Peanut Butter Pudding Dessert

Total Time

Prep: 25 min. Bake: 25 min. + chilling

Makes

16 servings

Updated: Jun. 30, 2023
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. This peanut butter lasagna is one of my favorite pudding desserts. —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 2% 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

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. 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.
  2. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake until golden brown, 25-28 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  3. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping. Spoon over crust.
  4. In another bowl, whisk milk and both pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand until soft-set, about 2 minutes. 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Check out 45 more reasons to get your peanut butter fill.
  • Nutrition Facts

    1 piece: 406 calories, 25g fat (13g saturated fat), 33mg cholesterol, 288mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.