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Chocolate Delight
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This chocolate delight dessert is creamy and has a rich chocolate flavor in every bite! It's like a chocolate party in your mouth, where the creamy chocolate dances with sweetened cream cheese flavors to make a scrumptious, can't-say-no treat. It's like a little piece of dessert heaven!
Dive into a yummy chocolate adventure with this super fun and easy to make pudding dessert! It's like a dream of creamy, chocolaty layers, starting with a crunchy pecan shortbread bottom.
Then comes the smooth and silky pudding, followed by a snuggly blanket of velvety cream cheese, and topped off with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream.
It's the kind of treat that makes you say, "Wow, desserts don't get better than this!"
Ingredients for Chocolate Delight
What you'll need to make this Chocolate Delight Layered Dessert:
- Pecan Sandies Cookies: 1 (13-ounce) package, approximately 24 cookies
- Butter: ½ cup of unsalted, melted
- Cream Cheese: 2 (8-ounce) packages, room temperature
- Powdered Sugar: 1 cup
- Vanilla Extract: ½ teaspoon
- Chocolate Pudding: 1 (5.9-ounce) box of instant chocolate pudding mix
- Milk: 3 cups of whole milk, very cold
- Cool Whip: 1 (8-ounce) container, thawed
- Pecans: ¼ cup, toasted and finely chopped
Get ready for a layer-by-layer yum fest with this chocolate delight dessert! Kick things off with a crunchy cookie crust, then pile on the dreamy cream cheese and pudding layers, and top it all off with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream.
Chocolate Delight Variations
These easy substitutions and additions can easily be swapped out while still maintaining the deliciousness of this dessert recipe!
- COOKIES: Not into pecan Sandies for your crust? No problem! Whip up your go-to shortbread crust and toss in ¼ cup of finely chopped pecans. Or, if you're feeling it, switch it up with a classic graham cracker crust.
- WHIPPED TOPPING: Store-bought Cool Whip is easy to use in this recipe, but what about trying this recipe for stabilized whipped cream instead?!
How to make Chocolate Delight
FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
SECOND STEP: In the bowl of a food processor, add the pecan Sandies cookies and pulse until they are a fine crumb. Slowly drizzle the melted butter into the opening of the food processor while on low until all the butter is evenly incorporated into the cookie crumbs.
Transfer the pecan cookie crust dough into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and press down in an even layer, then bake the crust for 15 minutes.
PRO TIP:
It’s highly recommended to make this fabulous treat a day ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. This will allow it to thicken and make it easier to cut into slices.
THIRD STEP: While the crust is baking, you will make the second layer by mixing the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth and fluffy. This will take 2 to 3 minutes using an electric mixer at medium speed. Place the bowl of the cheesecake filling into the refrigerator to chill while you make the next layer.
PRO TIP:
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that it blends completely and doesn’t leave lumps in this layer.
FOURTH STEP: In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cold milk and instant chocolate pudding for 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to thicken up. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing down to touch the top of the pudding, and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
FIFTH STEP: Once the crust has baked, allow it to cool on the counter for 30 minutes before adding the additional layers.
SIXTH STEP: Once the crust is cooled, layer the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top of the cooled crust.
SEVENTH STEP: Spread the chocolate pudding mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer. Be very careful not to mix the layers.
EIGHTH STEP: Using an offset spatula, spread the thawed Cool Whip topping over the top of the pudding layer. Garnish the top layer with the toasted and chopped pecans.
NINTH STEP: Place the chocolate delight into the refrigerator to chill and set up for a minimum of 3 hours, up to overnight, before slicing and serving. You can place the chocolate delight into the freezer for 30 minutes before serving to help ensure nice clean slices.
PRO TIP:
Add chocolate shavings on top of your fluffy whipped cream layer by grating a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler.
PRO TIP:
Be sure to use a sharp knife to slice your servings. It helps greatly to wipe the blade clean before each slice to help get those beautiful clean slices to show off the layers of your chocolate delight.
