Chocolate-Peanut Butter Delight Recipe (No-Bake, Make-Ahead)

Name: My Chocolate-Peanut Butter Delight Is No-Bake and So Much Easier Than It Looks
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 400 min
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan; 20 peanut butter sandwich cookies, such as Nutter Butter; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted; 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature; 2/3 cup (75g) powdered sugar; 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup cold heavy cream; 1 (5.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix; 2 1/2 cups cold whole milk or half and half; 1 cup cold heavy cream; 1/4 cup (28g) powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup chopped peanut butter cups (from 4 whole), for topping

1 serving of Chocolate-Peanut Butter Delight on a plate with a fork — Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

This no-bake dessert creates distinct layers of peanut butter cream, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream for a treat with rich flavor.
Using peanut butter sandwich cookies as the crust adds a unique, nutty twist.
This make-ahead dessert can be assembled and chilled the day before serving, making it stress-free to serve for gatherings or celebrations.

An homage to my all-time favorite chocolate candy, the Reese’s peanut butter cup, this chocolate peanut butter delight recipe captures all the flavors that make that beloved treat so hard to resist. It’s undeniably nutty, creamy, and chocolatey—a perfect no-bake treat at any time of year.

I use Nutter Butter sandwich cookies (highly underrated, in my opinion) to make an ultra-nutty cookie crust base for the delight. Lacing the cream cheese layer typical in a delight with a generous helping of peanut butter yields an extra layer of peanutty flavor. A thick layer of chocolate pudding ensures there’s enough chocolate flavor to boot, and I finish it all off with a layer of fluffy whipped cream and chopped peanut butter cups.

baking dish of Chocolate-Peanut Butter Delight — Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

Tips and Tricks

For the peanut butter cream, skip the natural stuff. Creamy peanut butter (like Skippy or Jif) yields a flavor that is much more reminiscent of a peanut butter cup.
Take care to freeze the peanut butter layer before you add the pudding layer on top. Because the peanut butter cream is softer and more delicate than the heavier pudding, it needs to be firm to maintain the differentiation in the layers.
I like to briefly chill my peanut butter cups after chopping them to make sprinkling them over the top easier.

Easy Tweaks

Though I highly recommend trying this recipe at least once as written, this delight is highly riffable to suit your tastes or the ingredients you have on hand:

For a more chocolate-forward profile, the peanut butter sandwich cookie crust can be swapped for an Oreo crust (you can follow the crust recipe from this Chocolate Delight recipe).
Instead of topping with chopped peanut butter cups, you can instead top this dessert with chopped salted peanuts, shaved chocolate, crushed Nutter Butters, or even a drizzle of slightly warmed peanut butter and melted chocolate.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Delight

Prep Time 40 mins

Chill: 6 hrs

Total Time 6 hrs 40 mins

Servings 16 servings

Yield 1 (8-inch) dessert

Using half and half will give the chocolate pudding filling a firmer set, and using whole milk will make it softer. You can use either or a combination, as you prefer.

Keep Screen Awake

For the crust

Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
20 peanut butter sandwich cookies, such as Nutter Butter
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the fillings

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup (75g) powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 (5.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
2 1/2 cups cold whole milk or half and half

For the topping

1 cup cold heavy cream
1/4 cup (28g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped peanut butter cups (from 4 whole), for topping, optional

Prepare the pan:

Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line it with two perpendicular sheets of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all the sides to use as handles to remove the dessert from the pan later.
Make the crust:

In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, process the cookies and salt until the cookies are finely ground, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened, 15 to 20 (1-second) pulses, scraping the bowl down as needed. The mixture should be loose but clump together when squeezed.

Scrape the crust mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to press the crust firmly into the bottom of the pan. Transfer the crust to the refrigerator to firm up while you make the cream cheese layer.

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond
Make the peanut butter cream cheese layer:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, stream in the cold heavy cream until all of the ingredients are just combined, about 30 seconds.

Increase the speed to medium and continue to whip until thickened, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to high and whip until smooth and the cream holds a stiff peak, 30 seconds to 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed.

Scrape the cream cheese mixture over the chilled crust and smooth into an even layer. Transfer to the freezer to firm slightly, about 10 minutes.

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond
Meanwhile, make the pudding:

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk or half and half until the mix is dissolved and the pudding is just thickened, about 2 minutes. Smooth the pudding into an even layer over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate while you make the whipped cream topping.

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond
Make the whipped cream for topping:

In the now-empty bowl of the stand mixer (you don’t have to clean it first) combine the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whip on medium-high speed until the cream just reaches stiff peaks, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Spread the whipped cream in an even layer over the pudding.

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond
Chill:

Refrigerate until set and well chilled, at least 6 hours or ideally overnight. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap if refrigerating overnight.
Finish and serve:

When ready to serve, top with the chopped peanut butter cups. Use the overhanging parchment to transfer the delight to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 servings and serve.

Leftover delight can be stored in the pan tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
393	Calories
25g	Fat
39g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	393
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g	32%
Saturated Fat 11g	55%
Cholesterol 35mg	12%
Sodium 252mg	11%
Total Carbohydrate 39g	14%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 91mg	7%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 217mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.