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Most people have seen or heard of the chocolate layer delight dessert (aka Sex in a Pan). It is often made with a flour baked crust. This recipe is actually my sister’s go-to dessert recipe that everyone in the family expects to see at every holiday! She recently started making a gluten free version just for me and I had to finally post the recipe because it is SO good and SO easy! The best part of this recipe is that there’s no baking involved!

Ingredients for Gluten Free, No Bake, Chocolate Layer Delight Dessert Recipe

Gluten free vanilla wafer cookies. These are my favorite.
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Cool whip
Milk
Chocolate pudding
Vanilla pudding
Pecans (optional)

Variations

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The crust: You could use different cookies or crumbs for the bottom crust layer. I tried this recipe with gluten free graham cracker crumbs and didn’t love it.

Nuts: You could add nuts to the first layer. You can also switch to a different nut such as walnuts.

Steps to Make this Gluten Free, No Bake, Chocolate Layer Delight Dessert Recipe

For the first layer, you will crush the gluten free vanilla wafers and lay them in the bottom of the dish. I like this recipe with larger chunks so I don’t find it necessary to blend or crush them finely. Once you mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cup of cool whip together, you add that on top of the crumbs and mix it all together. When I first made this, I tried spreading it over the crumbs and without it being a firm base, it just didn’t work. It tastes just as good without having a firm, baked crust at the bottom.

For the second layer, you will combine the two pudding packages with 3.5 cups of milk and stir until smooth and thick. Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the top of the cream cheese layer.

For the third layer, you will spread the rest of the tub of cool whip over the pudding mixture. I like to sprinkle chopped pecans over the top. It’s pretty and pecans are my favorite in a dessert!

Gluten Free No Bake Chocolate Layer Delight

This recipe is gluten free, chocolate, cream cheese deliciousness, that requires no baking or flour!

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Prep Time 15

Course Dessert

Servings 12

Equipment

1 9×13 dish

Ingredients

25 whole gluten free vanilla wafer cookies, crushed approximately half of the Kinnikinnick box
8 oz block of cream cheese, room temperature for easier mixing
1 cup powdered sugar
16 oz tub of thawed cool whip, divided
1 5.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding
1 5.1 oz package instant vanilla pudding
3.5 cups milk
pecans to garnish the top (optional)

Instructions

First Layer

Crush the 25 gluten free vanilla wafer cookies by placing them in a ziploc bag and crushing them by hand or with a utensil. You can also blend them in a mixer by I like bigger chunks in this recipe. Lay the crushed wafers in the bottom of the 9×13 dish.
Mix together 8 oz block of cream cheese, room temperature for easier mixing, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 cup of the thawed cool whip, until smooth. Save the rest of the tub of cool whip for the third layer. You can use a hand mixer, stand mixer, or mix by hand for this step. Pour mixture on top of wafer crumbs. Mix the crumbs into the cream cheese mixture and spread evenly in dish.

Second Layer

Pour 1 5.9 oz package instant chocolate pudding, 1 5.1 oz package instant vanilla pudding, and 3.5 cups milk in a mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and thicker consistency. Spread evenly over cream cheese mixture.

Third Layer

Spread the rest of the 16 oz tub of thawed cool whip over the pudding mixture. Add pecans over the top as garnish, if desired.
Serve immediately or the next day. I think it tastes even better the second day!

Notes

Variations:

Add pecans to the wafer crumb layer for additional pecans.
Use walnuts instead of pecans.
Use gluten free graham cracker crumbs instead of wafers. (I tried this myself and really love the wafers instead).

Keyword chocolate, chocolate cream cheese, chocolate delight, chocolate dessert, gluten free dessert

Check out my other gluten free recipes!