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Ritz Cracker Salted Caramel Icebox Cake is a dreamy, creamy, no-bake, salty-sweet icebox cake! A perfect dessert for summer!
I’ve been trying to get this recipe posted for a while now, but the universe is working against me…as per usual.
Incase you’ve been living under a rock, let me get you updated: we’re moving to New York City on Friday! As in two days. The movers took our stuff last week. We are living on air mattresses. My kids are monsters and sneak into my bed and then kick me without me knowing (until I wake up in pain). The errands I have to run are endless. The things I have to clean are endless. My friends have been stellar and are irreplaceable.
But, we are leaving FRIDAY, so I’m feeling the pressure.
By the time I sit down to type, I fall asleep because it’s usually 1am and I’ve been up since 6. Ah, kids. (This may have had something to do with this post.)
Anyways, my friend Claudia gave me this idea for an icebox cake and lo and behold, it was the freaking BOMB.
You need icebox cakes in your life because:
- you don’t have to bake anything!!!
- it takes a LOT to mess up
- you cover them in lots of cream!!! Best thing everrrr.
- They are easy easy easy to make!
That’s about it.
Of course there could be lots more, but I’ve nodded off 8 times in the last 5 minutes while typing this all out. So, be sure to scroll through the pictures I snapped and grab the printable recipe from the bottom!
Have a great day, friends!!
Any well wishes for our 2469.2 mile drive would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, friends!! 🙂
Ritz Cracker Salted Caramel Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese two blocks, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 48 Ritz Crackers
- 2/3 cup salted caramel sauce + more for garnish
- whipped cream
for the caramel sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line 8x8 glass baking dish with plastic wrap. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add in heavy cream, salt and vanilla and whip until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat to melt the sugar. Continue cooking and swirling sugar until it turns amber in color.
- Whisk in sea salt and heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up violently briefly. Continue whisking until sauce is smooth. Stir in butter and vanilla.
Assemble
- Spread 16 ritz crackers across the bottom in 3 straight lines. Add on 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture.
- Drizzle over 1/3 cup caramel sauce and repeat these layers again as follows: 16 crackers, 1/3 cream cheese mixture, 1/3 cup caramel sauce, 16 crackers, final amount of cream cheese mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight. To serve, cut into pieces and top with whipped cream and more caramel sauce.
Nutrition
Excited to try this one! Has anyone tried it in a 9×9 pan vs 8×8? (The biggest downfall of moving: can’t find a few things – like my 8×8 pan. 🤦🏻♀️)
Looks de-Lish! Will have to try soon!
Though our family also moved though only about 7.4 miles from our previous home though we started all over with our home furnishings with the only exception we kept our bedroom furniture. I wish you and your family lots of luck. And, I have to say I personally cannot wait to make and eat this pie recipe!
How do you make the caramel sauce for this recipe?
Recipe for Carmel sauce
I made this on Wednesday and we cut it last night. I made exactly to the recipe and even bought salt caramel off of amazon. You don’t need to go to that much trouble and any caramel/butterscotch will do. The reason I only gave it a 4 is because it was very dry on the bottom half. I’m sure I will make it again when I recover from my sugar shock to my system that has probably been over loaded for the next 10 years. But next time I will only do two layers of crackers and split the filling in half instead of thirds.
Made this today it’s alittle bit sweet so garnished it with Lindt 70% dark chocolate ,great contrast to the super sweetness. Nice recipe
Can you use cool whip instead of heavy cream?
Made the Retz SaltyCaramel icebox cake for our teacher’s bash. At this occasion, the principal has items brought judged. This was the first time making. I lined the dish with plastic wrap. Didn’t really know how I was going to serve, decided to lift out of the dish, cut and transferred to another plate. Added the whipping cream on each piece and drizzled with caramel/
Wasn’t the prettiest dish but won first place ☺️ Will definitely do again!!
This was a total hit with my family! They voted that it is a keeper. My twist on the recipe was to use Toppables crackers instead of Ritz crackers. They are rectangular in shape, which is much easier to fit into a square dish, with some trimming, of course! The whole thing came out so deliciously good!
Can smuckers Caramel Sundae Syrup be used? Can’t wait to try this. Thanks
Use Ghirardelli salted caramel, it’s as good as homemade.
my sister tried this recipe and her whipping cream wouldn’t come to stiff peaks!! It was all runny. wondering why
It sounds like there wasn’t enough fat in her whipping cream.
Can smuckers Caramel Sundae Syrup be used? Can’t wait to try this. Thanks
Just reading the recipe, I haven’t tried it yet it sounds delicious!!
Trying to figure out how I am going to make 3 straight lines with 16 crackers,
16 divided by 3 is 5, with one left over?
I have been wondering the same thing? Should it be 15 crackers total for 3 rows of 5 or 4 rows of 4 crackers equaling the 16 crackers??
On my square 8×8 pan I had 4 rows of 4 crackers.
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What is the reason for lining the dish with plastic wrap?
I like to lift the whole thing out to make for easier serving. You are welcome to skip this step, just beware that your first piece might look a little smooshed.
Yum. Can’t wait to make this!
My husband made this today for my birthday. It is so good. Thank you for the recipe!
I am going to make it is today. I looks good. Hope it turns out. How long of a piece of wrap to I cut.
I made this for a family dinner and everyone loved it! It was so good and super easy to make. Definitely going into the rotation ????
I feel like this is a dumb question but is there a reason not to double this for a 9×13? Can’t wait to make it!!
Looks delicious and I would definitely make the larger size.
How to make Carmel sauce6
Made this on the weekend and it was a huge hit with the entire family!
This has been in my que for a few weeks waiting for a reason to make it. I think Tuesday qualifies as a reason?
I’m planning on making this and another ice box cake for a family get together that is in a couple of weeks! Ritz crackers are my weakness!!
What a fun dessert! I like sweet and salty together. Hope everything goes smoothly on your travels. That is a long drive!
Just wondering do you make your own salted caramel sauce?
Yes! This is the recipe I used: https://laurenslatest.com/salted-caramel-apple-crumble-kitchenaid-challenge-video-with-giveaway/
Hi, do you just use store bought caramel sauce or do you have a recipe for salted caramel sauce?
This is the recipe I used: https://laurenslatest.com/salted-caramel-apple-crumble-kitchenaid-challenge-video-with-giveaway/
Get Ghirardelli salted caramel. It is as good as homemade.
This looks delish, and such a nice treat during hot summer days! Thanks for the recipe. And good luck to you this week!!! Hope the trip goes smoothly and you get there safely. Excited to hear about your new life in NYC! Blessings 🙂