Circus Animal Cookie Lush (Print View)
Layered no-bake dessert with circus animal cookies, cream cheese, and vanilla pudding.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Base
01 - 14 oz circus animal cookies (plus extra for garnish)
02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
→ Cream Cheese Layer
03 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
06 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
→ Pudding Layer
07 - 1 package (3.6 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
08 - 1 3/4 cups cold milk
09 - 1/2 cup whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
→ Topping
10 - 1/2 cup whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
11 - Rainbow sprinkles (optional)
12 - Reserved circus animal cookies, for decoration
# How-To Steps:
01 - Finely crush circus animal cookies using a food processor or by placing them in a zip-top bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Combine the cookie crumbs with melted butter and mix until evenly coated. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish to form a uniform crust. Refrigerate while preparing the next layer.
02 - Beat the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, blending until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until uniformly combined. Spread evenly over the chilled cookie crust.
03 - Whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk in a clean bowl until thickened, approximately 2 minutes. Fold in the thawed whipped topping until smooth and creamy. Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer.
04 - Spread the remaining whipped topping over the pudding layer in an even layer. Decorate with extra circus animal cookies and rainbow sprinkles as desired.
05 - Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to allow all layers to set properly before slicing and serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- No oven required, which means you can make this even on the hottest summer day without heating up your entire kitchen.
- The layers look stunning when you slice into it, and people always gasp a little when they see the pink and white cookies peeking through.
- It feeds a crowd easily and actually tastes better the next day, so you can make it well ahead of time.
02 -
- Patience matters here because cutting into this before it has fully chilled will give you a soupy mess that still tastes great but photographs terribly.
- The cream cheese really must be softened before you start, because I once tried microwaving it in a rush and ended up with hot streaks that curdled the whole batch.
03 -
- Reserve a handful of the prettiest whole cookies for garnish before you crush the rest, because digging through crumbs later for intact ones is a losing battle.
- Chop a few extra cookies and scatter the pieces between the cream cheese and pudding layers for a satisfying crunch in the middle.