Last Updated on December 22, 2024 by Kimberly Stroh

Every holiday season, my kids ask me to make this Frozen Peppermint Delight recipe. I keep it in the freezer and pull it out whenever we need something sweet. They love to enjoy it during Christmas movie nights or after dinner. It’s a stupid easy recipe that looks harder than it is, plus it’s only four ingredients!

I love the look of layered desserts. They’re so beautiful when you cut into them. The peppermint ice cream adds flavor to this festive Peppermint Delight and gives it a red and green speckled look. Traditionally, peppermint ice cream has that nice pink hue. You can serve this dessert all throughout the Christmas season, and nobody will be the wiser that it’s so easy to make.

This is a dessert that will feed a crowd, with 18 servings. If you have a lot of family over for holiday gatherings, you can make Peppermint Delight ahead of time and pull it out of the freezer whenever you’re ready for something sweet!

The more preparation that I do during the holiday season, the more seamless everything goes. It’s nice to stock the freezer and have a dessert ready.

How To Make Frozen Peppermint Delight Christmas Dessert

You can make this dessert and keep it in the freezer for up to three months. So I’ll make it right after Thanksgiving and we’ll eat off it all Christmas season long. Typically, I see peppermint ice cream start to make an appearance around October. Many store brands make a peppermint ice cream flavor. It’s easy to find.

What To Serve With Frozen Peppermint Delight

I love to enjoy this dessert with a fresh pot of coffee or hot chocolate (both my Nutella Hot Chocolate and Mint Hot Chocolate recipes are popular). The combination of the hot and the cold are complimentary to each other. There are some optional toppings that you can add: hot fudge (or chocolate syrup) and crushed peppermint candies. I’ve added them to the entire casserole dish and I’ve also asked individual guests if they want to add them – just preference.

How To Store Leftover Peppermint Delight

Any leftovers can be placed back into the freezer. I just keep the casserole dish in the freezer while we’re enjoying it, with plastic wrap on top. The frozen dessert is good for up to three months. The crushed peppermint candies are fine in the freezer, but hold off on chocolate syrup topping until you’re ready to serve it.

Frozen Peppermint Delight Ingredients:

• Oreo Cookies – Classic Oreo cookies
• Butter
• Peppermint Ice Cream – Make sure it’s slightly thawed so it’s easy to work with
• Frozen Whipped Topping (Cool Whip)
• Optional Toppings: Peppermint Candies or Chocolate Syrup

Recipe Variations

There are such easy ways to play with this recipe to create an entirely new flavor palette. Try using an eggnog ice cream and golden Oreo for a crust, it’s my 4-Ingredient Frozen Eggnog Delight recipe. Those who love chocolate would like the 4-Ingredient Frozen Chocolate Delight version! Purchase what’s on sale at your store and be creative with the flavor you want!

Step-By-Step Directions To Make Peppermint Delight

Make a space in your freezer for a 9×13 baking pan. Using a food processor, finely crush Oreo cookies, pulsing about 10 times or until completely crushed.

Add melted butter and process for five seconds. Mix well with a spoon to make sure the cookies and butter are combined well.

Pour into a 9×13 baking pan and using the back of a spoon, press the crust into the bottom of the pan. Pop the pan into the freezer for 10 mins. 

Carefully spread about 1-1/2 tubs of ice cream onto the top of the crust. It helps to work in scoops, placing them on the crust and then pressing down, not really spreading out, but just placing scoops next to each other and then pressing them together to fill in all the spaces.

Top with whipped topping and sprinkle with crushed candies. 

Freeze for at least an hour before serving.