No-bake desserts can come in clutch for a whole host of reasons. Do you live in a dorm without access to an oven? You can still make a no-bake dessert. The last time you tried to bake something, did it come out of the oven black and charred? No-bake desserts won't set off the smoke detector.
You can satisfy your sweet cravings without cooking with these 19 recipes, and you won't be missing an oven at all.
1. Zebra Cake
Also called an icebox cake, this dessert uses chocolate wafers and whipped cream for a creation that looks sophisticated, but is deceptively easy to put together.
2. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
This pie does call for a little microwaving to melt the chocolate, but it's worth it for an end result that's essentially one huge Reese's peanut butter cup.
#SpoonTip: add Reese's Pieces on top of the pie before freezing for an added peanut butter-y crunch and a pop of color.
3. Oreo Peppermint Cheesecake in a Jar
Tying ribbons around the mason jars is optional but highly recommended to make these peppermint desserts even cuter and more festive.
4. Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough and Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches
Pumpkin, cinnamon, and other fall flavors are usually associated with cozy baked goods like pies and breads, but these flavors lend themselves just as well to these creamy, rich ice cream sandwiches.
5. Greek Yogurt Banana Popper
Looking for a dessert that's a little less indulgent? Made with bananas and greek yogurt, these poppers are healthy enough that you can have dessert for breakfast and not feel guilty about it.
6. Tiramisu
Tiramisu, which literally translates to "pick me up," can often be found on the dessert menu at the fanciest of Italian restaurants. Turn your dorm into one such restaurant for an evening–start with these super easy Italian recipes for dinner, then finish with this tiramisu.
7. Easy Peanut Butter Fudge
With only five ingredients, this fudge is as easy to put together as it is to finish off in one day (read: very easy).
8. Apple Pie Icebox Cake
Apple pie gets exponentially better when topped with vanilla ice cream–just think how good it will be with the ice cream in the pie.
9. Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries
These little bites are the cutest cheesecake you'll ever eat (and the easiest you'll ever make).
10. 2-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse
This one does require a bit of cooking–a minute or two over the stove in a saucepan–but with only two ingredients, it's still one of the easiest recipes on the list.
11. No-Churn Ice Cream
Temperatures may be dropping, but it's never too cold for ice cream. Stick with classic vanilla, follow the author's recommendation to add peanut butter, Oreos, and fudge, or channel your inner Ben & Jerry to come up with your own wacky flavors.
12. 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie
This classic Thanksgiving dessert can be started and finished all while the turkey is in the oven.
13. Fairy Bread
Fairy bread comes from Australia, where they clearly have some strong feelings about this sweet treat. See what the fuss is about and try it yourself with this roll-up version of the childhood staple from down under.
14. Oreo Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert
Same idea as peanut butter spread on Oreos, but taken to a whole new level.
15. Cake Batter Milkshake
This milkshake is the best way to use a box of cake mix when you can't bake an actual cake...And maybe even when you can.
16. Banana Toffee Pie
Though the original recipe requires both baking and boiling, with pre-made dulce de leche this banoffee pie requires no cooking at all.
17. Coffee Jello
A recipe that combines the snack that you loved as a kid with the beverage that you rely on as a (semi-)adult.
18. Chocolate Chip Heath Bar Pie
Heath Bar ice cream is a beloved classic (though Ben & Jerry's actually just switched to another brand of toffee bar), and in pie form it only gets better.
19. Frozen Yogurt
Why give your entire paycheck to trendy, over-priced yogurt shops when you can make incredible fro-yo yourself?
These no-bake desserts are easy enough to make in your dorm, but they're so good you may find yourself making them even when you're home for the holidays with a full kitchen at your disposal. You don't need heat to make something sweet.