Chocolate and pistachio is the flavor combo everybody's talking about so I was excited to try it in the chocolate layer pudding dessert we all grew up making. Chocolate Pistachio Pudding Delight (or some call it lasagna) is a small batch, no-bake dessert recipe ready for chilling in 20 minutes with my shortcuts!
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Chocolate Pistachio Layered Pudding Dessert is my twist on the classic easy dessert my family always called Chocolate 4 Layer Delight. You might know it by other names like "Lush Dessert," or "Lasagna Dessert", depending on where you grew up.
It's a close cousin to those vintage layered pudding desserts, but instead of the homemade bottom crust layer, I used crushed Golden Oreo cookies. I kept the cream filling and added butter to act as the "glue" to hold the crust together when chilled to make this a no-bake dessert recipe.
As an empty nester, now, l downsized this pistachio pudding dessert to nine servings in an 9x9-inch pan instead of a full 9x13 pan. It makes plenty to share at a small gathering, but not so much that it's sitting in my fridge for a week afterward. If feeding a crowd, it easily doubles in a 13x9 pan.
Like my Pecan Cream Pie, it has become one of my favorite desserts and with its pretty green and chocolate layers, it's especially at home on a Christmas dessert table. If you are looking for green foods to serve for St. Patricks day, here ya go!
Although pecans and peanuts are probably my favorite nuts, I do love pistachios. If you're like me, try my Microwave Pistachio Cranberry Brittle or Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies.
Shortcuts
- Crush the cookies, cut back the butter. Golden Oreos already have cream filling built right in, so it only takes 2 tablespoons of melted butter to hold the crust together when chilled. No baking required! Just a quick trip to the freezer to firm up.
- Instant pudding is ready in minutes. Both the chocolate and pistachio layers are just a box of instant pudding whisked with milk. Dump, whisk, and it's thickened in about two minutes.
- Buy pistachios already toasted and shelled. Skip the shelling and toasting altogether by grabbing a bag of pre-shelled, roasted pistachios in the snack aisle. (The Dollar Tree even has them!)
Ingredients to Make this Oreo Pudding Dessert
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
Crust:
- Golden Oreo cookies – Leave the cream filling in when you crush them since it's what holds your crust together with the help of a little melted real butter. You can also use chocolate Oreos, if that is what you have on hand.
- Butter – Just a small amount to help the crumbs pack together in the pan.
- Pistachios – Pulse them in the food processor rather than running it continuously, or you'll end up with pistachio butter instead of chopped nuts. I love to use my pull-string chopper for chopping nuts.
Filling Layers:
- Cream cheese – Just half of a standard 8-ounce block. Soften it in the microwave for about 15 seconds if you forget to set it out ahead of time.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens the cream cheese layer and keeps it smooth when beaten.
- Cool Whip – Used in both the cream cheese layer and as the topping. Regular sweetened whipped cream works too, if you'd rather make your own.
- Instant chocolate pudding mix – Whisked with milk to make the chocolate layer; no cooking on the stove needed.
- Instant pistachio pudding mix – This is where that signature pistachio color and flavor comes from.
- Milk – Whole milk to 1% all work fine for thickening the pudding layers.
Topping:
- Remaining Cool Whip – Spread over the top for that classic, pretty finished layer.
- Chopped pistachios – A final sprinkle for crunch and color.
Substitutions & Variations
- Can't find pistachio pudding? Use instant vanilla pudding instead, then stir in 1 tablespoons of chopped pistachios and a drop or two of green food coloring for that classic pistachio look.
- For chocolate lovers, swap the Golden Oreos for regular chocolate Oreos to make it a double chocolate dessert.
- Want that authentic Dubai chocolate flavor? Stir in 2 ounces of melted Dubai chocolate bar to the chocolate pudding.
- Individual Party Desserts- This dessert is impressive served in individual cups instead of a pan, layer the crumbs and fillings in clear plastic or glass cups for easy, no-slice servings.
How to Make Chocolate Pistachio Pudding Layered Dessert
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Spray a 9x9 inch baking pan or a 2 quart casserole dish with oil spray.
- Crush the cookies in a food processor until they resemble graham cracker crumbs.
- Stir in the butter and press this mixture into the bottom of the pan with your fingertips or the bottom of a measuring cup. Place in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until firm enough to spread the cream cheese mixture on top.
- Meanwhile, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium size bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Fold in, or stir gently, 1 cup of Cool Whip.
- When the crust is ready, bring it out from the freezer. Dollop this mixture over the crust, then spread evenly over the crust all the way to the edges.
- Combine the chocolate pudding mix and 1 ½ cups milk in a medium size bowl. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes or until thickened. Dollop, then spread evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Combine the pistachio pudding mix and 1 ½ cups milk in a medium size bowl. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer 2 minutes. Dollop, then spread evenly over the chocolate layer.
