chocolate delight
Looking for a crowd-pleasing dessert? Chocolate Delight pudding dessert is three layers of rich pudding and whipped topping, served on a delicious pecan crust. This is the perfect pudding dessert for the chocolate lover in your life!
why we love this dessert
When December rolls around, my husband always requests this dessert for his birthday party! He's a sucker for layers of chocolate pudding and whipped topping sprinkled with toffee pieces. I think maybe I am, too. One year I tried to save a little time by substituting a no-bake graham cracker crust and it was not up to standard.
Lesson learned!
Jump to:
- why we love this dessert
- Chef's Tips
- Recipe notes
- ingredients for chocolate delight pudding dessert
- ingredients for pecan crust
- how do you make chocolate delight?
- recipe variations for this pudding dessert
- can this chocolate pudding dessert be made ahead of time?
- What can I use for chocolate delight besides cool whip?
- Recipe
- More dessert recipes you'll love!
- More desserts like this!
- What's new on the homestead
- Comments
Chef's Tips
Cold ingredients are the name of then game with this pudding dessert! Cold milk, frozen butter, cooled crust. Let me break down the steps!
- Before starting the crust, I cut the butter into small cubes and freeze them for thirty minutes. The chilled butter helps the crust to crumble together in uniform pieces.
- Let the crust layer cool fully before moving on to the layer steps. When I am making this, I give it at least thirty minutes and sometimes I even pop it in the fridge. No one likes melted cream cheese! Well, I guess I actually do. But not for this!
- I keep my milk in the fridge until I'm ready to make the vanilla and chocolate pudding layer. When I make a Chocolate Delight dessert, this is pretty much the only time I ever buy instant pudding. It's just so handy and fast for this recipe! Cold milk is the key.
- Want to hear a secret? I don't wash out my whisk or mixing bowl when I'm making the layers for this dessert! I just use a spatula and get as much out as possible. If there is a little crossover between layers, no one will notice! Save yourself the dishes.
Recipe notes
There are many ways to make this Chocolate Delight recipe, including using recipes from scratch. In fact, if you have the time I ABSOLUTELY think making the pudding and whipped topping from scratch is the way to go. I wrote this recipe with the busy mom in mind and included time-saving hacks.
I also encourage experimenting with the toppings and pudding flavors! Butter pecan, butterscotch, caramel, double chocolate... so many delicious options! Get creative!
ingredients for chocolate delight pudding dessert
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- whipped topping
- instant chocolate pudding
- instant vanilla pudding
- milk
- toffee, peanuts, chocolate chips
ingredients for pecan crust
- pecans
- flour
- butter
how do you make chocolate delight?
- Preheat the oven to 350. Make the crust by adding the flour, frozen butter cubes and pecans to a food processor or high speed blender. Pulse until the mixture is crumbly and fine, like wet sand. Press the crust into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely before moving on to the next steps.
- For the first layer, add the room temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar and whipped topping to a stand mixer. Whisk on low speed for the first minute, then turn it up to medium/high and beat for three minutes more or until light and fluffy with no chunks remaining. Spread it over the crust.
- Using the same stand mixing bowl and whisk attachment (no washing needed!), add the vanilla pudding packet, chocolate pudding packet and milk. Whisk for two minutes until thick and smooth. Pour it over the cream cheese layer and spread it evenly.
- The final layer is simply another cup of whipped topping! This recipe works out perfectly if you are buying Cool Whip and use half of the container for the cream cheese layer and the remaining half for the top layer. Sprinkle with desired candies and toppings. We love toffee pieces!
- Chill for at least three hours in the fridge before serving. This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to three days for peak freshness. It can also be frozen and served as an icebox cake!
recipe variations for this pudding dessert
can this chocolate pudding dessert be made ahead of time?
Making Chocolate Delight ahead of time is not only encouraged, it is recommended! When I make this pudding dessert, I try to make it the day before. Due to it's chilled nature, I can get away with making it three hours ahead of time, but it's better when it's really firmed up.
