Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream is the definition of a cool, creamy, dreamy, delicious dessert! It’s perfect for an occasion or just because!
Who doesn’t like the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Add shortbread and whip and BAM…you’ve got an incredible treat! This classic dessert goes by many names and has several variations. Mom has made it for countless family get-togethers, and there’s never any left! It’s an excellent dessert you can make ahead of time and a sure bet hit! I can promise, you won’t be able to stop at one bite!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Self-Rising Flour
- Pecans
- Salted Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Peanut Butter
- Confectioners Sugar
- Milk
- Instant Chocolate Pudding
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Milk Chocolate Bar or Chips
Tools You’ll Need
- Hand Mixer and/or Whisk
- 13”x9” Baking Dish
- 3-4 Mixing Bowls
- Spatula
- Grater
Why You’ll like this Recipe
- It can be made ahead of time making entertaining easier!
- It’s an excellent cool and creamy treat for the warmer months!
- It’s a sweet treat that’s both light and rich!
- It’s the stuff of chocolate peanut butter lovers dreams!
How to Make this Recipe
- For the crust, in a small bowl, mix together flour and pecans. Once combined, add butter and mix until it’s a cohesive ball.
- Press the dough in an even layer into a 13”x9” baking dish. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
- In another small bowl, with a hand mixer or whisk, blend the cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add confectioners sugar and blend until combined well. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, with a hand mixer or whisk, whip milk and pudding mixes until smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.
- If making homemade whipped cream rather than ready-made frozen whipped cream, mix with a hand or stand mixer heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Once the crust has completely cooled, spread on top, in an even layer, the peanut butter layer.
- Add in an even layer the chocolate layer.
- Lastly, spread the ready-made whipped cream or homemade whipped cream on top.
- Garnish with pecans and grated or shaved chocolate.
Tips and Substitutions
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream is best when it’s set for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Fresh whipped cream can be substituted with a tub of thawed 12oz Cool Whip.
- Other garnish options include chocolate drizzle, hot fudge sauce, crushed pretzels, caramel drizzle, toasted coconut or chopped peanuts.
- Crunchy peanut butter can be used in place of smooth.
Storage
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to 5-7 days. This dessert doesn’t freeze and thaw well.
Frequently Asked Questions
- I don’t have a grater for chocolate. Is there another way I can garnish the top with chocolate?
- Yes! You can use a vegetable peeler on a bar of chocolate, drizzle melted chocolate on top with a spoon, or chopped with a knife and sprinkled on top.
- Can I use all-purpose flour instead of self-rising?
- Yes. You can substitute the 1 ½ cups self-rising flour the recipe calls for with 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder and ⅓ teaspoon fine salt.
- Would frozen whipped topping work as well as homemade whipped cream?
- While we prefer homemade whipped cream, frozen whipped topping that’s been thawed also works excellent as well!
- Is this recipe gluten-free?
- To make this a gluten-free dessert, replace self-rising flour with a gluten-free alternative and ensure the pudding brand you use is gluten-free as well.
More Recipes Like This
- Coconut Layer Lush
- Strawberries and Cream Tres Leches Cake
- Chocolate Mocha Tres Leches Cake
- Peanut Butter Hazelnut Crispix Treats
Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup salted butter melted
Peanut Butter Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
Chocolate Layer
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 2 3.9oz boxes instant chocolate pudding
Whipped Cream (or 12oz Cool Whip)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅔ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoon shaved or grated chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together flour and pecans. Once combined, add butter and mix until it’s a cohesive ball. Press the dough in an even layer into a 13”x9” baking dish. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
- In another small bowl, with a hand mixer or whisk, blend the cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add confectioners sugar and blend until combined well. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, with a hand mixer or whisk, whip milk and pudding mixes until smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.
- If making homemade whipped cream rather than ready-made frozen whipped cream, mix with a hand or stand mixer heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Once the crust has completely cooled, spread on top, in an even layer the peanut butter layer followed by the chocolate layer. Lastly, spread the whipped cream on top.
- Garnish with pecans and grated or shaved chocolate.
Michelle
Hello 👋🏽, Thnx for sharing this great recipe!
I have to give it a try , unfortunately selfrising flour doesn’t exist here in Germany, can I use baking powder instead ?
Also I have to konvert the cups / oz into Gramms ….but that shouldn’t be a problem!
Best Regards, Michelle 🌸
Laura Ashley
Hi Michelle! I'm so excited that you like the recipe and want to make it as well! 🙂 You can substitute the 1 ½ cups self-rising flour the recipe calls for with 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder and ⅓ teaspoon fine salt. I hope you love it! It's so cool that you're in Germany too!
Thea Perry
This look good. and I would love to make it. But, my daughter is highly allergic to pecans. Could I make a graham cracker crust?
Laura Ashley
Yes! A graham cracker crust will work great with this as well! 😁
Tammy Hardin
I have made this 2 times in the past week. Both times my shortbread crust has been difficult to cut through. I’m using self rising flour and 3/4 cups of butter.
It hasn’t formed into a ball! First time was a little too moist second time almost too dry?
Thanks for any advice!!
Laura Ashley
Sure thing, Tammy! I would say make sure you measure the flour placing spoonsfuls in the measuring cup to ensure it’s not too packed. It can also be weighed to ensure consistency. 1 1/2 cups of self-rising flour is 180grams. I hope that helps.