- Dollop the remaining Cool Whip or 2 cups sweetened whipped cream on the pistachio layer and spread evenly to the edges of the pan.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Chill at least 2 hours, up to 2 days before serving.
Gild the Lily
For a next-level version, melt 2 ounces of Dubai chocolate and stir it into the chocolate pudding layer before spreading, then sprinkle a few chocolate shavings over the top along with the pistachios.
It leans right into that trending Dubai chocolate flavor everyone's after, and turns this simple layered dessert into something that looks (and tastes) like it came from a bakery case.
Pro Tips
- Soften your cream cheese quickly. Remove the wrapper and microwave 4 ounces of cream cheese for about 20 seconds. This softens it just enough to beat smooth without melting it.
- Give the crust its full freezer time. Don't rush the 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. A firm crust is what keeps your first filling layer from sliding around when you spread it. you could also bake it at 350F for 7 minutes, but then you'd have to let it cool completely before adding the layers.
What to Serve with Chocolate Layered Pudding Dessert
This pistachio chocolate dessert is rich and plenty sweet on its own, so I like to keep whatever's served alongside it a little lighter. A simple fruit salad or a bowl of fresh berries is a nice contrast to all that creamy chocolate and pistachio. It's also perfect to take to a church potluck.
Because it's such a pretty green and chocolate dessert, it's an easy one to serve for both Christmas and St. Patrick's Day without changing a thing. Serve it with a full chocolate dessert spread along with Chocolate Magic Cake and Mini Brownie Bites!
Storage
- To store: Cover tightly and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- To make ahead: This chocolate pudding dessert is actually best made a day in advance. The extra chilling time helps the layers set firmly for cleaner slices.
- Freezing: Freezing isn't recommended for this chocolate pudding layered dessert, since the Cool Whip and pudding layers can separate and turn watery once thawed.
- Serving tip: For the cleanest slices, use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts, and serve straight from the refrigerator.
Kathleen Answers Your Questions
You can, but let it cool to room temperature before spreading it over the cream cheese layer. If it's too warm, it can melt into the layer underneath instead of sitting on top of it.
This usually means the crust didn't get enough time in the freezer before the cream cheese layer went on top. Give it the full 15 to 20 minutes so it firms up properly before you start layering.
Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!
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Chocolate Pistachio Pudding Dessert
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Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 18 Golden Oreos cookies (about 1 ½ cups crushed cookie crumbs with creme filling)
- ⅓ cup finely chopped pistachios
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
Filling layers
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (half of an 8 ounce block)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed and divided or 3 cups whipped sweetened cream
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding
- 3 cups milk, divided (from whole to 1%)
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant pistachio pudding
- 1 ½ cups milk from whole to 1%
Toppings
- Remaining Cool Whip from filling layers
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios (optional)
Instructions
- Spray a 9x9 inch baking pan or a 2 quart casserole dish with oil spray.
- Crush the cookies in a food processor until they resemble graham cracker crumbs. Note: Leave the filling in the cookies. That is why you only need a small amount of butter to help hold the crust together- and no baking needed to set the crust.
- Combine the crushed cookies, finely chopped pistachios and butter. Tip: You can use the food processor to finely chop the pistachios but use the pulse button so you don’t end up with pistachio butter.
- Press this mixture into the bottom of the pan with your fingertips or the bottom of the measuring cup. Place in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until firm enough to spread the cream cheese mixture on top.
- Meanwhile, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium size bowl with a hand mixer until smooth. Fold in, or stir gently, 1 cup of Cool Whip.
- When the crust is ready, bring it out from the freezer. Dollop this mixture over the crust, then spread evenly over the crust all the way to the edges. Pro tip: This dollop and spread method is a test kitchen trick I learned to prevent the top layer from dragging or pulling the layer underneath it.
- Combine the chocolate pudding mix and 1 ½ cups milk in a medium size bowl. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes or until thickened. Dollop, then spread evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Combine the pistachio pudding mix and 1 ½ cups milk in a medium size bowl. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer 2 minutes. Dollop, then spread evenly over the chocolate layer.
- Dollop the remaining Cool Whip or 2 cups sweetened whipped cream on the pistachio layer and spread evenly to the edges of the pan.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios, if you like.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Chill at least 2 hours, up to 2 days before serving. The longer it chills, the better it slices.
- Yield: 9 servings
Notes
- Leave the cream filling in the Golden Oreos when you crush them, it helps hold the crust together alongside the butter.
- Pulse the pistachios in the food processor rather than running it continuously, or you'll end up with pistachio butter instead of chopped nuts.
- Use the "dollop and spread" method for each layer instead of pouring it on all at once, this keeps each layer from dragging into the one underneath.
- No pistachio pudding on hand? Substitute instant vanilla pudding, then stir in a tablespoon of chopped pistachios and a drop of green food coloring.
- This dessert is best made a day ahead — the extra chilling time helps the layers set firmly for cleaner slices. Freezing isn't recommended, since the Cool Whip and pudding layers can separate once thawed.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
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