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This pretty, no-bake, Strawberry Pretzel Ice Cream Cake is your new go-to summer cake. The crust is made up of salty pretzels mixed with sweet ginger cookies. The crust is then layered with creamy vanilla ice cream and strawberry ice cream swirled with fresh strawberry jam. A generous topping of fresh strawberries finishes it off. This icy cold cake is creamy, extra berry-filled, and requires very little effort.
Once again this summer I’m really embracing ice cream and using up all the berries in the process too! In the last month or so, I feel like I’ve made a new ice cream recipe every few days. And I still have more coming your way…both berry-filled and chocolate heavy.
Ice cream isn’t the easiest to work with since it melts so fast. When it comes to how-to videos and photos, ice cream is always challenging. But even though it’s often made me want to cry, I somehow can’t resist creating a summertime ice cream recipe!
I loved ice cream as a kid, so making it and enjoying it always brings me back to the carefree summer days of my childhood. Those easygoing days were the best.
The details – let’s talk about the crust
First, make the crust. This is super easy. Simply combine salty pretzels, gingersnap cookies (I buy mine from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s), and butter. I find this easiest to do in a food processor, but it can also be done in a bowl. Do what works best for you.
Now, press the pretzel crust into a square baking pan. No baking is required. Simple. Simple.
The layers
For the layers, vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream swirled with homemade strawberry jam, and then one final layer of vanilla.
I wanted the strawberry ice cream to have pockets of sweetness and fresh summer berries, so I ended up swirling in my homemade strawberry jam. You can use my homemade jam or your favorite store-bought jam. Both will be equally delicious.
The only semi-annoying piece to this cake is that you do have to freeze the crust and each of the layers.
But it’s not a long wait time. 15 minutes for the crust, then 30ish for the first layer of vanilla and another 30 for the strawberry layer. You’ll have some downtime in between freezes.
Once all of the layers are together, I top with sliced strawberries, then freeze. And wow, that’s pretty much it. I like to freeze overnight to really make sure the ice cream is frozen nicely.
Also, for both the vanilla and strawberry ice cream, I love to use Tillamook. Especially their Oregano strawberry ice cream, it never fails. And for the vanilla, their vanilla bean or old-fashioned vanilla are my favorites.
Once frozen, slice and enjoy every last creamy, berry-filled bite. It’s sweet, heavy on the ice cream, swirled with berries, and has just the right amount of salty pretzel crunch on the bottom. The perfect balance of sweet and salty that leaves you longing for another bite.
Looking for other Summer ice cream recipes? Here are some favorites:
No Churn Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Creamy Vegan Chocolate Fudge Pops
Blackberry Lavender Ice Cream Sandwiches
Lastly, if you make this Strawberry Pretzel Ice Cream Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Strawberry Pretzel Ice Cream Cake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 971 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mini salted pretzels
- 15 gingersnap cookies
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 5 cups vanilla ice cream
- 4 cups strawberry ice cream
- 1 cup strawberry jam
- 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
Instructions
- 1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.2. In a food processor, pulse the pretzels and gingersnaps into fine crumbs. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture holds together when pinched. Press into the bottom of the pan. Freeze 15 minutes. 3. Scoop 4 cups vanilla ice cream out onto the frozen crust. Flatten/spread into a mostly evenly layer. Freeze 30 minutes. 4. In a bowl, gently swirl together the strawberry ice cream and strawberry jam. Spread onto the vanilla layer. Freeze for 30 minutes more.5. Take a 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream and flatten/spread onto the strawberry layer. Top with sliced strawberries. Wrap the cake and freeze 4 hours or until frozen.5. Remove the cake from the freezer. Use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Let sit 5 minutes. Slice and enjoy immediately.
Notes
No Food Processor: If you do not have a food processor just add the cookies to a large ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to smash the cookies into crumbs. Or simply crush them by stepping all over the bag!
