Layered Pistachio Dessert (Uses Jell-O Pudding Mix)

Submitted by yarniefoodiemomof3

"This recipe reminds me of those big, fun family dinners we used to have when I was a kid. This is one of my favorite recipes of my grandmother's. The layers consist of a nutty baked bottom crust, creamy cheesecake-like center and top layer of pistachio pudding. If desired, you could also use any other flavor of pudding mix. Yummy!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Serves: 10-12

ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 3⁄4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 (8 ounce) packages pistachio pudding mix
• 3 cups milk

directions

1. Press first three ingredients into a 13" x 9" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly.
2. Beat Cool Whip, cream cheese and confectionery sugar with electric mixer; spread over cooled crust.
3. Beat pudding mix and milk well with electric mixer on low setting. Let mixture stand until set. Then carefully spread over cream cheese layer.
4. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Slice into 2" x 2" pieces.
5. Store refrigerated for up to five days.

Reviews

[Chefsalad]

This recipe reminds me of my childhood! To make it a little easier, I generally use a crust of crushed Nilla wafers mixed with melted butter or a graham cracker crust. I also only use half the sugar for the cream cheese layer to make it a little less sweet and let the cream cheese flavor stand out.

 

[facials]

We call this Adeline’s Dessert since my mother-in-law made this for us and passed on this recipe at least 50 years ago. There’s a few tweaks: room temperature butter in the crust and any nuts, even pistachio or pecans. 1/2 large Cool Whip contain in the cream cheese layer, 2 1/2 c milk in the pistachio layer and top with the other 1/2 container of Cool Whip and garnished with chopped nuts. After I made it again yesterday I Googled desserts with pistachio pudding and cream cheese and yours came up. I’ve often wondered where she got the recipe from. It’s been a favorite in our home for 1/2 a century!!!

 

[Stephanie S.]

Perfect dessert for our Christmas Eve get together. I was looking for something fun and festive and this fit the bill. We loved it. I followed your recipe, except I add a layer of Cool Whip on top of the pudding. Thank you for a lovely dessert that we all loved.

 

[Irishcolleen]

I absolutely love this recipe! I substituted pecans for the crust, and used lemon pudding instead of pistachio. Simply delicious! Thank you for sharing! : )

 

[MN Farmgirl]

I've made something very similar to this for years. It always goes over very well. I use pecans on the crust instead of walnuts; cream, whipped instead of the Cool Whip; and not as much confectioners sugar. For extra color at Christmas I will top with a dollop of whipped cream and a red cherry. It looks very festive.