How to Make Chocolate Squares
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These are tasty little chocolate squares made up of graham cracker crust in addition to cream cheese, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream. You can easily substitute other things for each of the elements (a different type of pudding or crust). You can also vary how much of it you want to make from scratch.
But to get you started, here are suggested ingredients: - melted unsalted butter (half cup) - softened cream cheese (8 ounce container) - chilled milk (3 cups) - confectioners sugar (1 cup) - graham cracker crumbs (2 cups) - granulated sugar (2 tablespoons) - whipped topping (16 ounces) - chocolate pudding instant mix (2 packages of 3.9 ounces) - pecans (half cup, chopped) - walnuts (half cup, chopped) |
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Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Get a bowl and mix together the sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and melted butter for the crust. Press this into the bottom of pan (approximately 9 x 13 x 2 inches). Place in the oven and bake for around 10 minutes, then take it out and let it completely cool.
In a separate large bowl, add your confectioners sugar and softened cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer. Mix in half of the whipped cream/whipped topping. Pour this filling into the pan and spread over the crust layer.
Take yet another bowl and beat the instant chocolate pudding with the chilled milk. This will be similar to the directions given on the pudding package, but you'll be using less milk in this case. Once you're done beating, pour this layer over the previous cream cheese layer in the pan. On top of this add the rest of your whipped topping. Finally, sprinkle the chopped walnuts and pecans on top. You'll want to chill this before you serve it, so refrigerate for around 2 hours, at least.
There are so, so many variations to this concoction. Here are just a few:
Cookies and cream version: Substitute a package of cookies and cream pudding for one of the chocolate pudding packages (so that you'll be using one package of chocolate pudding and one package of cookies and cream pudding).
White chocolate: Alternatively, you can substitute a package of white chocolate pudding mix for one of the packages of chocolate pudding mix.
Layer of Oreo cookies: Add about a cup of crumbled Oreos between the cream cheese layer and the chocolate pudding layer.
Pistachio version: Substitute a package of pistachio pudding for one of the chocolate puddings and sprinkle the top with pistachio nuts.
Banana tropical: Or substitute banana pudding and top with toasted coconut.
Lemon: Substitute lemon pudding and top with lemon zest.
Butterscotch version: Substitute butterscotch pudding and use heath toffee pieces instead of pecan pieces (or milk chocolate pieces).
Vanilla wafers: Substitute crushed vanilla wafers for the graham cracker crumbs.
Shortbread cookies: Substitute 2 cups of crushed pecan sandies or crushed shortbread cookies.
Nut crust: Instead of the graham cracker crust, you'll make a crust out of a cup of all-purpose flour, a cup of finely chopped pecans, and a half cup of melted butter. Press this crust mixture into the pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Salted pretzel crust: Instead of the graham cracker crust, mix together a third of a cup of granulated sugar, 1.5 cups of crushed pretzels, and a half cup of melted butter. Press the mixture into the pan and bake for about 9 minutes at 350 degrees.
Other dessert recipes:
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Oreo Cheesecake
Apple Empanadas
Pineapple Coconut Chess Pie
How to Make a Chocolate Pie
In a separate large bowl, add your confectioners sugar and softened cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer. Mix in half of the whipped cream/whipped topping. Pour this filling into the pan and spread over the crust layer.
Take yet another bowl and beat the instant chocolate pudding with the chilled milk. This will be similar to the directions given on the pudding package, but you'll be using less milk in this case. Once you're done beating, pour this layer over the previous cream cheese layer in the pan. On top of this add the rest of your whipped topping. Finally, sprinkle the chopped walnuts and pecans on top. You'll want to chill this before you serve it, so refrigerate for around 2 hours, at least.
There are so, so many variations to this concoction. Here are just a few:
Cookies and cream version: Substitute a package of cookies and cream pudding for one of the chocolate pudding packages (so that you'll be using one package of chocolate pudding and one package of cookies and cream pudding).
White chocolate: Alternatively, you can substitute a package of white chocolate pudding mix for one of the packages of chocolate pudding mix.
Layer of Oreo cookies: Add about a cup of crumbled Oreos between the cream cheese layer and the chocolate pudding layer.
Pistachio version: Substitute a package of pistachio pudding for one of the chocolate puddings and sprinkle the top with pistachio nuts.
Banana tropical: Or substitute banana pudding and top with toasted coconut.
Lemon: Substitute lemon pudding and top with lemon zest.
Butterscotch version: Substitute butterscotch pudding and use heath toffee pieces instead of pecan pieces (or milk chocolate pieces).
Vanilla wafers: Substitute crushed vanilla wafers for the graham cracker crumbs.
Shortbread cookies: Substitute 2 cups of crushed pecan sandies or crushed shortbread cookies.
Nut crust: Instead of the graham cracker crust, you'll make a crust out of a cup of all-purpose flour, a cup of finely chopped pecans, and a half cup of melted butter. Press this crust mixture into the pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Salted pretzel crust: Instead of the graham cracker crust, mix together a third of a cup of granulated sugar, 1.5 cups of crushed pretzels, and a half cup of melted butter. Press the mixture into the pan and bake for about 9 minutes at 350 degrees.
Other dessert recipes:
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Oreo Cheesecake
Apple Empanadas
Pineapple Coconut Chess Pie
How to Make a Chocolate Pie