This Red White and Blue Strawberry Icebox cake is an easy, no-bake strawberry dessert that's perfect for summertime holidays and celebrations! Create the American flag using strawberry slices and fresh blueberries on top of layers of graham crackers, more strawberries, and cool whip.
Keep this icebox cake recipe on hand for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July! It's sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Looking for more summer recipes? Try this S'mores Bark!
Jump to:
Ingredients
You only need four ingredients to make this icebox cake!
- Graham Crackers - I used the original honey graham crackers for this, but you could switch it up with cinnamon or chocolate graham crackers as well!
- Cool Whip - I used a 16-ounce tub of cool whip for this recipe. You can also use homemade whipped cream for the creamy filling!
- Fresh Berries - You'll need about two pounds of fresh strawberries for this recipe and a handful of blueberries!
Please see the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post.
Instructions
This dessert is a simple repetition of a layer of graham crackers, whipped topping, and strawberry slices, three times.
First, lay down an even layer of graham crackers on the bottom of a 9 x 9 baking dish. I used 9 graham crackers squares per layer. If your baking dish curves on the bottom edges, you may need to break some to fit in the first layer of graham crackers.
Create an single layer of graham crackers on the bottom of the dish
Top with 2 cups of cool whip
Add two cups of cool whip on top of the graham crackers and spread as evenly as possible. Then, lay down about 1 ½ cups of strawberry slices, covering the cool whip as much as possible. Don't let the slices overlap, so that they create an even surface for laying down the next layer of graham crackers.
Add an even layer of strawberry slices
Repeat with two more layers of graham crackers and cool whip
Repeat this two more times, and then create the flag on the top layer.
To create the flag design: create stripes of strawberry slices spaced by white stripes of cool whip to create the red and white stripes. Then, add ¼ cup of blueberries to a square in the top left corner to create the blue section of the flag.
Top tip for this strawberry icebox cake
Wait to create the flag design until you're about to serve the cake for the best result! The strawberries can lose some of their fresh appearance as the cake chills overnight and decorating the top layer right before serving will keep them looking good!
Icebox cakes should chill in the fridge for at least four hours, but ideally eight hours or even better, chilling overnight. This lets the layers of graham crackers, strawberries and cool whip settle together long enough that they begin to integrate, without getting too mushy.
Icebox cake is good for 1 - 2 days. They're generally best served right after chilling. After two days the graham crackers lose most of their structure.
I'd recommend making your icebox cake the night before, or making it in the morning to serve at a party that evening!
Kitchen Supplies You'll Need
- A paring knife for slicing the strawberries
- Rubber spatula or offset spatula for spreading the whipped cream layer
- 9 x 9 baking dish
Can I make this in an 8 x 8 baking dish?
Yes! You can easily make this in an 8 x 8 dish instead. Reduce the amount of strawberries to about 4 ½ cups of sliced strawberries, 5 cups of cool whip, and 13 graham crackers.
Storage
This recipe is best served after chilling in the fridge and will last about one to two days stored in the refrigerator.
Red White and Blue Strawberry Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 13 ½ graham crackers
- 6 cups cool whip
- 5 cups sliced fresh strawberries the amount of strawberries may vary between 4 ½ to 6 cups depending on their size
Instructions
- Create an even layer of graham crackers on the bottom of an 9 x 9 pan. You'll need 6 graham crackers squares, or 4 ½ full graham crackers.
- Top the graham crackers with a layer of 2 cups of cool whip. Smooth it out into an even layer as best as possible using a rubber or offset spatula.
- Create a layer of strawberry slices on top of the layer of cool whip.
- Repeat a second layer of graham crackers, cool whip and strawberry slices. Again, repeat a third layer of graham crackers and cool whip.
- To create the flag design: create stripes of strawberry slices spaced by white stripes of cool whip to create the red and white stripes. Then, add ¼ cup of blueberries to a square in the top left corner to create the blue section of the flag.
- Refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Notes
- To make in an 8 x 8 baking dish: Use 4 ½ cups of sliced strawberries, 5 cups of cool whip, and 13 graham crackers.
- Wait to create the flag design until you're about to serve the cake for the freshest-looking fruit slices! The strawberries can lose some of their fresh appearance as the cake chills overnight.
- Top with strawberry syrup for an extra drizzle of sweetness!
Storage
This recipe is best served after chilling in the fridge and will last about one to two days stored in the refrigerator.Nutrition
Please note, Holiday Sweets N Treats isn't a professional nutritionist. Any and all nutritional information shared is an estimate. If you're following a specific diet or counting calories, we suggest you use the nutrition calculator of your choice. Calories can vary depending on the brands and products used.
Jess
This is a fun twist on the ice box cake, and I bet it would work perfectly for Canada Day too! It's also nice that it's no-bake so I don't have to heat up my house in July. 😉
Emma
Exactly! I love a good no-bake dessert for the summer holidays!