Description
A festive no-bake Christmas Lasagna dessert featuring a vibrant red vanilla wafer crust, creamy white cheesecake layer, peppermint-flavored green pudding, and a whipped topping adorned with mini marshmallows and holiday candies. Perfect for holiday celebrations and easy to prepare ahead of time.
Ingredients
Scale
Red Crust
- 22 ounces vanilla wafers (2 11-ounce boxes)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, melted
- Red food coloring gel, small scoop
White Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups whipped topping
Green Peppermint Pudding
- 4 cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 6.8 ounces cheesecake instant pudding mix (two 3.4-ounce boxes)
- Green liquid food coloring, to desired shade
Topping
- 8 ounces whipped topping tub
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- Christmas candies, sprinkles, or red & green M&Ms for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Crush Vanilla Wafers: Place the vanilla wafers into a food processor and crush on high for 2 minutes until they become fine crumbs.
- Prepare Red Crust: In a small bowl, combine melted butter with a small scoop of red food coloring gel until you achieve a deep Christmas red color. Pour this mixture into the crushed wafers and pulse until evenly colored.
- Form Crust: Press the colored crust firmly into the bottom of a deep 9×13 inch glass baking dish. Place the crust in the freezer while preparing the next layer.
- Make Cheesecake Layer: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar with a hand or stand mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the sour cream and beat for 2 more minutes until smooth.
- Fold in Whipped Topping: Gently fold the 2 cups of whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Spread Cheesecake Layer: Evenly spread the cheesecake mixture over the frozen crust. Wipe any excess from the sides of the pan and return to the freezer.
- Prepare Peppermint Pudding: In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, green liquid food coloring, and peppermint extract. Sprinkle in both packets of cheesecake instant pudding mix and beat with a mixer until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes.
- Spread Pudding Layer: Pour the green pudding evenly over the cheesecake layer. Clean the sides of the pan and return the dish to the freezer for 10 minutes until the pudding firms up.
- Add Final Whipped Topping: Spread the remaining 8 ounces whipped topping evenly over the pudding layer. Cover the dessert and return to the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to chill thoroughly.
- Garnish and Serve: Before serving, remove the cover and sprinkle mini marshmallows evenly on top. Add Christmas candies, sprinkles, or red and green M&Ms if desired. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for the crust layer and liquid food coloring for the pudding for best results.
- A hand or stand mixer is recommended when making the pudding and cheesecake layers to avoid lumps and achieve a smooth texture.
- Clean the sides of the pan after each layer to maintain clean, distinct layers for a beautiful presentation.
- The longer the dessert chills, the more intense the peppermint flavor and colors become; plan chilling time accordingly.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze wrapped well for up to 3 months.
