Crisp chocolate chip cookies mingle between layers of sweetened whipped cream cheese softening into a spongey cake-like texture just as they would when dipped into milk.
Beat cream cheese with a hand mixer in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Add in vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Adding just a little at a time, slowly pour in the heavy cream, beating constantly until combined with the cream cheese mixture. Continue adding the cream and beating it until fluffy until all has been incorporated and you have a large bowl of fluffy cream filling.
Place a single layer of chocolate chip cookies to cover the bottom of a 9x13 glass casserole dish; break some of the cookies in half, if needed, to fill the bottom.
Spread 1/3 of the cream mixture over the cookies.
Continue layering cookies and cream mixture until you have three layers of each, finishing with the whipped cream layer.
Sprinkle with additional cookie crumbs and mini chocolate chip cookies to decorate.
Place in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 4 hours to set up.
Remove from the freezer 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
Store tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or with an air-tight lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or 2-3 weeks in the freezer.
The quantities in this recipe make fairly even thickness of layers between the cookies and the cream mixture. You could beat in an additional 1 cup of heavy cream to make the cream layers a bit thicker between the cookie layers, though I liked the balance of having the layers about the same thickness.
You can use the Chips Ahoy thin cookies also. They will soften a bit quicker and will form a thinner layer.
This icebox cake will not set up as thick as a traditional pudding-based icebox cake. But it will slice nicely, with the cookies softened, and the pieces holding their shape after chilling for several hours.