Butterfinger Lush
A no-bake layered dessert with an Oreo crust, peanut butter cheesecake layer, chocolate pudding layer, and whipped topping, all topped with crushed Butterfinger candy.
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Dish - glass or ceramic, for assembling and serving
- Electric hand mixer - for the cream cheese layer
- Glass mixing bowls - in a couple of sizes
- Offset spatula - for spreading each layer flat
- Food processor - for crushing the Oreos quickly (a zip-top bag and rolling pin also work)
- Silicone spatula - for folding whipped topping without deflating it
- Balloon whisk - for the pudding
Ingredients
For the Oreo Crust
- 1 package Oreo cookies - 14.3 oz / 405 g, whole (about 36 cookies)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter - 1 stick / 113 g, melted and slightly cooled
For the Peanut Butter Cheesecake Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese - 226 g, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter - 250 g, no-stir style
- 1 cup powdered sugar - 120 g
- 1 cup whipped topping - from the 12 oz container below
For the Chocolate Pudding Layer
- 2 packages instant chocolate pudding mix - 3.9 oz / 111 g each
- 3 cups cold whole milk - 720 ml
For the Topping
- 1 container whipped topping - 12 oz / 340 g, thawed and divided (1 cup goes in the cheesecake layer, the rest goes on top)
- 6 full-size Butterfinger candy bars - 1.9 oz / 54 g each, chopped and divided
Instructions
- Add the whole Oreo cookies, filling included, to a food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs. If using a zip-top bag, seal out the air and crush with a rolling pin until no large chunks remain.
- Pour the crumbs into a bowl and stir in the melted, slightly cooled butter until every crumb looks damp, like wet sand.
- Tip the mixture into the 9x13 dish and press it firmly and evenly across the bottom using the flat base of a measuring cup or your hands. Slide the dish into the refrigerator to firm up while you build the next layer.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, creamy peanut butter, and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until completely smooth, scraping the bowl once or twice.
- Add 1 cup of the whipped topping and fold it in gently with a silicone spatula until no white streaks remain. Fold in about a third of the chopped Butterfingers for pockets of crunch.
- Spread this mixture evenly over the chilled crust with an offset spatula, pushing it all the way to the corners. Return the dish to the fridge.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the two packages of instant chocolate pudding mix with the 3 cups of cold milk for about 2 minutes, until it thickens noticeably. Let the pudding sit for 5 minutes to firm up.
- Spoon the thickened pudding in dollops over the peanut butter layer, then spread it gently and evenly. Dolloping first keeps you from dragging the peanut butter up into the pudding.
- Spread the remaining whipped topping (about 3½ cups) over the pudding in a smooth, even layer. Sprinkle the remaining chopped Butterfingers across the top so every square gets candy.
- Cover the dish and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the layers set firm enough to slice cleanly.
Notes
- Use instant pudding, never cook-and-serve. Only instant pudding sets up cold, which is the entire mechanism holding this dessert together.
- Keep the milk cold. Cold milk thickens instant pudding faster and firmer, so the layer sets instead of staying loose.
- Soften the cream cheese fully. Room-temperature cream cheese blends lump-free, while cold cream cheese leaves grainy bits that never smooth out.
- Fold whipped topping, don't beat it. Beating knocks the air out and gives you a dense, flat layer instead of a light one.
- Chop the candy cold. Keep the Butterfingers in the fridge until the last second, because cold bars shatter into clean shards while warm ones smear and stick to the knife.
- Chill between the messy layers. Ten minutes in the fridge firms each layer enough that the next one spreads without tearing it.
- Reserve enough candy for the top. The topping is where the candy shows, so save the larger share for the final scatter.
- For clean slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it between cuts.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor actually deepens after the first day.
- To freeze, wrap the whole dish or individual squares tightly in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 320mgSugar: 32g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!