If you’re stuck for an easy, no-bake dessert, then this ultimate Oreos dessert with cream cheese and cool whip is perfect for any occasion.
Did you know that Oreos have been around since 1898? That’s the year that several various baking companies went through a merger to create the National Biscuit Company, also known as Nabisco. Who knew that Nabisco was actually short for the National Biscuit Company, anyhow?
Here is what is so crazy: Nabisco didn’t come up with the idea for an Oreo cookie by themselves. The Sunshine Biscuits company created the Hydrox cookie in 1908, and Nabisco invented its own version just four years later. Needless to say, the Hydrox never became as famous as the Oreo, and history was made.
With layers of luxurious chocolate pudding, cream cheese, cool whip, and of course Oreos, this dessert is a crowd pleaser that your guests are not likely to forget any time soon.
My family loves this Oreo pie with whipped cream. It’s almost as good as the Oreocheesecake I make with crushed Oreo on top.
Whether you are planning for a special occasion, a party, or simply just fancy making something new, once you try this dessert you won’t need an excuse to make it time and time again!
Can I use whipping cream instead of cool whip with this recipe?
The short answer to this question is yes – you can use whipping cream instead of cool whip in this dessert recipe.
If you’re short on time, cool whip is a great and convenient ingredient to use in recipes as it comes already whipped and you just need to defrost it. After all, it was invented to save time and can be conveniently stored in the freezer until you’re ready to use it!
However, there are also many bonuses to using whipping cream as an alternative. Although whipping cream is heavier in saturated fat and requires whipping, it is significantly lower in sugar than cool whip.
You will also have to consider that because whipping cream contains less sugar, you might have to adjust the measurements of ingredients accordingly.
When alternating or substituting ingredients, you should take into account how this will affect the nutritional value of the recipe, as whipping cream is significantly heavier in fat.
When choosing the right size baking dish for this dessert, we recommend that you take into consideration the number of people you intend to serve.
To make a dessert that has 10 decent sized servings, you should use a 9 x 9 dish. This size will ensure that your dish is deep enough for the distinct layers you’re going to create for your delicious Oreo dessert!
Do you need a food processor?
In short, no, you don’t need a food processor for this recipe. However, it might be handy to use a food processor if you’re short on time.
Food processors are great for creating a finer cookie crumb, especially when it comes to making the cookie base of this dessert. You can simply add the cookies to the food processor and blitz them into crumbs within seconds!
However, you can achieve similar results by hand with the back of a rolling pin. So fret not if you don’t have a food processor, the dessert might just take a little longer to make!
How long should this Oreo dessert be chilled?
The most important thing to remember when making this dessert is that patience and planning ahead is key. If you’re intending to make this dessert for guests, ensure that you plan ahead and make it far enough in advance as presentation is everything.
When you make a dessert as delicious as this one, there will definitely be some temptation to cut into it before it has chilled. Resist the temptation! Although the dessert will still taste great, for the best results, you need to chill this Oreo dessert for at least 4 hours before you serve it.
This is important as you need to give the layers time to set and letting it chill will ensure a cleaner cut when it’s time to serve it!
If you don’t let this dessert chill for long enough, the hard work you’ve put into making distinct layers will be wasted and it could end up looking like a sloppy mess if they all merge together!
Have patience and ensure that you’ve taken the time to let the dessert chill for as long as you can, if not overnight.
How long does this dessert keep?
Generally speaking, this dessert can last up to 4 to 5 days, if it is kept well covered in the refrigerator. However, for the best results, you will want to ensure that you eat it in the first few days of making it.
Ideally, you’ll want to make sure that you store it in an airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible for as long as you can and to ensure that it doesn’t go bad in your fridge. However, it’s such a tasty dessert that it’s doubtful it will be around for long enough to go bad!
Tofu is a great vegan alternative and a creamy plant-based protein that will work just as well as real cream cheese does, although, it goes without saying that it will differ slightly in flavor.
If you don’t like tofu, there are also multiple vegan cream cheese alternatives out there that work fantastically too.
You’ll also need to find a vegan replacement for cool whip. Although cool whip was originally created in the 1960s as a ready made non-dairy alternative to cream, it now contains milk products including light cream, skimmed milk, and sodium caseinate. As a result, it is not suitable for vegans to eat.
