Peanut Butter Pudding Dessert

Name: Peanut Butter Pudding Dessert
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 16 servings.
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed; 1-1/2 cups chopped cashews, divided; 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter; 1 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided; 2-2/3 cups cold milk; 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix; 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix; 1 milk chocolate candy bar (1.55 ounces), coarsely chopped

Here's a fun, layered dessert that will appeal to all ages. If you want it even nuttier, you can use chunky peanut butter, and if you're not a fan of cashews, substitute your favorite nut. —Barbara Schindler, Napoleon, Ohio

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1-1/2 cups chopped cashews, divided
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
2-2/3 cups cold milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 milk chocolate candy bar (1.55 ounces), coarsely chopped

Directions

Place flour and butter in a food processor; cover and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1 cup cashews; pulse a few times until combined.
Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping. Spoon over crust.
In another bowl, whisk milk and both pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with chopped candy bar and remaining cashews. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Test Kitchen Tips

Speed up softening time by removing cream cheese from the cardboard packaging.

This recipe is extremely adaptable. Swap in your favorite pudding mix flavors, use almond butter in place of peanut, or play around with dark or white chocolate bars.

Fresh whipped cream also works great.

Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes to keep this dessert nice and cold en route to summer parties. You may find yourself as smitten as we are with the semi-frozen texture, which is perfect for hot days.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 408 calories, 25g fat (13g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 416mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (24g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.

Originally published as Cashew Pudding Torte in Taste of Home December/January 2007

Reviews

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Average Rating:

Alice

Jun 23, 2018

I made the crust with Pecan sandies just after putting some butter on them I popped it in the oven.
P vinod

Jan 8, 2018

Love peanut butter-most of the days buy peanut candy-available at the local store here in palakkad-kerala-India,also get hershey peanut butter-buy it sometimes-recipe is good-hope somebody can make it for me.????.p vinod
jeffreyx3

Oct 15, 2017

This was great! easy to put together but next time going to add 1/2 cup more flour and butter for the crust.
Denise904

Aug 14, 2017

Made this for the first Packer pre-season game party of the year. Wrote "Go Pack Go!" with the cashew and chocolate pieces on top. It was devoured!! Absolutely delish!
Sheryl

Jul 13, 2017

I've made this dessert without cashews and peanut butter for decades. I use well-chopped walnuts and everything else. I also melt the butter on 50% power and let it cool a bit. So much better and easier. I just now made it with the peanut butter. FANTASTIC. Cannot wait for the next family function. It will be devoured!! For right now, its all MINE!!???
2124arizona

Jun 24, 2017

The problem with this recipe is once you get started you don't know when to stop. This one of the sweet indulging recipe you owe yourself once in a while.
kanener

Jun 18, 2017

I take it you mix BOTH the pudding mixes together, which is what I did, but it took a long time for them to thicken. Much longer than if they had been made singly. Also....Why cashews when it is a peanut butter treat? Wouldn't peanuts meld the taste better and be a lot less expensive?
Anne Bernadette

Jun 8, 2017

I made this for my prayer group of 9 men and women and there wasn't a crumb left on any plate. The compliments were many and several asked for the recipe. I made this exactly as posted except that I do not have a food processor. I used a pastry cutter for the butter and flour and hand-chopped the cashews. I have been asked to provide dessert for a family gathering in the near future. This dessert is definitely the one I'll be making. Thank you, Barbara, for a marvelous recipe!
kenyadthomas

May 5, 2017

changde: I believe a blender may work, as long as it has a 'pulse' function. Also, you might be able to use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour (like when you're making biscuits from scratch). As for the cashews, your best bet is probably to just measure them into a Ziploc bag and pulverize them with a heavy skillet or rolling pin and then incorporating them with the flour mixture. I hope this helps!
sstetzel

May 4, 2017

Ikdrn whipping one cup of heavy cream should be enough.