Welcome to your new favorite holiday dessert! This No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake is the perfect combination of festive flavors and effortless preparation. If you’re searching for a show-stopping dessert that doesn’t require you to turn on your oven, you’ve found it. This layered icebox cake features bright, zesty orange pudding, a tart cranberry filling, and layers of soft graham crackers, all topped with a sweet and simple glaze. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any Christmas party or family gathering.
We’re layering classic holiday flavors into a simple, make-ahead dessert that sets up beautifully in the fridge. It’s rich, creamy, and packed with the delightful taste of cranberry and orange in every single bite. Let’s get started!
Why This Is the Perfect Holiday Treat
You are going to absolutely love this No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake recipe. It’s designed for the enthusiastic home cook who wants maximum flavor with minimal fuss. It’s the perfect dessert to bring to a potluck or serve after a big holiday meal.
Incredibly Easy: With no baking required, this recipe is all about simple assembly. Just layer and chill!
Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare it a day in advance to let the flavors meld and the graham crackers soften into a perfect cake-like texture. This saves you precious time on a busy holiday.
Festive Flavors: The combination of cranberry and orange is the quintessential taste of the holidays.
Crowd-Pleaser: This recipe makes a generous 9×13 inch cake, perfect for serving a crowd.
Layer by layer, this easy dessert comes together in minutes.
Key Ingredients for Your Eclair Cake
This recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients to create its magical flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Cranberry Filling:
Fresh or Frozen Cranberries: Either will work perfectly. If using frozen, there’s no need to thaw.
Granulated Sugar: To balance the tartness of the cranberries.
Orange Zest & Juice: Provides that bright, citrusy flavor that pairs so well with cranberry.
For the Orange Cream Filling:
Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: The secret to the thick, creamy, eclair-like filling. Ensure it’s the “instant” kind!
Milk: Whole milk will give you the richest, creamiest result.
Orange Extract: A little goes a long way to boost the orange flavor.
Whipped Topping: A container of thawed Cool Whip or similar whipped topping makes the filling light and fluffy.
For the Layers & Topping:
Graham Crackers: The classic base that softens into delicious cake-like layers.
Powdered Sugar: For a simple, sweet glaze.
Melted Butter & Milk: To create the perfect consistency for the topping.
How to Make No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake
Follow these simple steps to assemble your stunning holiday dessert. The process is straightforward and fun!
Step 1: Prepare the Cranberry Filling
In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, granulated sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened, about 10-12 minutes. Set it aside to cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Orange Cream
In a large bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the orange extract. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until everything is well combined and no streaks remain. For more delicious no-bake ideas, check out our No-Bake Peppermint Oreo Icebox Cake.
Step 3: Assemble the Layers
Now for the fun part! Spread a very thin layer of the orange cream on the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan to prevent the first layer of crackers from sliding. Arrange a single layer of graham crackers to cover the bottom of the dish, breaking them as needed to fit. Spread half of the remaining orange cream mixture over the crackers. Next, carefully spoon and spread the cooled cranberry filling over the orange cream. Add another single layer of graham crackers. Top with the remaining orange cream and finish with a final layer of graham crackers.
Look at those perfect layers! This is what dessert dreams are made of.
Tips for Eclair Cake Success
This dessert is nearly foolproof, but a few tips will guarantee perfection.
Chill Thoroughly: The magic of an eclair cake happens in the fridge. A minimum of 8 hours of chilling time is crucial, but 24 hours is even better. This allows the graham crackers to soften to a perfect, cake-like consistency.
Cool the Filling: Ensure your cranberry filling is completely cooled before layering. A warm filling will melt the orange cream and make the layers messy.
Use Instant Pudding: Do not substitute “cook and serve” pudding. Instant pudding is essential for the no-bake filling to set up correctly.
If you love the cranberry and orange combination, you might also enjoy our Easy Cranberry Orange Scones for a breakfast treat.
Variations and Substitutions
Want to customize your cake? Here are a few ideas:
White Chocolate Drizzle: For extra decadence, drizzle melted white chocolate over the top before serving. It’s a fantastic pairing with these flavors, similar to our popular Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Dip.
Different Crackers: While graham crackers are traditional, you could experiment with vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies for a different texture.
Add Nuts: Toasted, chopped pecans or pistachios would be a delicious addition to the cranberry layer for some added crunch.
Storing Your No-Bake Dessert
This cake is a perfect make-ahead dessert. It must be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 4 days, though it’s at its best within the first 2-3 days as the crackers will continue to soften over time.
Due to the cream-based filling, this dessert is not suitable for freezing, as it can become watery and separate upon thawing.
Absolutely! This dessert is best when made at least 8 hours in advance, but it’s even better if you let it chill for 24 hours. This gives the graham crackers time to soften and the flavors to meld together perfectly.
Store the cake tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and delicious for up to 4 days, although the texture is best within the first 2-3 days.
You can, but it needs to be stabilized. For best results and a more stable filling that holds its shape, we recommend using a store-bought whipped topping like Cool Whip for this recipe.
No, you must use instant pudding mix. The recipe relies on the instant pudding’s ability to set quickly without heat to create the creamy filling. ‘Cook and serve’ pudding will not work.
Yes, you could substitute the cranberry filling with a raspberry or cherry pie filling for a different flavor combination. Adjust sweetness as needed.
The Perfect No-Bake Holiday Dessert
This No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake is truly a gem for the holiday season. It’s elegant, delicious, and incredibly simple to prepare, leaving you more time to spend with loved ones. Give this recipe a try and watch it become a new family tradition!
If you make this recipe, we’d love to see it! Share a photo and tag us, or save it to your favorite board on Pinterest. For more holiday inspiration, explore all our Christmas recipes.
The easiest, most festive dessert you'll make all season! This No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake is a holiday dream.
No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake Recipe
FL Recipes
No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake: The Easiest Holiday Dessert
An effortless, festive No-Bake Cranberry Orange Eclair Cake! This layered icebox dessert features creamy orange pudding, tart cranberry filling, and soft graham cracker layers for the perfect make-ahead holiday treat.
2packages (3.4 oz each)instant vanilla pudding mix
3cupscold whole milk
1tsporange extract
8ozwhipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
Layers & Topping
1box (approx. 18-20 sheets)graham crackers
1cuppowdered sugarFor the glaze
2tbspmilk or creamFor the glaze
Equipment
1 9x13 inch Baking Dish
1 Saucepan
1 Large Mixing Bowl
Method
Make the Cranberry Filling
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, granulated sugar, orange zest, and orange juice.
Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until cranberries burst and the sauce thickens (about 10-12 minutes).
Remove from heat and let it cool completely to room temperature.
Prepare the Orange Cream
In a large bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk for about 2 minutes, until it starts to thicken.
Stir in the orange extract.
Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until fully combined.
Assemble the Cake
Spread a thin layer of orange cream on the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish.
Arrange a single layer of graham crackers to cover the bottom.
Spread half of the orange cream over the crackers.
Carefully spread the cooled cranberry filling over the cream.
Add another layer of graham crackers.
Top with the remaining orange cream and a final layer of graham crackers.
Chill and Serve
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight.
Before serving, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to create a simple glaze. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 380kcalProtein: 3gFat: 15gFiber: 2g
Notes
For the best results, allow the cake to chill for a full 24 hours. This ensures the graham crackers soften to a perfect cake-like texture. Make sure the cranberry filling is completely cool before assembling, otherwise, it can melt the cream layer. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
