Quick & Easy Refrigerator Desserts
Pudding, Cheesecake and Whipped Cream Variations
These recipes require twenty minutes preparation time, tops! They're cool and refreshing and are beautiful with a little garnish! Serve individually or family style.
Want to make a nice dessert for your family but don’t have a lot of time in the kitchen? Or did unexpected guests drop by and you want to prepare something fast that everyone will love? Whatever the reason you try these simple recipes, you’ll prepare them again and again, and everyone will have a favorite variation!
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients:
Crust –
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- (or, one Oreo ready made pie shell)
Filling –
- ½ jar of smooth peanut butter
- 1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- ½ small tub of whipped cream
Topping –
- ½ small tub of whipped cream
- ½ jar of smooth peanut butter, melted over low heat
- ½ cup Spanish peanuts
Directions:
- If making homemade graham cracker crust, mix all the crust ingredients together and press into a glass pie pan.
- Blend together the filling ingredients and spoon into the pie shell. Place in refrigerator and chill for one hour.
- Then melt the peanut butter over very low heat in a small saucepan. Let cool slightly. Smooth whipped cream over the top of the chilled pie, drizzle the top with melted peanut butter, and sprinkle with Spanish peanuts to garnish. Keep refrigerated.
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The crust, filling, and pudding mix for the following recipes are all basically the same. The basic recipe is as follows.
Ingredients:
Crust –
- 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup chopped hazelnuts or pecans
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 stick butter, melted
Filling Layer 1 –
- 1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar
- ½ large tub of whipped cream
- 1 teaspoon of extract to compliment pudding flavor
Filling Layer 2 –
- 2 boxes instant pudding
- 3 cups of cold milk
- ½ block (4 ounces) of cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar
Garnish –
Top each dessert with the remaining half tub of whipped cream. Then match the garnish choice to the flavor of pudding as well. For the strawberry cheesecake version, for example, slices of fresh strawberries between the layers and over the top of the dessert looks lovely, and chopped pistachios add the wow factor to the pistachio pudding dish! Get creative!
Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Refrigerator Dessert
Variations: Using the ingredient’s list above, this strawberry cheesecake version try simple vanilla extract in layer one, with white chocolate cheesecake flavored instant pudding in layer two. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries, between the layers and on top, and chunks of white chocolate.
Pistachio Cheesecake Refrigerator Dessert
Variations: Using the ingredient’s list above, try a little vanilla butter nut extract in layer one and pistachio pudding in layer two. Garnish with chopped pistachios.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Refrigerator Dessert
Variations: For this Reese’s inspired dessert, use the filling recipe in the Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie recipe above. For layer two, use chocolate pudding. Spoon several small dollops of crunchy peanut butter between the layers for a great hidden surprise! Garnish with peanuts.
Serving Ideas
Try different serving dishes, different flavors, extracts, and garnishes to make these dishes your own! They can be made in 9x13” glass casserole dishes for covered dish or family dinners or in a beautiful, deep casserole dish for a heartier portion. If you’re having a fancy sit-down dinner and are serving these for dessert, prepare them in individual serving dishes, perhaps a big brandy glass! Don’t be afraid to experiment! And enjoy!
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