This easy chocolate delight recipe makes a spectacular show-stopping dessert that can easily feed a crowd.
With layers of crumbly pecans, fluffy cheesecake, silky chocolate pudding, billowy whipped cream, and more pecans on top, this dessert truly is a delight.
But even with all that, it’s still crazy-easy to make. Thank the heavens for instant pudding and Cool Whip, amirite?
One recipe makes a big batch, so it’s ideal for BBQs, parties, and potlucks. That said, expect it to disappear in a snap.
One bite, and you’ll know why this chocolate delight is my go-to summer dessert.
Chocolate Delight with Pecan Crust
Also known as chocolate lasagna and Better Than Sex Cake, you don’t even need to try it to know how heavenly it is.
This dessert has five whopping layers of sweet decadence, and they all work hand in hand to give you a most sensational experience.
It starts with a buttery shortbread crust made with pecans and butter, followed by layers of cheesecake filling, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream.
The whole thing is topped off with a generous sprinkling of chopped pecans.
It’s the kind of sweet you’ll want a second slice of!
Ingredients
- Pecan Crust – a buttery and nutty shortbread crust made of flour, finely chopped pecans, and butter. Margarine is fine, but I prefer the real thing.
- Cream Cheese Filling – the “cheesecake” part of the dessert. It’s a creamy combination of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped topping.
- Chocolate Pudding – it’s smooth, velvety, and chocolatey. A combination of chocolate pudding and milk, think of it as a shortcut version of a silky chocolate ganache.
- Whipped Topping – While I’m all for using fresh ingredients, I prefer Cool Whip over homemade whipped cream for this dessert. Cool Whip keeps stable over time, while homemade whipped cream will start to deflate and melt after just a few hours.
- Pecans – be sure to save some extra for garnish!
How to Make Chocolate Delight
1. Prepare the crust.
Stir together flour, pecans, and softened margarine with a fork until you get a wet sand-like mixture. Press the crust firmly into your baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and set aside to cool.
2. Make the cheesecake layer.
Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and Cool Whip until light and fluffy.
3. Make the chocolate pudding layer.
Whisk together the chocolate pudding mix and milk according to package instructions.
4. Assemble the layers.
Spread the cream cheese filling over the pie crust, followed by the chocolate pudding. Top with thawed Cool Whip and garnish with pecans.
Pro-tip: freeze each layer for 20 minutes before adding the next.
5. Chill for 2 hours.
This is the hardest part. Allow the layers to firm up in the fridge (or freezer if you can’t wait that long).
Tips for the Best Chocolate Delight
Here are a few tips to keep in mind while making chocolate delight:
- Freeze individual layers. Freeze each layer for 20 minutes before you add the next. It’s not required, and it will take more time, but it does help every layer to firm up nicely.
- Freeze before cutting. To make clean slices, freeze the whole dish for 30 minutes before you cut. This will help firm up the layers and keep them from melting. Then, wipe the knife with a paper towel in between cuts.
- Use thawed Cool Whip. Remember to defrost the Cool Whip in the fridge the night before you plan on using it. If you don’t like Cool Whip, you can use homemade whipped cream. But keep in mind that it won’t be as stable as Cool Whip.
- Use this recipe for homemade whipped cream. Also, freeze the bowl and whisk attachments for 30 minutes to help whip the cream faster.
- Make it ahead of time. Prepare the dessert up to 3 days in advance (only when you use Cool Whip). It will give the layers enough time to set and allow the flavors to marry.
How to Store Chocolate Delight
Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
I don’t recommend freezing because the layers become watery once thawed.
Recipe Variations
- More, More, More! Add more of everything! Double the amoung of cream cheese filling, chocolate pudding, and whipped topping. Then, assemble the dessert in a trifle glass. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used up.
- Add bananas. Add a layer of thinly sliced bananas in the middle for a tropical dessert.
- Swap the pudding mix. As this recipe is called chocolate delight, I naturally went for chocolate pudding. But with this dessert, there’s room for customization. For example, butterscotch would work well with banana slices.
- Make it boozy. Spike the pudding with Baileys Irish Cream, rum, or your favorite liqueur.
- Add more nuts. Garnish the dessert with other chopped nuts. I love this dessert with chopped walnuts and almonds slivers!
- Make it extra chocolatey. Add a garnish of shaved chocolate or chocolate chips. Go for your favorite kind – white, milk, semi-sweet, or dark.
- Make it a sweet-n-salty treat. Use crushed, salted pretzels instead of flour to make the crust. This will give you more of a sweet-n-salty flavor.
More Easy Desserts You’ll Love
No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding
Heaven on Earth Cake
Do Nothing Cake
Death by Chocolate
Easy Chocolate Delight Recipe
8
servings25
minutes20
minutesThis easy chocolate delight recipe really lives up to its name, with a pecan crust, cheesecake and chocolate pudding filling, and whipped cream on top.
Ingredients
1 cup 1 all-purpose flour
1 cup 1 pecans, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup 1/2 butter or margarine, softened
1 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup 1 powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 frozen whipped topping, thawed, plus more for garnish
2 2 (4-ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups 3 milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine flour, chopped pecans, and softened margarine or butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press the crust mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, beat together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped topping with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Spread the filling evenly onto the cooled crust. Set aside.
- Whisk together chocolate pudding and milk as directed in the package. Spread the pudding mixture evenly on top of the cream cheese filling. Top with whipped topping and chopped pecans. Let the pie set in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Serve, slice, and enjoy!