Chocolate delight can also be frozen. I would take it out of then freezer the morning it is to be served and then check it an hour before. It may need to set on the counter for an hour depending on how cold your fridge is.
What can I use for chocolate delight besides cool whip?
Homemade whipped topping is easy and so much creamier! Make it by whisking 2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer with ⅓ cup of granulated sugar. This will take several minutes, but it is ready when soft peaks form. Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla. Avoid over whisking or you will end up with butter!
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
Chocolate Delight
Equipment
- stand mixer
- 9X13 baking dish
Ingredients
for the crust
- 1 ½ cup All-Purpose flour
- ¾ cup butter 1 ½ sticks
- 1 cup pecans
for the first layer
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup whipped topping
for the second layer
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding 3.4 ounces
- 1 package instant chocolate pudding 3.4 ounces
- 3 cups milk
for the third layer
- 1 cup whipped topping
- 1 cup toffee crushed
- optional: peanuts, chocolate chips, chopped candy bars
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Make the crust by adding the flour, frozen butter cubes and pecans to a food processor or high speed blender. Pulse until the mixture is crumbly and fine, like wet sand. Press the crust into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely before moving on to the next steps.
- For the first layer, add the room temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar and whipped topping to a stand mixer. Whisk on low speed for the first minute, then turn it up to medium/high and beat for three minutes more or until light and fluffy with no chunks remaining. Spread it over the crust.
- Using the same stand mixing bowl and whisk attachment (no washing needed!), add the vanilla pudding packet, chocolate pudding packet and milk. Whisk for two minutes until thick and smooth. Pour it over the cream cheese layer and spread it evenly.
- The final layer is simply another cup of whipped topping! This recipe works out perfectly if you are buying Cool Whip and use half of the container for the cream cheese layer and the remaining half for the top layer. Sprinkle with desired candies and toppings. We love toffee pieces!
- Chill for at least three hours in the fridge before serving. This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to three days for peak freshness. It can also be frozen and served as an icebox cake!
Notes
- Before starting the crust, I cut the butter into small cubes and freeze them for thirty minutes. The chilled butter helps the crust to crumble together in uniform pieces.
- Let the crust layer cool fully before moving on to the layer steps. When I am making this, I give it at least thirty minutes and sometimes I even pop it in the fridge. No one likes melted cream cheese! Well, I guess I actually do. But not for this!
- I keep my milk in the fridge until I'm ready to make the vanilla and chocolate pudding layer. When I make a Chocolate Delight dessert, this is pretty much the only time I ever buy instant pudding. It's just so handy and fast for this recipe! Cold milk is the key.
- Want to hear a secret? I don't wash out my whisk or mixing bowl when I'm making the layers for this dessert! I just use a spatula and get as much out as possible. If there is a little crossover between layers, no one will notice! Save yourself the dishes.
Nutrition
More dessert recipes you'll love!
Pudding desserts are a highly requested treat at our house! If you like Chocolate Delight, be sure to try my Oreo Icebox Cake! It is a sweet Oreo crust, layered with rich chocolate pudding and a peanut butter cream cheese. Sprinkle a few peanut butter cups on top and it's the pudding dessert you never knew you needed (but won't go without)!
My Italian Cream Cake is three layers of decadent perfection! Coconut, pecans, cream cheese frosting... you will absolutely love it! Make it ahead of time for an ultra fancy layered cake that is no-fuss and easy!
For a fruity dessert, try baking a pan of Fresh Peach Cobbler. It is a perfect dessert for a Sunday luncheon or cozy cold night. It has a light and fresh taste that everyone loves!
For a more grownup dessert, try my Bourbon Bundt Cake. Does the thought of a boozy desert make your heart flutter? Oh my goodness, same here! Adding bourbon glaze gives this traditional buttermilk bundt cake recipe a sophisticated upgrade.
I made it! Except I just used chocolate pudding because that’s what I had. I have made this before, but it was a rough recipe that really wasn’t that good so I am excited to taste this recipe (even though I have already “tested” each layer), it seems much refiner than what I was doing!
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear it! I like this recipe because it is so flexible. Thank you so much for leaving a comment!