No-Bake Rolo Tart!
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A rich, indulgent no-bake Rolo tart with a crunchy Oreo base, silky caramel layer, and a glossy chocolate ganache topping. This recipe makes a 23cm tart (around 12 slices), takes just 25 minutes to prepare, and is incredibly easy with no oven required.
This is one of those desserts that looks outrageously impressive, but is secretly very simple. If you want a proper showstopper with minimal effort, this is it.
No-bake desserts
SO, I thought it was time for something delicious. After the success of my no-bake caramel rolo cheesecake, I thought it was time for another Rolo recipe as you all seem to LOVE them! Like, I can’t deny it.. I love Rolo recipes! Yum. But anyway… I wanted it to be another no-bake recipe for now as I was craving a delicious dessert, and I find baking with Rolos tricky because of the caramel in them.
It’s not really about looks when it comes to food. Sure, it does help if something looks delicious, and I find that the more delicious a recipe the more of you will look at the recipe, but seriously… when I bake at home for myself, I don’t faff about with it all. It’s ALL about taste to me! However, this just happens to be so incredibly easy to make, AND looks INSANE.
Notes from The Patisserie
The most common issue with no-bake tarts like this is a base that crumbles when sliced. This usually happens when the biscuit mixture isn’t pressed firmly enough into the tin or doesn’t have enough butter to bind it properly.
Another problem is a ganache that doesn’t set cleanly. This is almost always down to the chocolate-to-cream ratio being off. Too much cream results in a softer topping that struggles to hold its shape at room temperature.
Caramel layering can also cause issues if it’s too thin. A runny caramel will seep into the base and soften it over time, which affects both texture and structure when slicing.
For the cleanest finish, chilling time is critical. Rushing this stage will give you a soft centre that doesn’t hold, even if everything else is correct.
Ingredients and tips
The ingredients in this tart are simple, but small changes make a noticeable difference to how cleanly it sets, slices, and holds over time.
- Biscuits – Using Oreos with the filling intact isn’t just for convenience; the cream layer adds extra fat, which helps the base bind more evenly and reduces the risk of dry or sandy texture. If you swap to a drier biscuit like digestives, you may need slightly more butter to achieve the same hold.
- Butter – Melted butter should be fully combined with the crumbs before pressing into the tin. If the mixture looks patchy or uneven, the base will set inconsistently, leading to weak spots when slicing. A properly mixed base should resemble damp sand and hold together when pressed.
- Chocolate – The cocoa percentage directly affects both flavour and set. Using a cocoa content of 70% gives the best balance between sweetness and structure. Using a lower cocoa content might cause the ganache to not set.
- Cream – I use double cream or heavy cream if you’re in the US. For for more control over the ganache consistency think… more chocolate = firmer, cleaner slices. More cream = softer, more mousse-like texture. This gives you control depending on how you want to serve the tart.
- Caramel – I have used a shop-bought tin of caramel but you can make your own, as long as it is thick enough to spread evenly and create a strong enough layer to hold in place when sliced.
- Rolos – I love rolos and a mixture of whole and halved ones creates a great looking topping and texture to finish off the tart.
FAQs
Yes, if using my homemade sauce, make sure to boil it for an extra minute or two so it reaches a ‘soft set’. You don’t want it running out of the sides when you slice it.
Yes, the tart works perfectly without them, but they add texture and visual impact.
This is usually due to too much cream or not enough chilling time, or you have used a chocolate with a lower cocoa content.
Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between each cut. This helps glide through the ganache without dragging the layers.
Yes, this mixture works well in smaller tart tins or cupcake cases. Just reduce the setting time slightly as thinner layers will firm up faster.
Of course! You can use anything else that you may prefer or can buy instead.
No-Bake Rolo Tart Recipe
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 300 g oreos
- 100 g unsalted butter (melted)
Filling
- 250 g dark chocolate
- 300 ml double cream
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 350 g caramel (one tin)
Decoration
- 200-250 g Rolos (some halved)
- sprinkles
Instructions
Biscuit base
- Blitz all of the biscuits to a fine crumb, and mix in the melted butter.
- Press this into the sides and base of a 23cm loose bottomed tart tin (mine was 3cm deep).
