This Filipino Mango Float is a cool, refreshing icebox cake with a tropical flavor twist! It’s a delicious, layered make-ahead treat, perfect for summer parties, BBQs, and picnics.
Need a cool dessert for hot days? Try this Filipino Mango Float!
This traditional Filipino dessert is similar to an icebox cake. It’s layers of deliciousness, with graham crackers, whipped cream, and tropical mango.
Since it needs some freezer time, this is a great make-ahead dessert for all of your summer adventures. Set it out at barbecues, picnics, potlucks, and summer dinners on the back deck and watch it disappear fast. Everyone will love the refreshing flavors!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
If you’ve never made a Filipino Mango Float before, here are some reasons why I think you’d love it:
- Make-Ahead – This is a freezer ice box cake, essentially, which means you can make it the day before an event or even many days before an event, freeze, and serve whenever you’re ready.
- No-Bake – Keep the house cool on hot days by leaving the oven off! This no-bake dessert is perfect for summer.
- Easy peasy – This recipe is so easy to follow and calls for simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store in the US.
- Layers of flavor – There’s so much deliciousness in every layer here. We’re talking sweet, crunchy graham crackers; soft, fluffy creamy layers; and pops of bright, refreshing mango.
- Feeds a crowd – Since you control how big or small the slices are, you can feed as many as 20+ people with this dessert!
- Freezer-friendly storage – Keep this mango dessert in the freezer for up to two months and simply slice and thaw at room temperature whenever you are craving some tropical yumminess.
Ingredient notes
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this popular Filipino dessert!
- Mangoes – You’ll need 5-6 mangoes total for this recipe, and you will want to diced some for the inside layers, then slice some for the top layer. Of course, you can slice all of them or dice all of them — it’s totally an aesthetic thing and it’s up to you what you prefer!
- Graham Crackers – Use full graham cracker squares for the base layers, and then crush some graham crackers for the top layer.
- Heavy cream and condensed milk – These two ingredients are whipped together to make the creamy layers of this mango float.
- Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Salt – A little bit of salt goes a long way to balance out the sweetness.
Step-by-step instructions
This is a pretty easy recipe to follow, but I’ve included some step-by-step photos to help you along the way.
You’ll find the full list of ingredients along with measurements, and more detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Start by lining a baking pan with parchment paper. This will make it easy to lift the dessert out and cut squares when you’re ready to serve.
- Start by whipping the heavy cream, condensed milk, vanilla, and salt together.
- Then start creating the layers: start with a base layer of graham cracker squares at the bottom of the baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Gently top the graham cracker layer with 1/3 of the cream mixture.
- Then sprinkle 1/2 of the diced mangoes over the creamy layer.
- Repeat 1-2 more times, depending on the size of your pan. We used a 7″ x 11″ baking pan, and did 3 layers total.
- For the final top layer, arrange the mango slices however you wish, then sprinkle the crushed graham crackers over the top.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.
Marlynn’s Tip
Recipe Tip
You will most likely need to slice some graham crackers in half or even thirds in order to completely cover the pan for the graham cracker layers. Be sure to lay the squares as flat as possible, touching each other, then fill in with the extra halves or thirds of crackers as needed. See the photos above for examples.
Recipe FAQs
For desserts like this Filipino mango float where fresh mango is the star, go for Alfonso or Ataulfo mangoes. Both of these varieties are sweeter and creamier than regular mangoes. I usually find Ataulfo mangoes at our local Costco or H-Mart (or other Asian markets)
Yes! I have! To make this Filipino mango float dairy-free, use a dairy-free heavy cream or coconut cream instead of regular heavy cream. For the condensed milk, you can use a coconut condensed milk or condensed oat milk.
Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap, then place in either an airtight freezer-friendly container or in freezer bags. Store for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature fully before serving.
Serving suggestions
This Filipino mango icebox cake is a sweet dessert to serve at any summer party or Filipino food gathering.
Serve it after a Filipino feast of Instant Pot Chicken Adobo, Lumpia, Pancit Bihon and Filipino Mac Salad.
Or bring it out after a BBQ of Filipino Pork BBQ Skewers, Chicken Inasal, Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, or Prawn BBQ Skewers.
It’s also a sweet ending to any weeknight dinner of Thai Beef Noodle Salad or Thai Lemongrass Chicken.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
If you’re looking for a wine to pair with this Filipino Mango Float, go for a dessert wine or off-dry Riesling. Sweet pairs well with sweet. But, you could also serve it with a brut sparkling, which has the acidity and brightness that would balance the sweetness.
More Filipino dessert recipes
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Ube Ice Cream
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Dessert Recipes
Peach Mango Pie
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
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Filipino Mango Float
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
- ⅔ cup sweet condensed milk, chilled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 22 graham cracker squares
- 2-3 mangoes, diced
- 2-3 mangoes, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Line a 7" x 11" pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer and balloon whisk attachment, beat together the chilled heavy cream and chilled sweetened condensed milk until stiff peaks form, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and kosher salt. Beat for 1-2 more minutes, until combined.
- Place a layer of graham crackers across the entire bottom of the lined pan, filling in any gaps with pieces of graham cracker.
- Scoop out 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture and smooth out into an even layer on top of the graham crackers, spreading out to the sides of the pan.
- Spoon 1/2 of the diced mangoes and sprinkle over the whipped cream mixture.
- Repeat layers: graham crackers, 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture, then remaining half of the diced mangoes.
- For the final top layer, lay out graham crackers, remaining 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture, then place sliced mangoes on top.
- If desired: sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top.
- Carefully cover the top and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Then move to the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Thaw at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