Storing this Recipe
If you're prepping this dessert in advance or have some yummy leftovers, here are some handy tips to keep it tasting just as good as when it was first made.
GET READY EARLY / MAKE AHEAD: Want to whip up your chocolate delight ahead of time? Absolutely! Just follow the recipe to layer it up, then snugly wrap the dish with plastic wrap or pop on an airtight lid. Stick it in the fridge until it's showtime.
You can make this sweet treat up to 24 hours in advance. This gives all those yummy flavors time to come together and lets the crust get just the right amount of soft.
IN THE FRIDGE: You can prep this simple chocolate pudding dessert up to 2 days before you need it and keep it in the fridge, covered, for as long as 4 days. Just keep in mind, the crust will get softer the longer it stays in there.
IN THE FREEZER: Freezing this awesome dessert is a breeze! Just seal it with an airtight lid and into the freezer it goes. When it's time to dig in, just thaw it in the fridge.
With its perfect blend of chocolate, luscious layers of cheesecake filling, and whipped cream, this chocolate delight dessert is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it!
Chocolate fans, rejoice! Why not go all out and zigzag some hot fudge sauce over this amazing dessert? And for the ultimate chocolate experience, pair it with a cozy mug of Spiked Hot Chocolate.
If this chocolatey treat has won your heart, you've got to see our other fluffy layered desserts. In autumn, dive into our apple delight, and for a beachy vibe, give our pineapple delight a try!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe the same as Chocolate Lush or Chocolate Lasagna?
Yes, this fantastic recipe is known by several names, such as chocolate lush, chocolate dream, and even chocolate lasagna.
Can I use a different type of crust for this 4 layer chocolate dessert recipe instead of the pecan crust?
Feel free to go with your favorite shortbread crust, golden oreo crust, or any cookie and mix in ¼ cup of finely chopped pecans for the base layer.
Can I freeze this chocolate delight dessert?
This great dessert can be kept in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator and serve.
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Chocolate Delight
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Ingredients
- 13 ounces Pecan Sandies Cookies (approximately 24 cookies)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 16 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 5.9 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix
- 3 cups whole milk (very cold)
- 8 ounces cool whip topping (thawed)
- ¼ cup pecans (toasted and finely chopped)
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the pecan Sandies cookies and pulse until they are a fine crumb. Slowly drizzle the melted butter into the opening of the food processor while on low until all the butter is evenly incorporated into the cookie crumbs. Transfer the pecan cookie crust dough into the bottom of a 9×13 pan and press down in an even layer, then bake the crust for 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, you will make your next layer by mixing together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. This will take 2 to 3 minutes using a handheld mixer on medium speed. Place the bowl of cheesecake filling into the refrigerator to chill while you make the next layer.
- In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cold milk and instant chocolate pudding for 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to thicken up. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing down to touch the top of the pudding, and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- Once the crust has baked, allow it to cool on the counter for 30 minutes before adding the additional layers.
- Once the crust is cooled, layer the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top of the crust.
- Spread the chocolate pudding evenly over the cream cheese layer. Be very careful not to mix the layers.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the thawed cool whip topping over the top of the chocolate pudding mixture in an even layer. Garnish with the toasted and chopped pecans.
- Place the chocolate delight into the refrigerator to chill and set up for a minimum of 3 hours, up to overnight, before slicing and serving. You can place the chocolate delight into the freezer for 30 minutes before serving to help ensure nice clean slices.
Notes
- It’s highly recommended to make this fabulous treat a day ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. This will allow it to thicken and make it easier to cut into slices.
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that it blends completely and doesn’t leave lumps in this layer.
- Add chocolate shavings on top of your fluffy whipped cream layer by grating a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler.
- Be sure to use a sharp knife to slice your servings. It helps greatly to wipe the blade clean before each slice to help get those beautiful clean slices to show off the layers of your chocolate delight.
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