Filling
- Chop the chocolate up finely and put into a bowl along with the butter in cubes.
- In a small pan, heat the double cream until just before boiling point. You will see it starting to bubble at the sides.
- Once hot, pour over the chocolate and butter and beat with a spatula until smooth.
- Alternatively add all of the ingredients to a bowl, and melt in short bursts.
- Once the mixture is smooth, spread the tin of caramel onto the bottom of the biscuit base
- Pour over the chocolate ganache
- Add the rolos and some halved Rolos to the top like you can see in my pictures and sprinkle on your sprinkles.
- Leave to set for 3-4 hours, or overnight.
- Carefully remove from the tin, and enjoy! Serve with a dollop of cream, or on its own – yum!
Notes
- This recipe will last for 3+ days in the fridge
- You can freeze this recipe for 3+ months
- See the blog post notes for switching biscuits/chocolate etc
- If you want to make your own caramel, you can find my homemade caramel sauce here
- I use this tart tin in this recipe
Storage and freezing
This tart will keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days in an airtight container. The texture will stay firm, although the base may soften slightly over time.
You can also freeze the tart for up to 3 months. For best results, defrost in the fridge overnight before serving to maintain the structure.
Related recipes
If you love this no-bake Rolo tart, it’s usually because you enjoy rich, layered desserts with a soft centre. A no-bake Rolo cheesecake offers a similar flavour in a lighter texture, while a salted caramel chocolate tart gives a slightly more balanced, less sweet alternative. For something chunkier and more sliceable, Rolo cookie bars are another indulgent option.
Made this 3 times now and me family and friends absolutely love it
I used the dark chocolate . It was Morrison’s dark cooking chocolate xx
How strange – a ganache should always set as there is no reason it won’t unless an ingredient was wrong! The only thing to try as it’s already in the dessert is to freeze it to set it quicker x
Hi Jane , I made this recipe yesterday and this morning when I opened my fridge the chocolate ganache hadn’t set at all . Do you know why this could be ? Love all of your recipes by the way 💕
Did you use the dark chocolate required or did you substitute it for milk chocolate? As that would be the usual reason x
This looks amazing – i can’t wait to try it! My tin doesn’t have a pop out base – any tips on removing from tin or is it best to just ‘serve’ it straight from the tin? Thank you for all your wonderful recipes; i’ve really enjoyed making them during lockdown.
If its a tart dish still I would serve it straight from the dish – If you mean a cake tin I think it would be a little be scary to tip the pudding upside down to get it out! xx
Made this yesterday and it tastes lovely but the caramel seems to be pushed to the sides by the chocolate – is there anything I can do to prevent this? Thank you!
Oh no! So when I put the carnation caramel in, I just tend to take it straight from the tin and it’s still nice and thick and the thinness of the ganache mix pours over the top. If you use a different caramel they can be thinner so that could contribute! Or, you can put it in the fridge for a bit before putting the chocolate on?
Thank you for your delicious recipes. Could I use coconut oil instead of butter to try make a vegan base?
I haven’t tried this myself, but I have used a vegan butter before and it worked well!!
Hi,
If I use digestives, do I still use the same amount of butter or more?
Hey! I would use 150g of butter!
Hi there! Thank you for the inspiration!
As I don’t have double cream, I was wondering if I can replace it with whipped cream or cream cheese? (or any other alternative).
Thank you! ✨
Not for the ganache part no – you need double cream!
Made this today and it turned out perfect. Needed setting a little longer but my daughters couldn’t wait to eat it 🤣 so happy I’ve found your website during lockdown. Keeping my family more than happy 😊
Another winner, went down a treat at work. So easy to make. I got handed the clean tart tin when I returned to work the next day
Hey, where can I get a tin this size? I’ve looked online but they’re proper pie dishes and done have the nice edges on them. Thank you for your help x
Lots are sold out at the minute due to everyone baking – but search for a 9″/23cm flan/tart tin with a loose bottom!
Hi we made this but the butter seemed to separate from the chocolate and sat on top of the tart. Do u know y this happened?
It could potentially be that it got too hot – but I’m not 100% sure if all the ingredients were correct as I’ve never experienced this!