Easy to Make Chocolate Delight Recipe

Chocolate Delight is a sweet and creamy, layered dessert treat that is easy to make and perfect to share at family gatherings. Made with a buttery pecan crust, a sweet cream cheese filling, and instant pudding. Try making this treat for your next potluck.

If you're craving more cream cheese dessert recipes, then try making a batch of Chess Squares or a No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake. For another pudding recipe, try making some Banana Pudding. 

Cooking was always going to be part of my future because I was surrounded by many women that believed in cooking for family, friends, and the neighborhood. Yes, I said the neighborhood. Because if I didn't have anything to eat, then I knew exactly where to go to get a plate that was made with love.

I'm also willing to bet that you may know someone who cooks a Sunday meal any night of the week, but if not that's the neighborhood and family that I grew up in. 

I remember church potlucks were filled with goodies and after it was all over you'd head home with a full belly and a to go plate if you were lucky.

Now If you've been following me for a while, then you know that I love sweets. It was really church potlucks that gave me the opportunity to try so many different sweets.

One of my all-time favorites to whip up when I'm short on time actually came from a church potluck. I'm going to share this crowd-pleasing dessert with you today. 

Let's get started

Chocolate Delight Ingredients 

1. All-Purpose Flour - Plain flour is needed to help make the crust and allow it to thicken and stick together. 
2. Butter - Combines with the flour and pecans to create the bottom layer and crust. Use your favorite butter brand and either salt or unsalted can be used. 
3. Pecans - Finely chopped pecans create the nutty crust and help to form the first layer of the dessert. 
4. Salt - Any salt can be used to prevent the crust from tasting flat. If using salted butter, then you may omit the additional salt. When it comes to baking, I prefer to use kosher salt. 
5. Cream Cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese to help to form the sweet layer. Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before combining for easier mixing. 
6. Powdered Sugar - Also known as confectioners sugar is paired with the cream cheese to sweeten the second layer. 
7. Whipped Topping (Cool Whip) - Added to the cream layer and to top the dessert. Allow it to thaw from frozen before using. Heavy cream or whipping cream can be used instead but keep in mind that it will need to be combined with some additional powdered sugar to sweeten it. 
8. Instant Chocolate Pudding - Make sure it is instant and not the pudding that requires cooking. This is what really creates a thick pudding chocolate layer and brings the dessert together. 
9. Milk - Use cold whole milk to combine with the instant pudding to thicken the pudding to a soft set. After refrigerating the chocolate delight the pudding will finish setting and become thicker. 

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.

How to Make this Chocolate Delight Recipe

Begin the easy chocolate delight recipe by preheating the oven to 300 degrees F. Grab a 13x9-inch rectangle baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, softened butter, chopped pecans, and salt until combined. A food processor can be used instead. The mixture will be clumpy and will loosely stick together.

Pour into the baking dish and evenly press into the bottom in a single layer. Place into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until light golden brown. Carefully remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool completely before continuing. 

Using a hand mixer with a large bowl, add the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Mix until creamy and smooth. Add half of the whipped topping and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture until combined.

Create the next layer by adding the cream cheese mixture to the cooled crust layer. Spread evenly to form a second layer. 

Using an electric mixer on medium speed and a large bowl, mix together the instant chocolate pudding and milk for two minutes until combined and soft set.

Evenly spread the chocolate pudding mixture on top of the cream cheese layer to create the third layer.  

Lastly evenly spread the remaining whipped topping on top of the pudding layer. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chopped pecans. 

Place the chocolate delight dessert into the refrigerator allow it to chill and set for 2 to 3 hours before cutting to serve. Enjoy!

Tips to Make the Best Chocolate Delight 

• Use an offset spatula to easily spread the layers evenly. 
• To cut perfect layers, place the assembled delight in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Remove the dessert from the freezer and hold a sharp knife underneath warm water before using it to cut the slices. Clean the knife off between each cut to ensure that everyone has perfectly neat layers. 
• Be sure to allow the finished dessert to chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours before serving. If you're in a hurry, place in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes. 
• Mix the instant pudding with cold milk. This will help the pudding to form quickly and allow it to soft set for easier spreading. 

Recipe Variations

• Vanilla Pudding can be used instead to make a Vanilla Delight. Just substitute instant vanilla pudding and continue following the recipe as instructed. 
• Before serving the creamy chocolate delight, grab a chocolate bar and cheese grater or vegetable shaver and use both to create chocolate shavings on top of the dessert for a touch of flair. 
• Omit the chopped pecans and all-purpose flour in the crust and instead add 24 pecan shortbread (pecan sandies) cookies to a food processor. Melt the butter and add it to the food processor after processing the cookies to create a pecan shortbread crust. 
• Instead of using whipped topping, mix whipped cream (heavy cream) with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

Storage

Storage: Store any dessert leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Cover tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil or plastic wrap. This pudding dessert is best enjoyed a few days after making it for the best results.

Make Ahead: Chocolate delight is a great recipe to make a day in advance. Make/Assemble it 24 hours before serving and cover it tight with a lid or plastic wrap. Store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it. 

Freezing: This chocolate pudding dessert can be stored in the freezer. Simply cover it tightly with a lid or a double layer of aluminum foil before placing it in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to serve it again, transfer it to the freezer and allow it to thaw overnight before serving. 

More Recipes You'll Love

• Oreo Delight Recipe
• Homemade Banana Pudding 
• Chess Squares 
• Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake 
• 9 Layer Chocolate Cake
• No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake 
• Chocolate Sugar Cookies 

Do you have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to enjoy this Chocolate Delight? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe

Original post date 02/03/2014. Updated 09/14/2023.