Peanut Butter Layered Delight (Print Version)
No-bake layered dessert with creamy peanut butter, chocolate, and whipped topping on a crunchy cookie base.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Base
01 - 7 oz chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos), finely crushed
02 - 2 oz unsalted butter, melted
→ Peanut Butter Layer
03 - 8.8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
04 - 6.3 oz creamy peanut butter
05 - 3.5 oz powdered sugar
06 - 0.6 cup whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
→ Chocolate Layer
07 - 4.2 oz semisweet chocolate chips
08 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
→ Topping
09 - 0.8 cup whipped topping, thawed
10 - 1 oz chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
11 - Chocolate shavings (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - Combine crushed chocolate sandwich cookies with melted butter in a mixing bowl, stirring until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly and uniformly into the bottom of a 9-inch square or round springform pan. Transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
02 - Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat together the softened cream cheese, creamy peanut butter, and powdered sugar in a large bowl until completely smooth and free of lumps. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Spread the filling evenly over the chilled cookie base.
03 - Place semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second intervals, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Let the ganache cool slightly, then pour it evenly over the peanut butter layer, tilting the pan to spread if needed.
04 - Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the layers to set completely.
05 - Spread the remaining whipped topping over the set chocolate layer. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts and chocolate shavings if desired.
06 - Cut into squares or wedges using a sharp knife. Serve well chilled.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- No oven required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you get to feel brilliantly lazy while making something impressive.
- The layers look like you spent all day, but the whole thing comes together in under thirty minutes of actual work.
- That combination of crunchy cookie base, pillowy peanut butter filling, and a thin blanket of chocolate is genuinely difficult to stop eating.
02 -
- Do not rush the chilling step. Slicing before the four hour mark will cause the layers to slide apart in a disappointing heap on the plate.
- If your cream cheese is not fully softened, you will chase pale lumps through the filling forever. I learned this the hard way at eleven oclock the night before a birthday party.
03 -
- Line your pan with parchment paper before pressing in the crust, leaving overhang on two sides like handles, and you will be able to lift the entire dessert out for cleaner slicing.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly than cold ones, so plan ahead and pull everything out of the fridge about an hour before you start assembling.