Technically, Oreos are vegan as they don’t contain animal products. However, there is some speculation that Oreos are cross contaminated with milk and therefore some vegans might not consider them suitable as part of their plant-based diet.
Depending on your personal preferences and morals regarding the issue, you could either choose an alternative cookie that is vegan or use Oreos if the cross contamination of milk doesn’t affect you.
Tips for making this recipe
Planning ahead is key. No bake recipes have their perks, but also have drawbacks with the significant chill time required, too.
As this recipe needs a minimum of 4 hours to chill, you’ll want to ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time to not only make it but to also let it chill before serving.
If you’re hosting a party, why not ease your mind and make it the night before? Simply refrigerate it overnight and it’s good to go!
Make sure that you save at least a row of (around 10) Oreos to crush and decorate the top of your dessert at the end! We’re all guilty of it, but don’t use up the spares by snacking whilst you prepare the dessert!
Once you have made the chocolate pudding proportion of this dessert, make sure to chill the pudding in the freezer whilst you prepare the other layers. This just ensures that it is as cold as possible before it comes to serving it up.
No Bake Oreo Dessert with Cream Cheese and Cool Whip Recipe
1packageDouble-stuffed Oreo cookies(containing 30 cookies or 15.35 oz.)
8tbsp Butter(1 stick)
3cups of half and half(half milk/half heavy cream)
2containers cool whip(8 oz. each)
1packagecream cheese(8 oz.)
1/2cuppowdered sugar
Instructions
Crush Oreos
Place 20 Oreos into a ziplock bag (or a clean dish towel), being careful to leave at least 10 Oreos for decoration at the end. Seal the ziplock bag shut, place it on the counter, and using a rolling pin crush the Oreos until they become large crumbs, being careful not to bash too hard.
Make Oreo Crust
In a bowl, place the Oreo cookie crumbs. Next, place the butter in a saucepan and melt over a low heat, being careful not to let it burn. Once the butter has melted, pour it over the crumbs and combine the mixture until all of the crumbs are coated. Place the mixture in the 9 x 9 pan and press into the bottom of the pan with a measuring cup's flat surface or spoon to form a crust.
Prepare Chocolate Pudding Mix
Place both of the packets of chocolate pudding mixture in a bowl and whisk together with the 3 cups of half and half. Once the pudding mix and cups of half and half are combined, place the mixture into the freezer to give it a chance to cool before you assemble the dessert.
Prepare Cream Cheese and Cool Whip Layer
If your cream cheese is particularly firm, you can soften the cream cheese by microwaving it for 15 to 20 seconds, being careful to make sure that you’re not melting it. Once you’re done softening the cheese, sift in the powdered sugar and whisk together until the sugar and cream cheese are well incorporated. Next, fold in one container of cool whip with a spatula.
Add Cream Cheese and Cool Whip Layer
Once the mixture is well combined, spread the cream cheese and cool whip mixture over the Oreo cookie crust. By now, the cookies and butter should have set to make a smooth surface, but take care when spreading the cream cheese and cool whip layer in case it moves around to ensure it remains as an even layer.
Add Chocolate Pudding Layer
Take the chocolate pudding you prepared earlier out of the freezer and spread the mixture on top of the cream cheese and cool whip layer.
Add Cool Whip Layer
Next, spread the second container of cool whip over the chocolate pudding layer. The neatness doesn’t matter too much here, but you do want to try and ensure that the layers are evenly distributed so you have even layers when you cut into the dessert!
Decorate with Oreo Cookies
Finally, decorate the top of your dessert by crumbling the remaining 10 Oreo cookies on top of the cool whip layer. There’s really no right or wrong way to do this, so go wild and have fun with it! You could try crushing 2-3 of them to a fine crumb and sprinkle them alongside different larger chunks for some variation. The main thing is that the end product will look delicious even if it isn’t the neatest creation.
Refrigerate before serving
Chill at least for 3-4 hours until the dessert is firm, or if you want to be organized chill it overnight. Chilling is necessary for all the layers to set and it will also be much easier and less messy when cutting it. Eat and enjoy! Your family and friends will be bugging you to make this recipe time and time again once they get a taste for this delicious, no bake Oreo dessert with cream cheese and cool whip!
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
