Butterscotch Delight
This no-bake Butterscotch Delight layers a cinnamon graham cracker crust with sweetened cream cheese, butterscotch pudding, and whipped topping. Easy enough for a potluck, rich enough for the holidays.
Servings: 9
Calories: 582kcal
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 6 tbsp butter melted
Cream Cheese Layer
- 2 8 oz blocks cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp whipping cream divided
Butterscotch Layer
- 3.4 oz instant butterscotch pudding
- ¾ cup butterscotch chips roughly chopped and divided
Topping
- 8 oz Cool Whip
- Caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions
Crust
- In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly moistened.
- Press firmly into a lightly buttered 8x8 dish, flattening with the bottom of a flat glass. Freeze 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Layer
- Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer until light, fluffy, and free of lumps. Set aside.
- In a chilled bowl, beat 1 cup of the whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Spread half the mixture over the chilled crust. Reserve the remaining half. Refrigerate the dish while you make the next layer.
Butterscotch Layer
- To the reserved cream cheese mixture, add the dry pudding mix, ½ cup of the chopped butterscotch chips, and the remaining 2 tbsp whipping cream.
- Fold gently until uniform in color.
- Spread evenly over the cream cheese layer with an offset spatula. The mixture is stiff — work gently so you don't pull up the layer beneath.
Topping
- Spread the Cool Whip over the top in an even layer.
- Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup chopped butterscotch chips.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably 3–4, before serving. Drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving.
Video
Notes
- Timing: The crust needs 30 minutes in the freezer partway through, so give yourself about an hour from start to finish even though the hands-on time is 30 minutes.
- Chilling: Chill at least 1 hour before serving, but 3–4 hours is better. The pudding layer keeps firming up as it sits, and the slices cut cleaner the longer you wait.
- Make ahead: This is a good day-before dessert. Assemble everything except the caramel drizzle, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Drizzle just before serving.
- Storing: Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 4 days. Press plastic wrap against the surface for longer storage — whipped topping picks up fridge odors quickly.
- Freezing: Cover with an airtight lid and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, not on the counter, or the crust goes damp.
- Cutting clean slices: Run a knife under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts.
- Topping variations: Swap or stack the garnish — chocolate shavings, toasted coconut, or chopped pecans all work with the butterscotch.
- Softening cream cheese: Both blocks need to be fully at room temperature or the layer will stay lumpy no matter how long you beat it. About an hour on the counter, or 20 seconds a block in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 1357IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1mg