Butterscotch Delight

When it’s hot, a cold dessert is a delicious way to cool down, and this butterscotch delight is an easy, creamy treat. The crust is baked briefly at first, but once it cools, you just add layers of cream cheese, whipped topping and instant pudding. This is a true crowd-pleaser, and if you serve it to a crowd, be prepared for them to want seconds.

This recipe falls into the category of layered, or “lush,” desserts—in fact, it’s sometimes called butterscotch lush—which typically have a cookie or flour crust topped with a layer of what’s essentially cream cheese frosting and whipped topping. Then comes a layer of pudding, and you can find a lush dessert flavored with everything from butterscotch and chocolate to pistachio and lemon; if there’s a pudding flavor, there’s likely a lush recipe that includes it. A final layer of whipped topping and chopped nuts makes this layered butterscotch dessert look wonderful when it’s cut into squares.

Butterscotch Delight Ingredients

• Butter: Cold butter cut into flour helps this simple crust become flaky during baking.
• All-purpose flour: Using all-purpose flour is best for the crust, as it has the right amount of protein needed to ensure the crust stays flaky and tender while also keeping its shape and not tearing easily.
• Walnuts: Finely chopped walnuts mixed with the crust ingredients give the dessert a little more of a crunchy texture in each bite.
• Cream cheese: The first layer gets a tangy, creamy boost from cream cheese.
• Confectioners’ sugar: This will both sweeten the cream cheese and give it a more airy texture.
• Whipped topping: Adding frozen whipped topping to the cream cheese and sugar mixture not only adds bulk but makes the layer very light.
• Milk and instant butterscotch pudding mix: You’ll need milk to make the instant pudding. Use at least 2%; whole milk is OK, but don’t use skim. And note that the amount of milk called for in this recipe may be slightly less than the instant pudding package calls for.
• More walnuts: A few chopped walnuts sprinkled over the top of the dessert will look great.

Directions

Step 1: Make the crust

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the finely chopped walnuts to the flour mixture, and stir everything together.

Step 2: Bake the crust

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Press the crust mixture into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake the crust until it’s golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack.

Step 3: Make the cream cheese layer

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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until they’re smooth. Fold in 1 cup of the thawed whipped topping. Carefully spread that layer over the cooled crust.

Step 4: Make the pudding layer

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In another bowl, beat the milk and instant pudding for two minutes, until thickened.

Step 5: Assemble the dessert

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Carefully spread the pudding mix over the cream cheese layer. Spread the remaining whipped topping over the pudding, then sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top. Cover the pan, and place it in the refrigerator for one hour to set.

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Butterscotch Delight Variations

• Change up the nuts in the topping: If you don’t like walnuts, you can change the type of nuts you use for the topping, or leave them out entirely.
• Swap the nuts in the crust: As for the walnuts in the crust, try using pecans instead.
• Make it nut-free: If you need to make the butterscotch delight nut-free, leave the nut topping out and replace the ground walnuts in the crust with either chopped sunflower seeds or oatmeal. Briefly toast the oats in melted butter before adding them to the crust mixture. Be aware that the flavor of the crust may change a bit.
• Make a chocolate version: Use instant chocolate pudding instead of butterscotch to make a chocolate version of this delightful dessert.

How to Store Butterscotch Delight

Any leftover butterscotch delight can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Place the remaining dessert in an airtight container.

Can you freeze butterscotch delight?

You can freeze this, but if you do, divide it into servings first, then freeze them separately. It’s best to place the servings on a baking pan and freeze them briefly; about 30 minutes should make them firm enough to wrap each in freezer-safe plastic wrap and then store the pieces in an airtight container. Eat them within three months. Note that the texture of the pudding layer may be more watery after thawing.

If you want to make this ahead of time and you were hoping to freeze the entire pan, that’s going to be a little harder to do. You’d need to use a pan that is both oven- and freezer-safe; some metal pans may be appropriate, but if you use glass, double-check that it’s meant for both oven and freezer, and make sure the pan cools completely before placing the dish in the freezer. You wouldn’t be able to store the dessert for a long time because any lid or covering wouldn’t be airtight. Plus, any texture changes as the dessert thaws could make it less appetizing.

Butterscotch Delight Tips

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What’s the difference between butterscotch and caramel?

Butterscotch and caramel are similar, but caramel is made with white sugar, and butterscotch is made with brown sugar. There are additional minor differences between caramel, butterscotch and toffee.

Can you use a graham cracker or cookie-crumb crust?

Yes! Try making a graham cracker crust, or the crust from this butterscotch bliss layered dessert, or the cookie crust in this layered candy cane dessert.

How do you get those clean borders between the cream and pudding layers?

Ah, the challenge of making a layered pudding dessert. If you find the cream and pudding layers starting to blend and become messy when you try to spread one layer over another, place the dish in the refrigerator for a short time to let the lower layer firm up. So you’d spread the cream cheese layer over the crust, and then refrigerate, then add the pudding layer and refrigerate, and so on. Also use gentle spreading motions, and try to use an offset spatula to spread each layer, rather than a spoon or knife.