This is a very yummy dessert. The strawberries on top are a bit difficult to eat when frozen. Next time I will try putting the strawberries on top when serving so that they are not frozen. The recipe calls for 5 cups of vanilla ice cream. This is divided – 4 cups is used in the second layer after the crust and in step 5 a 1/2 cup is used. I ended up using the remaining cup for the top layer before the strawberries.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback! I will fix that typo with the ice cream:) Have a great day! xTieghan
I thought this was a great idea and loved stirring in the jam. Be sure to use thin slices of strawberries or they won’t thaw quick enough to eat easily.
Hey Kris,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review:)
This is sooo yummy! I didn’t have ginger snaps so I subbed Graham crackers and some chocolate shavings with the pretzels. ?
It’s beautiful and delicious! Thanks for another impressive recipe for my weekend guests!
Hi Joyce,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review:)
Ugh I can not find my 8×8 pan…. Can I use 9×12
Hi Melissa,
Totally, I would just make a little wall with foil to make the pan 8×8 and then you should be good to go! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Where I your strawberry jam recipe please?
Hi Brenda,
You can find my strawberry jam recipe here:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/strawberry-jam-dutch-baby/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I CANNOT wait to make this. Just made a whack of strawberry jam so I’m a step ahead. Thank you for being so inspiring.
Awesome!! I hope you love the recipe Sara, let me know how it turns out! xx
Any other flavor ideas we could use. I do not care for strawberry ice cream. I am kore of a chocolate girl so was thinking maybe a chocolate ice cream with maybe fudge twirled.
Hi Candice,
Here are some other ice cream cake recipes you might enjoy:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/nonnies-6-ingredient-chocolate-peanut-butter-ice-cream-cake/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/fudgy-chocolate-peanut-butter-ice-cream-pretzel-cake/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/coffee-and-fudge-ice-cream-cake/
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I make a lot of ice cream cakes and I have a helpful hack. For my ice cream layer, I turn the ice cream container on its side and cut through the container and the ice cream, parallel to the lid, with a seraded knife, the thickness I want the layer to be. I peel off the container and I have a perfect layer. No scooping, then I cut pieces and fill in like a puzzle. Hope that makes sense!
Genius!
Thanks for the tip Theresa!! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx
I love it so much ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Hey Shenita!
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! Hope you’re off to a great weekend:)
Looks good! Where is the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream used?
Hi there,
It is used in step 5:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So step 5 should say 1 cup, not 1/2?
Yes:)
My 2 1/2 year old granddaughter thoroughly enjoys stamping on cookies in a ziplock bag to help me bake. So this will be a sinch thank you ?
LOL love this Tracy!! Let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope it’s delicious!!
Sadly, here in Illinois, strawberry season is over. But I bet this would be amazing with peaches!
Hi Jeanine!
Sure, peaches would be great! Let me know if you give it a try!! xTieghan
How do you make the strawberry jam?
Hi Katie,
Here is my recipe for strawberry jam:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/strawberry-jam-dutch-baby/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This looks delicious! Looks like autocorrect changed the ice cream name. For those who interpret things literally, the ice cream is Tillamook Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream, not Oregano. Although, that might be an interesting flavor…. ?
Thank you, Deb, I was seriously wondering about oregano in strawberry ice cream. This correction is helpful! (And someone needs to try the oregano thing and get back to all of us, lol.)
Hey Deb,
LOL oops! Thanks for pointing that out:) I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Will definitely try … reminds me of a strawberry pretzel dessert that was popular many years ago. Ps. I don’t have a food processor but want to buy one. Which is your favorite and one you find most versatile?
Use a rolling pin with pretzels in ziplock bag
Hey Teresa,
Thanks so much! Here is my fave food processor:
https://rstyle.me/+3vXL3hYgnoOUhSsI7tuEmg
Let me know if you give the cake a try!! xTieghan
Perfect for hot days. Looks so good! Xx
Thanks so much Kelly-Jane! Let me know if you give the recipe a try:)