Everyone’s favorite childhood ice cream treat becomes a delicious layered dessert in this Orange Creamsicle Lush. This no-bake recipe is creamy and refreshing and makes the perfect spring or summer potluck dessert.
Orange Creamsicle Lush Layered Dessert
If you’re a fan of the Dreamsicle ice cream treat, then you are absolutely going to love this cool and refreshing orange lush dessert. It tastes just like the classic ice cream, only it’s a lasagna-style layered dessert. It’s sweet, creamy, and light and because it’s a cold dessert it’s the perfect thing for summer or spring.
It’s also great for potlucks and will most definitely be a favorite. Not to mention it’s gorgeous when finished with the punchy orange and bright white layers! Here’s a little insider tip: make it in a glass dish so you’ll be able to see the defined layers when it’s finished.
Why We Love This No-Bake Dessert Recipe
- Quick and easy to make
- Beautiful dessert
- Easy orange dessert
- No-bake dish
- Perfect for potlucks and gatherings
- Light and refreshing
- Cool dessert that’s perfect for summer
- Can be made in a variety of flavors
- Delicious creamsicle flavors
Ingredients/Shopping List
- Vanilla sandwich cookies
- Sweet cream butter
- Orange zest
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Orange gelatin
- Vanilla pudding
- Cold milk
- Orange extract
- Whipped topping
- Mandarin oranges (reserve juice from the manarin oranges)
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make No-Bake Orange Creamsicle Lush Recipe
It works well to break this recipe down into 3 main parts, based on the 3 layers of this dessert. To start, you’ll make the crust. Next comes the cheesecake layer, and finally the orange jello layer. The preparation will come together quickly and easily!
Combine crushed cookies, melted butter, and orange zest. Spread and press cookie mixture into the bottom of a baking dish and refrigerate.
Beat together cream cheese and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Fold in orange zest.
Spread this mixture on top of the crust layer and place the dish back in the fridge.
Heat mandarin orange juice in the microwave. Combine with orange gelatin and mix until gelatin dissolves. In another bowl whisk together vanilla pudding and old milk.
Combine pudding and gelatin. Fold in orange zest.
Spread this mixture on top of the other two layers. Cover and leave to set in the fridge for 4 hours to overnight. Just before serving, evenly spread the whipped topping
Add mandarin orange slices to the top of your dish.
Variations / Options / Add-ins
- SUGAR COOKIES: You can use crushed up sugar cookies for the base of this dessert. You can make a homemade sugar cookie recipe, or simply use your favorite from the store! You could also use graham crackers or vanilla wafers, too!
- CREAM CHEESE: If you want to save on calories, you can use reduced-fat cream cheese for this recipe. You won’t notice a difference in the overall flavor or texture!
- WHIPPED TOPPING: As with the cream cheese, you could use a reduced-fat whipped topping as well.
- FOOD COLORING: The addition of orange food coloring makes the orange layer have a super punchy color!
Tips
- You can omit the orange food coloring if you are wanting a muted orange color.
- You can omit the orange extract flavoring, but it will not be as strongly orange flavored as with the flavoring. It lacks a punch of flavor without it, in my opinion.
- This can be adjusted to any fruit flavor, it is very adaptable. Omit the orange zest and orange extract if you’re doing this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make sure that if you’ll be serving this at a potluck, or any place it might sit out, that you refrigerate it between servings. The layers will begin to melt and the dish will lose its shape if left out for too long.
You can make this orange lush with a variety of flavors! It is super delicious with lemon or lime, but could also be made with strawberry, raspberry, or cherry! Simply swap out the orange jello for your new flavor, and be sure to omit the orange extract and zest as well.
More Great Desserts
Orange Creamsicle Lush
Ingredients
Crust
- 30 vanilla sandwich cookies finely crushed
- 6 tbsp salted sweet cream butter melted
- 2 tbsp fresh orange zest 1 medium size orange
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese softened
- 1¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest (½ medium size orange)
Orange Jello Layer
- 1 6 ounce box orange flavored gelatin
- 1 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
- 1¼ cup cold milk
- ⅓ cup mandarin orange juice drained from the 14 ounce can mandarin oranges
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest ½ medium size orange
- 2 tsp orange extract
- 5 drops orange food coloring optional
Topping
- 12 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 1 14 ounce can mandarin oranges drained, reserve ⅓ cup for the orange jello layer
Instructions
Crust
- Using a medium size mixing bowl, combine the finely crushed cookie crumbs, melted butter and orange zest.
- Generously spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Evenly spread and press the cookie crumb mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Chill in the refrigerator while making the cheesecake layer.
Cheesecake layer
- Using a medium size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese and vanilla extract for 1 minute, or until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until well incorporated.
- Fold in the orange zest.
- Remove the crust from the refrigerator and evenly spread the cheesecake mixture. Return the baking dish to the refrigerator while preparing the orange jello layer.
Orange Jello Layer
- Using a heat safe 1 cup measuring cup, heat the reserved mandarin orange juice in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Using a small size heat safe mixing bowl, add the orange flavored gelatin. Pour the hot mandarin orange juice over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. .
- Using a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding and the cold milk, until the pudding is thickened.
- Whisk in the gelatin. Whisk until completely combined. If you wish to add the orange food coloring, whisk it in.
- Fold in the orange zest.
- Remove the baking pan from the refrigerator and evenly spread the gelatin pudding mixture on top of the cheesecake layer. Cover and return the baking dish to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours to overnight.
- Just before serving, evenly spread the whipped topping. Evenly divide and space the mandarin orange slices. Slice into 2 inch x 2 inch squares.
Jenn’s Notes
- You can omit the orange food coloring if you are wanting a muted orange color.
- You can omit the orange extract flavoring, but it will not be as strongly orange flavored as with the flavoring. It lacks a punch of flavor without it, in my opinion.
- This can be adjusted to any fruit flavor, it is very adaptable. Omit the orange zest and orange extract if you’re doing this.
what is sweet cream butter? I also do not see that in the instructions?
It is basically unsalted butter – butter made from fresh cream without any added salt
jum
Love the lush!! However I saw orange juice was part of the shopping list and it was not mentioned once during the prep instructions??? It was delicious but I’m still curious
Thank you for calling my attention to the typo – it is actually the reserved juice from the mandarin oranges! I just fixed it in the ingredient list!!! thank you so much. Sorry for the mix up!