pudding desserts with graham crackers
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Dessert
Dessert is a course that concludes a meal. The course consists of sweet foods, such as confections, and possibly a beverage such as dessert wine and liqueur. In some parts of the world, such as much of Central Africa and West Africa, and most parts of China, there is no tradition of a dessert course to conclude a meal.
The term dessert can apply to many confections, such as biscuits, cakes, cookies, custards, gelatins, ice creams, pastries, pies, puddings, macaroons, sweet soups, tarts, and fruit salad. Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its naturally occurring sweetness. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly savory to create desserts.
AN EASY LAYERED DESSERT
This Easy No-Bake Eclair Cake is not only simple to make but it is absolutely scrumptious. Absolutely no stovetop or oven is needed! The hardest part? Waiting to eat it! This is a great dessert for a crowd.
What is eclair cake made of?
Graham crackers, instant vanilla pudding, whipped topping, milk and chocolate frosting. Only five ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes!
Can I use different flavors?
It’s really easy to switch up the flavors. You could use chocolate graham crackers and vanilla pudding. You could substitute the vanilla pudding with chocolate or cheesecake pudding. So many flavor combinations you can experiment with! I’ve seen folks use strawberry pudding with a strawberry frosting. Or a cheesecake pudding with a strawberry frosting. Lots of options here!
Can this dessert be eaten right away?
This dessert does not take long to prepare but it definitely needs time to set up. Make this the night before you actually need to serve it. It helps the graham crackers to soften and gives time for everything to set up.
Can eclair cake be frozen?
No. Freezing eclair cake is not recommended. It does not defrost well and the texture becomes unappetizing.
How do I store leftovers?
This dessert can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
HOW TO MAKE ECLAIR CAKE:
In a medium bowl, mix together the pudding mix, milk and Cool Whip.
In a 9×13-inch baking dish, arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares on the bottom. You may have to break them up a bit to get enough crackers to cover the bottom of your dish.
Spread half of the pudding mixture on top of the crackers. Layer another layer of graham crackers over the pudding mixture. Then layer the other half of the pudding mixture on top of crackers. Top with a final layer of graham crackers. Put plastic wrap over dish and put in fridge for about 30 min to an hour to allow pudding to set.
When pudding has set up, put the tub of chocolate frosting in the microwave for about 15 seconds to soften slightly (remove lid and aluminum foil top before microwaving.) Take out and stir frosting. It should be easily spreadable now. Remove plastic wrap from dish and evenly spread chocolate frosting all over the top layer of graham crackers.
Place plastic wrap over top of dish and put back in fridge. Now, forget about this dessert until tomorrow. This dessert gets better over time. The graham crackers need time to soften up.
When ready to serve, slice in squares and enjoy cold!
Chocolate Eclair Dessert
This is a no-bake pudding dessert that’s so quick and easy to make–everyone loves it. I always keep the ingredients on hand in case I need a quick dessert. It’s best if it sits overnight before serving.
Ingredients
Directions
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Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan with graham crackers.
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In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and milk; stir well. Mix whipped topping into pudding mixture. Spread half of mixture over graham cracker layer. Top with another layer of graham crackers and the remaining pudding.
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Top all with a final layer of graham crackers and frost with chocolate frosting. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving to allow the graham crackers to soften.
Graham Cracker Pudding
This is a quick and simple dessert my mama use to make when I was young and I have continued sharing it with my kids. It’s delicious.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
This cool and creamy no-bake dessert is so good. With all its layers, this version of an eclair cake reminded us of a graham cracker pudding lasagna. The peanut butter was an added flavor we loved and it also protected the crackers from becoming completely soft. A very thin layer of chocolate pudding on top is the perfect touch. If you need a great make-ahead dessert, give this recipe a try. It can really sit overnight to allow the graham crackers to soften. Delicious for a pot luck.
Ingredients For Graham Cracker Pudding
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1 boxgraham cracker
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2 boxvanilla pudding (large, 5.1 oz each)
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1 boxchocolate pudding (small, 3.9 oz)
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1 jarpeanut butter
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1 pkgsoftened Cool Whip (8 oz)
How To Make Graham Cracker Pudding
- Go ahead and prepare puddings according to package instructions. Prepare vanilla pudding and set aside.
- Prepare the chocolate pudding.
- Next, spread peanut butter on graham crackers. Place the first layer of graham cracker/peanut butter on the bottom of 9×13 pan (peanut butter side up).
- Then spread 1/3 of the vanilla pudding on top of that.
- Then spread a layer of Cool Whip (works best if soft) on top of vanilla pudding.
- Continue layering in order as above.
- Layer until there’s just enough room to spread chocolate pudding on top as a finish (use chocolate pudding to top the dessert only).
- Crush remaining graham crackers. Sprinkle them over the chocolate pudding for garnish.
- Refrigerate 1-2 hrs or until graham crackers are soft.
- You can use any flavor graham cracker you wish and honestly whatever flavor pudding you wish. I have used cinnamon crackers with cream cheese pudding and it was great. Whatever you prefer.
- You can also make your puddings from scratch with this recipe if it’s what you prefer. But that requires more effort and time so this is the quick version.
Chocolate Delight Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 (16-ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
- 2 (3.9-ounce) packages chocolate instant pudding
- 3 cups cold milk
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Steps to Make It
- Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and the melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before assembling the layers.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Stir in half of the whipped topping until well blended.
- Spread the mixture over the cooled crust.
- In another bowl, beat the pudding with the cold milk as directed on the package (but using only 3 cups of milk).
- Spread the pudding over the cream cheese layer.
- Top the dessert with the remaining whipped topping and spread to cover completely.
- If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Chill thoroughly before serving, about 2 hours.
Cook’s Tip
Like Tiramisu made with dried ladyfingers, the graham crackers will absorb moisture from the pudding and soften. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving, and use within 4 days to prevent the cake from becoming too soggy.
Most loaf pans have angled sides and are wider at the top than the bottom. It may be necessary to trim the first and second layer of crackers to fit the pan. As you build up your cake, a gap will form between the full and half crackers across the width of the pan. You can let the gaps fill with pudding or trim the crackers to fit the pan. Trimming your crackers to fit adds a few more calories per serving.
Instant pudding sets up very fast. If you trim your crackers to fit the width of your pan, do so before building up the cake will make assembly easier. Crackers were not trimmed to width for the cakes pictured.
RECIPE NOTES
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 248, Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 222mg, Potassium: 97mg, Carbohydrates: 25g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Protein: 3g, Vitamin A: 30%, Vitamin C: 0.1%, Calcium: 60%, Iron: 1.3%
The recipe was inspired by one I saw on Crepes of Wrath. This is a smaller version (I used an 8 inch square pan) made without any coffee. Yes, that’s an option! You can flavor the pudding and/or the cream with instant espresso powder, but I don’t sleep enough as it is, so I left it out.
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