Chocolate Delight

Before you convince yourself that a four-layered dessert is too much work, know that this chocolate delight dessert may be one of the easiest recipes you’ll make this year. The dessert requires only 20 minutes of total prep time for all four layers, plus 15 minutes of bake time for just the bottom crust.

The hardest part is practicing patience as the chocolate delight recipe chills and sets up in the fridge for a few hours. After that, it’s time to indulge in this cooling, creamy, rich and chocolatey dessert.

Chocolate Delight Ingredients

• Crust layer: Our recipe for chocolate delight starts with a shortbread crust made from all-purpose flour, cold butter and toasted walnuts. We bake it so the crust sets up crispy and crunchy.
• Cream cheese: Give the cream cheese a chance to soften so it whips seamlessly with the confectioners’ sugar and whipped topping. You can soften the cream cheese by taking it out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting this chocolate delight recipe.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Don’t swap in granulated sugar for the confectioners’ sugar. Confectioners’ sugar is in powder form, so it dissolves without heat. Granulated sugar needs heat to dissolve, otherwise it will leave the cream cheese layer unpleasantly crunchy.
• Frozen whipped topping: Buy two cartons of frozen whipped topping and let them thaw before starting this recipe. You can take them out of the freezer around the same time you take the cream cheese out of the fridge.
• Milk: You’ll need 2% or whole milk to set up the instant chocolate pudding mix.
• Pudding mix: If you’re going to take only one tip before starting this recipe for chocolate delight, let it be this: Double-check that you’re buying a box of instant chocolate pudding mix, not cook-and-serve pudding mix. Cook-and-serve won’t set up if it’s used as directed in our recipe.
• Chocolate chunks: Semisweet chocolate chunks are scattered all over the top of our chocolate delight dessert. If you can’t find chocolate chunks, you can use regular or mini chocolate chips.
• Chocolate syrup: To complete the dessert, drizzle store-bought or homemade chocolate sauce on top just before serving. Yum!

Directions

Step 1: Bake the crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the all-purpose flour in a small bowl, and cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, reserving the rest for later.

Press the crust mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 13×9-inch baking dish. Pop the crust in the oven and bake it until it’s light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.

Editor’s Tip: Press the crust down with the bottom of a measuring cup to get the most even crust possible.

Step 2: Whip up the cream cheese layer

In a small bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar together until the mixture is light, smooth and lump-free. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in one whole carton of the thawed whipped topping until it’s evenly incorporated.

Use a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the cream cheese mixture over the room-temperature crust.

Step 3: Mix up the chocolate pudding

In a large bowl, whisk the milk and the instant chocolate pudding mix for two minutes. The pudding will thicken as you whisk. Gently spread the chocolate pudding over the cream cheese layer.

Step 4: Add the whipped topping, chocolate chunks and walnuts

Finally, spread the remaining whipped topping over the chocolate pudding. Scatter the chocolate chunks and remaining walnuts all over the top.

Step 5: Chill and serve

Refrigerate the chocolate delight until it’s nice and cold. When you’re ready to serve this dessert, cut it into bars and drizzle each piece with as much chocolate syrup as your heart desires.

Editor’s Tip: Before refrigerating, I like to cover the top of the dish with storage wrap so the whipped topping doesn’t absorb any lingering smells in the fridge.

Recipe Variations

• Make a no-bake crust: Remove any need for an oven and replace this recipe’s crust with an Oreo pie crust or graham cracker crust. Let the no-bake crust chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before adding the cream cheese layer on top.
• Use other nuts: Not a fan of walnuts? Try pecans, hazelnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts instead.
• Change the pudding flavor: You can easily change the flavor of this dessert by switching out the pudding mix. Try vanilla pudding, butterscotch pudding, pistachio pudding or strawberry pudding.
• Add your favorite toppings: Don’t feel as if you’re limited to our topping suggestions—you can use whatever you want! Top this chocolate delight recipe with crushed Oreos, salted caramel sauce, chocolate shavings, peanut butter sundae sauce or chopped-up candy bars.

How to Store Chocolate Delight

To store your chocolate delight dessert, tightly cover the pan with storage wrap or transfer pieces to an airtight container. The dessert can be refrigerated for up to three days.

Can you make chocolate delight ahead of time?

Yes, our recipe for chocolate delight can (and should!) be made ahead of time—it needs a while to set up in the fridge. Make this chocolate delight the night before or the morning before serving. Keep it covered with storage wrap so it doesn’t absorb any fridge smells.

Chocolate Delight Tips

Can I make this chocolate delight in a different-sized pan?

Absolutely! Instead of a 13×9-inch pan, you can use a 12-inch skillet, two 8-inch square pans or two 9-inch round pans.

Can I make my own chocolate pudding and whipped cream from scratch?

You can definitely make your chocolate delight layers from scratch if you prefer. Instead of an instant chocolate pudding mix, whip up our satisfying homemade chocolate pudding. Just make sure to let the chocolate pudding cool first. After it chills and sets, give it a good whisk to smooth it back out, then spread it on top of the cream cheese mixture. Also, leave the whipped topping in the frozen aisle and try your hand at making sweetened whipped cream from scratch.