Cookies and Cream No-Churn Pops
Creamy, dreamy frozen pops made without an ice cream maker. Sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream create an ultra-smooth base, studded with vanilla wafer crumbles for a cookies-and-cream flavor. Ready to enjoy in 4 hours—no churning required.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 4 hr
- Total
- 4 hr 15 min
- Makes
- 8 pops (3.5 fl oz / 100 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for at least 15 minutes before whipping cream
- Have your popsicle molds and sticks ready
- Let sweetened condensed milk sit at room temperature for 10 minutes for easier mixing
Crush the wafers
- Place vanilla wafers in a sturdy bag or food processor and crush them into small crumbles ranging from powder to pea-sized pieces.
- You want a mix of textures—some fine crumbs and some small chunks for bite.
- Measure out 1.5 cups (120 g) and set aside in a small bowl.
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Ready when: Mix of fine powder and pea-sized crumbles
Tip: Don't over-process—you want texture, not a fine flour.
Whip the cream
- Pour the cold heavy cream into your chilled bowl.
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip for 2–3 minutes until soft peaks form (peaks that flop over slightly when you lift the beaters).
- Do not overwhip or you'll end up with butter.
- Stop as soon as you see soft, fluffy peaks.
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Ready when: Soft peaks that gently fold over; cream is light and fluffy
Tip: Use very cold cream and a cold bowl—this speeds whipping and prevents over-beating.
Fold in condensed milk
- Gently pour the sweetened condensed milk over the whipped cream.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the two together with light, slow strokes for about 1 minute, until just combined.
- A few streaks of white cream are okay—don't overmix or you'll deflate the cream.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, mousse-like, and mostly uniform with no large unmixed pockets
Tip: Gentle folding keeps the cream airy—rough stirring deflates the whipped texture.
Add vanilla and salt
- Sprinkle the vanilla extract and salt over the mixture and fold gently 2–3 times to incorporate evenly.
- Taste a small spoonful if desired; you can add a touch more vanilla if you'd like it stronger.
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Ready when: Vanilla and salt evenly distributed throughout
Fold in cookie crumbles
- Reserve about 2 tablespoons (15 g) of the cookie crumbles for garnish.
- Gently fold the remaining cookie crumbles (about 1 cup / 105 g) into the cream mixture in two additions, using light strokes until evenly scattered throughout.
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Ready when: Cookie crumbles evenly distributed throughout the mixture
Tip: Don't overmix—fold gently to keep the cream light and fluffy.
Fill the molds
- Spoon the mixture into your popsicle molds, filling each to about ½ inch from the top.
- As you fill, distribute the cookie crumbles evenly so each pop gets a good mix.
- Sprinkle a few of the reserved crumbles on top of each mold.
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Ready when: Molds filled evenly with mixture and cookie garnish on top
Tip: Leave ½ inch of space at the top—the mixture will expand slightly as it freezes.
Freeze until set
- Cover the molds with their stick covers or insert sticks into the center of each pop, then freeze for at least 4 hours, or until fully frozen and firm.
- For best texture, freeze overnight (up to 12 hours).
- The pops are ready when they don't budge when you gently tug the stick.
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Ready when: Pops are rock-hard and stick doesn't move when gently pulled
Tip: Don't skip the full freeze time or the pops will be too soft to eat.
Unmold and serve
- Run warm water over the outside of the mold for 5–10 seconds to loosen the pops slightly, then gently push up on the bottom or pull the stick to release.
- Serve immediately, or wrap individually and store in the freezer.
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Ready when: Pop slides out of mold easily when gently pushed or pulled
Tip: If they're stuck, dip the mold in warm (not hot) water for a few more seconds—don't force them out.
Good to know
Tips
- For a swirl effect, gently fold in 2–3 tablespoons of melted white chocolate before freezing.
- If your popsicle molds don't have built-in sticks, insert wooden sticks after 1–2 hours of freezing when the mixture is semi-solid (not too runny).
- These pops are best eaten slightly soft (thaw 2–3 minutes) rather than rock-hard—they'll be creamier and easier to bite.
- Double the recipe and freeze in a loaf pan, then scoop into bowls for an instant no-churn ice cream dessert.
Make ahead
"Yes. Mix the base (steps 1–5) and freeze up to 12 hours ahead. If you want to prep only the crushed wafers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: not applicable (keep frozen). Freezer: up to 3 weeks in an airtight freezer bag with parchment between layers, or wrapped individually in plastic wrap. Thaw slightly at room temperature for 2–3 minutes before eating if you prefer a softer texture."
Substitutions
- vanilla wafers, crushed → Crushed Oreos, digestive biscuits, or graham crackers. Use the same weight. Oreos will add chocolate flavor; digestive biscuits are milder and slightly nuttier; graham crackers make a lighter, crunchier pop.
- heavy cream, cold → Whipped coconut cream (chilled can of full-fat coconut milk). Whip the solid coconut cream layer to soft peaks. The pops will be slightly less creamy but still delicious and dairy-free.
- vanilla extract → Almond extract or 1 teaspoon of instant vanilla pudding powder mixed with 1 teaspoon of milk. Almond will add a subtle nuttiness; pudding powder boosts vanilla flavor if you prefer it stronger.
- sweetened condensed milk → 1 cup heavy cream mixed with ½ cup honey or maple syrup. The pops will be slightly less sweet and have a different (but equally delicious) texture, with less body.
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