50 Easy No-Bake Recipes for the Hottest Days and Nights
Updated: Feb. 10, 2022
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.
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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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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
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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 Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Pork & Vegetable Spring Rolls
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
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Pistachio Mallow Salad
This fluffy pistachio 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Rosemary Citrus Sorbet
This pretty pastel dessert bursts with the fresh flavors of grapefruit, lime and rosemary. —Rebecca Baird, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Spinach Salad with Tortellini & Roasted Onions
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Bow Tie & Spinach Salad
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Sour Cream Cucumbers
We have a tradition at our house to serve this creamy cucumber salad 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 freshly picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio
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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
Originally Published: July 22, 2020
