This recipe for Chocolate Eclair Cake is a classic no-bake dessert made with graham crackers, pudding, and chocolate frosting. Everyone loves this no-bake simple dessert recipe!
My top tip is to be sure to allow this cake to chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours. This gives the graham crackers time to soften!
This eclair cake recipe was originally published in April 2011. The photos and recipe notes were updated in March 2025.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
- Taste & Texture: Softened graham crackers, creamy vanilla pudding mixed with whipped topping, and a rich chocolate frosting, mimicking the classic flavors of a chocolate eclair.
- Make Ahead: make this cake up to 24 hours ahead of time. Perfect for parties and potlucks.
- Frosting: use my homemade frosting, or a can of chocolate frosting. Both are delicious options.
On this website, you’ll find desserts I’ve made over the years and some childhood favorites from my family.
Today’s no bake Eclair Cake though is the one dessert that I knew how to make at a young age. Easy enough for the kids to help make, and it tastes incredible.
Featured Review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This is such a classic dessert! My absolute favorite no bake sweet treat!” -Anna
Eclair Ingredients
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card to see the full recipe with measurements and directions.
- Graham Crackers– you’ll need a whole box for this recipe! Cinnamon or chocolate grahams are a great substitute.
- Pudding Mix– be sure to choose INSTANT pudding. I like french vanilla, but regular vanilla works great too!
- Cool Whip– Use store bought whipped topping use my stabilized whipped cream recipe as an alternative.
- Frosting- you can use canned frosting, chocolate ganache, or follow my homemade frosting recipe below!
How to Make Chocolate Eclair Cake
If you’re wondering how to make chocolate eclair cake, it is crazy easy. No messy pastry cream with this easy recipe!
Make the filling. Layer the graham crackers, pudding mixture, crackers, remaining pudding layer, and add another layer of graham crackers. Top it with frosting.
PRO TIP: heat up a can of chocolate frosting and pour over the top of the cake! Either way works! Add a sprinkle of chocolate chips if you like!
Refrigerate cake for at least 8 hours. This is NON-negotiable. Refrigerating the cake helps the graham cracker layers soften. This softening gives the dessert its special flavor and texture.
Storage
- Store leftover cake covered in refrigerator for up to 4 days. The graham crackers will get incredibly soft, but they still taste amazing.
- Freeze eclair cake by assembling the cake in a freezer safe container (I like to use disposable foil pans). Wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight until ready to serve.
Flavor Substitutions
- This Strawberry Eclair Cake contains Cheesecake JELL-O in the filling. Plus there’s no oven needed which means it’s perfect for the warmer weather!
- This easy Banana Eclair Cake is a favorite summer treat. It consists of layers of cinnamon graham crackers, vanilla pudding, and fresh banana. The best part is, you don’t even have to bake it! To top it off, I literally topped it off a cinnamon glaze!
- I made a simple No Bake Pistachio Eclair Cake with pistachio pudding mix and chocolate frosting. You’ll enjoy this tasty dessert!
- Too hot to turn on the oven? Make a Peanut Butter Eclair cake with Reese’s and peanut butter for a delicious chocolate treat.
- If you love no bake desserts, be sure to try this easy S’mores Icebox Cake. Also, my no bake cheesecake recipe is always a hit!
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Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 box honey graham crackers 14.4 ounce
- 2 packages instant french vanilla pudding 3.4 ounce each
- 2½ cups milk
- 12 ounce cool whip thawed
For the Frosting:
- 2 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 teaspoons corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Mix pudding with milk in a medium size bowl. Fold in thawed cool whip.
- Layer in a 13×9 dish: graham crackers, pudding, graham crackers, pudding, graham crackers.
- For the homemade frosting, mix the baking chocolate with corn syrup in a double boiler over medium heat. Stir until smooth. Add vanilla, butter, milk and powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Frost the top layer of graham crackers. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours until serving.
Notes
- You can swap out homemade frosting for one can of milk chocolate frosting. Remove lid and foil cover. Microwave 20 seconds, stir, and spread over graham crackers.
- If you can’t find french vanilla pudding mix, swap it out for instant vanilla pudding mix.
- Store leftover cake covered in refrigerator for up to 4 days. The graham crackers will get incredibly soft, but they still taste amazing.
- Freeze eclair cake by assembling the cake in a freezer safe container (I like to use disposable foil pans). Wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight until ready to serve
Video
Nutrition
More Cake Recipes
This Eclair Cake recipe is an old fashioned icebox cake with layers of graham crackers, pudding, and chocolate frosting. An easy no bake dessert recipe!
To make this even easier I buy store bought frosting. Put it in the microwave for a minute until it melts and pour it over the top and refrigerate. It’s perfect.
Yet again looks lovely but full of stuff we’ve never seen in the shops here in UK 🙁
love to see more
I’ve been making this for years and it’s always a hit. I do make it a day or too ahead of time to make sure that the graham crackers have time to get soft.
do you crunch up the crackers or just lay them in dish?
Just lay them in the dish whole. If they break in half or fourths don’t worry about it though.
Ok, so I couldn’t resist! 🙂 I made this for the holiday weekend and YUM!!! Posted about it on my blog and linked back to you. Thanks for sharing!!!
yum!!! I haven’t had this in years and now I seriously want to head to the store for the ingredients!!!
Hey!! We are sponsoring a milk Linky party!! We would love for you to go link up your recipe!!
http://alattewithotta.blogspot.com/2011/06/ott-as-iron-chef-challenge-milk-linky.html
Mmm, I’ve had this cake before and love how easy it is to make. I think I like it even better than the real chocolate eclairs.
@ anonymous, thank you! I just clarified that recipe. I use unsweetened baking chocolate. Enjoy!
Do you use sweetened or unsweetened baking chocolate?
One of my favorites! So creamy and delicious…. you can’t stop! I just came across your site and look forward to cooking some of your lovely recipes. Thank you.
That looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂
Bless you for sharing this!
@Sinful Sundays- very easy, quite tasty 🙂
@ Aunt Sandy- invite me over when you make them!! I’ll try to make it out!
@ walking by faith- they really are easy! I’ve seen a few variations, but all look good.
@ Leslie- thanks for the kind words!
My 6 year old grandson and I just made this. Eight hours is going to be a looooong time to wait, he says! LOL We are so looking forward to having it tomorrow! Way too yummy sounding to pass up! And so easy!!! Thank you for sharing! I have a feeling I’ll be making this many more times to come!
Lori
This looks so tasty! I happen to LOVE eclairs!!
You have a great blog here–Keep up the good recipes!
~Leslie
We make a dessert similar to this a whole lot, especially since it’s so easy to whip together. Love it!
Thanks for sharing with So Sweet Sundays! 🙂
OMG! Now I have to go to the store and buy the ingredients for this! I can’t wait till we have it for all our summer bbq’s!!!!!
YUM! Love your blog, Aimee!!
Aunt Sandy
This looks great and I like how its not as time consuming as an eclair, but probably tastes as good or even better!
Looks lip smackin’ good!