this fab salad. Sprinkle the goat cheese or feta on top and dive in. —Ellie Martin Cliffe, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

38/50

Stained Glass Gelatin

Kids love this sweet, wiggly gelatin and whipped topping dessert. Use different flavors of gelatin to make color versions that are as wild as your imagination. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

39/50

Curried Egg Salad

A curry kick gives this egg salad big appeal. We love it when the weather gets warm. —Joyce McDowell, West Union, Ohio

40/50

Creamy Hazelnut Pie

I've always been a big fan of peanut butter. Then I found chocolaty Nutella hazelnut spread and I was hooked! I even changed one of my all-time favorite pie recipes by substituting that ingredient. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

41/50

Peach Panna Cotta

This no-bake dessert is guaranteed to cool you off in the summer heat. I really enjoy the texture—rich and creamy Panna Cotta balanced by the sweet and pulpy texture of the peach puree. —Andrea Campbell, Los Angeles, California

42/50

With pasta salad, it’s easy to change up ingredients. We like to add grilled chicken and pine nuts, and sometimes we substitute black beans for the garbanzo beans. —Julie Kirkpatrick, Billings, Montana

43/50

Icebox Cake

You don't have to bake to serve a wonderful dessert! This icebox cake is made from chocolate wafers and whipping cream. It is so delicious.—Cindy Hawkins, New York, New York

44/50

Pina Colada Molded Salad

My gelatin ring gets a tropical twist from coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts. It's a wonderful anytime treat. Now that I'm retired from teaching, I have more time for kitchen experiments. —Carol Gillespie, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

45/50

Crunchy Ramen Salad

For potlucks and picnics, this ramen noodle salad is a knockout. I tote the veggies in a bowl, dressing in a jar and noodles in a bag. Then I just shake them all together when it's time to eat. —LJ Porter, Bauxite, Arkansas

46/50

Triple Fruit Freeze

These pops won't turn your tongue blue or neon green like many store-bought pops because they're made with fresh grapes, blueberries and kiwifruit. —Colleen Ludovice, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

47/50

Frozen Mocha Torte

For an easy, make-ahead dessert that's elegant and luscious, try this recipe. The perfect blend of mocha and chocolate is in each cool, refreshing slice. —Aelita Kivirist, Glenview, Illinois

48/50

Refrigerator Lime Cheesecake

I made this for a Father's Day party, and it was a hit! I guarantee compliments when you serve this fantastic dessert. —Cher Anjema, Kleinburg, Ontario

49/50

Sour Cream Cucumbers

It’s been a tradition at our house to serve this dish with the other Hungarian specialties my mom learned to make from the women at church. It’s especially good during the summer when the cucumbers are fresh-picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio

50/50

Crispy Pretzel Bars

I often make a big batch of these peanut butter-flavored cereal bars on days that I don't want to heat up the kitchen. Kids especially love them, so they're great for picnics, potlucks and school bake sales. —Jane Thompson, Eureka, Illinois

Lisa is a formerTaste of Home editor and passionate baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Bakeable, Taste of Home's baking club. Lisa also dedicated her career here to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products for our Test Kitchen-Preferred program. At home, you'll find her working on embroidery and other crafts.