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Chocolate Delight is a classic layered dessert that’s as beautiful as it is easy to make. With a nutty crust, a whipped cream cheese layer, rich chocolate pudding, and a fluffy whipped topping, it’s always a crowd pleaser! From summer potlucks to the family Thanksgiving table, this dessert is sure to impress!
Every Thanksgiving since we were 7 or 8 years old, we each chose a dessert and baked it to bring to our family meal. Since I like being a pain in the neck, I chose what I thought would be the coolest and most difficult thing to make – a four-layer dessert. Really, though, this is quite simple to make, and wow, is it delicious! Brittany always made Mama’s Famous Cheesecake, and Shannon made cherry pie, so we were fully covered on the dessert front!
Chocolate Delight Recipe
This dessert goes by many names, such as Chocolate Lush, Robert Redford Dessert, and even Better-than-Sex Dessert! But I like to stick with Chocolate Delight. This classic chocolate delight recipe is packed with pecans, chocolate pudding, and sweetened cream cheese whip!
So, whether you make this for dessert, your next family get-together, or for your Thanksgiving meal, there won’t be leftovers!
Ingredients
Let’s take a quick look at the ingredients needed for this Chocolate Delight, including a lot of substitution options! You can actually make this entire recipe vegan/vegetarian if you want! The full measurements are listed in the printable recipe at the end of the post.
- Flour – All-purpose flour works best, but you can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour instead if needed!
- Pecans – Chop them from halves, or get pre-chopped. Both work great!
- Butter – We use salted, but it really doesn’t matter for this recipe.
- Cream Cheese – Any cream cheese will work, even a vegan alternative!
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar, you probably already have this on hand.
- Whipped Cream – We use Cool Whip for this, but you can make your own whipped cream with whipping cream, heavy cream, or double cream. Beat with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks, then sweeten to taste with powdered sugar!
- Vanilla Extract – This is optional, but I like to add it to the whipped cream cheese layer for some extra flavor depth.
- Instant Pudding – While you can use any flavor (like vanilla, butterscotch, and so on…), chocolate pudding is traditional!
- Milk – Whole milk, skim milk, almond, or soy, will all work!
Instructions
I originally picked this recipe to make when I was a kid because it looked so complicated, and I wanted to impress my family. Fortunately, it’s crazy easy and will still impress them!
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for layer one. Mix with a fork or silicone spatula until it forms a soft and slightly sticky dough.
- In an ungreased 9×13 pan, smash the dough out with your fingers until it covers the whole bottom of the pan evenly.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. It will not look “done”, but it is. Just trust me. Let it cool to room temperature before putting on the next layer.
- Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients for the second layer. Spread them over the room-temperature crust.
- Mix two packages of instant pudding with the 3 cups of cold milk. Don’t look at the pudding package for milk instructions, just put in 3 cold cups of milk and whisk it until it’s a normal, thick pudding.
- Spread the pudding over the second layer.
- For the last layer, just scoop out the rest of the whipped cream and spread it over the top of the pudding. Sprinkle the pecans over the top for the finishing touch.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Overnight is best.
Even More Fall Desserts
Whether you are looking for a Thanksgiving dessert or just craving something easy, these desserts are sure to hit the spot!
Easy Chocolate Delight
Ingredients
Layer One:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup butter softened
Layer Two:
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 16 oz Cool Whip (divided)
Layer Three:
- 2 packages instant chocolate pudding mix
- 3 cups cold milk
Layer Four:
- Rest of the whipped cream
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for layer one. Mix with a fork or silicone spatula until it forms a soft and slightly sticky dough.
- In an ungreased 9×13 pan, smash the dough out with your fingers until it covers the whole bottom of the pan evenly.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. It will not look “done”, but it is. Just trust me. Let it cool to room temperature before putting on the next layer.
- Using an electric mixer, combine the ingredients for the second layer, using only ONE CUP of the Cool Whip. Spread them over the room-temperature crust.
- Mix two packages of instant pudding with the 3 cups of cold milk. Don’t look at the pudding package for milk instructions, just put in 3 cold cups of milk and whisk it until it’s a normal, thick pudding.
- Spread the pudding over the second layer.
- For the last layer, just scoop out the rest of the Cool Whip and spread it over the top of the pudding. Sprinkle the pecans over the top for the finishing touch.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Overnight is best.
Nutrition
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