Butterscotch Delight Remix
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Crunchy base meets fluffy cream cheese whipped with pudding and butterscotch chips, topped with cool whip and drizzled sauce. Multilayered dessert blending textures and flavors with a soft caramel punch. Cooling essential for set layers and texture contrast. Serves about nine hungry souls. Calories push past five hundred per slice, heavy on fats and sugars. Classic graham crust replaced with almond meal for nuttier bite. Pudding box swapped with caramel to add depth. Chill times amended, hands-on folding crucial. No overmixing or the cream will deflate. Timing flexible but gauge firmness by touch and color. Layers thick enough to hold distinct. Sauces drizzle not thick but glossy. Sweet. Sticky. Rich. Requires patience to achieve perfect set without becoming soup.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
Servings:
9 servings
#American dessert
#layered dessert
#no bake
#almond crust
#caramel pudding
#cool whip
Tried it countless times, tweaking layers to balance sticky sweet with whipped airiness. The crust? Almond meal nails crunch way better than graham, adds nuttiness that cuts the sweetness a bit. Not just crumbs pressed but pressed precise with a flat glass—don’t rush this or soggy happens. The cream cheese layer, beaten just right, no lumps (those lumps are my nemesis), beaten until you hear the slow hum of soft fluff. Heavy cream whipped separately, stiff peaks remembered like old friends holding shape, folded not stirred—you see air in the batter, you want rise without collapse. The twist? Swapping butterscotch pudding for caramel adds buttery depth —a richer story than just sweet. Folding in chips at last moment keeps their texture. Sprinkle chips and drizzle over the top when it’s cold so they freeze delightfully. Less sugar sometimes, balancing final taste—it’s a dance of timing, touch, and patience. Chill is non-negotiable, this sets layers into distinct, sliceable magic. Aromas explode as it chills, sweet caramel meets buttery crust, soft creamy layers in between. Crave-worthy, a classic revisited with nuance.
Ingredients
Layer One
- 1 ⅓ cups almond meal, toasted lightly for nuttiness
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Layer Two
- 12 oz softened cream cheese, room temp
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted to avoid lumps
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
Layer Three
- 1 small box instant caramel pudding mix, about 3.4 oz
- ½ cup chopped butterscotch chips
- 3 tbsp heavy cream, chilled
Layer Four
- 1 cup Cool Whip, thawed
- ¼ cup chopped butterscotch chips, for garnish
- 2 tbsp butterscotch sauce, drizzled
About the ingredients
Almond meal toasted lightly substitutes graham cracker crumbs for nuttier, gluten-free base that crisps beautifully under gentle pressing. Butter melted but not hot, or risk uneven soaking and soggy patches. Powdered sugar sifted keeps cream cheese smooth, no gritty bites here. Heavy whipping cream chilled thoroughly for faster whipping and better volume; warm cream won’t hold peaks, patience or fridge ahead a must. Vanilla extract pure boosts aroma subtly—don’t use imitation. Instant caramel pudding swapped in for butterscotch adds richer flavor layers; you can use butterscotch pudding if sticking to original but I find caramel deeper. Butterscotch chips both folded in and sprinkled for crunch contrast; avoid too fine chopping or chips disappear. Cool Whip practical finish, but if fresh whipped cream preferred, stabilize with a touch of gelatin or extra cream cheese for firm peaks and less weeping. Keep ingredients cool but not frozen, room temp soft cheese helps blend without lumps. Rest assured, simple whites and browns layering into indulgence.
Method
Layer One
- Mix almond meal with sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl. Don’t skimp on mixing thoroughly — drips of butter mean clumps later. Press mixture evenly onto an 8×8 pan. Use flat-bottom glass to compact firmly but watch not to crush too much; you want a crisp, not concrete crust. Freeze about 25-30 minutes until solid but not frozen stone. You should hear a faint crunch when tapped.
Layer Two
- In a large bowl beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth, slightly fluffy, no lumps. Sift your sugar or the mixture will be gritty. In a separate chilled bowl, whip heavy cream on high until you see stiff peaks form—look for glossy peaks standing firm but bending at tip. Chill your bowl beforehand or this takes forever. Fold whipped cream gently into cream cheese mix with a spatula — folding, not stirring — to keep air in. Spoon half of this mixture over crust layer, spreading carefully. Save the other half of the mixture for next step. Refrigerate dish now to firm up while moving on.
Layer Three
- Using remaining cream cheese mixture, add caramel pudding mix, butterscotch chips, and 3 tablespoons chilled heavy cream. Fold gently until the color is completely uniform—no streaks of pudding or cream cheese. This should be thick, like a scoopable mousse, not runny. Spoon this luscious layer over the first cream layer and spread evenly, creating a firm, thick layer. Not too thin or the layering effect disappears. Smooth top but don’t overwork or it will knock out air.
Layer Four
- Evenly spread Cool Whip over the butterscotch mousse layer. Don’t go heavy; you want a light airy finish. Top with chopped butterscotch chips to add crunch and drizzle for a sticky, sweet highlight. Refrigerate at least one hour, though two gives best firmness and flavor melding. When slicing, use a hot knife wiped between cuts for clean edges. Notice aroma of butter and caramel wafting as it chills. Texture should balance crisp base, creamy middle, and light airy top.
- Substitutions: Almond meal replaces graham crumbs for nuttier crust and gluten-free option. Caramel pudding used instead of butterscotch for richer flavor complexity; can swap back to original if preferred. If no Cool Whip, whipped cream stabilized with a little sugar and vanilla works. Butter can be browned slightly for deeper flavor in crust. Folding technique: fold with spatula in figure eight motion to preserve volume. Chill bowl and beaters for whipping cream faster and better peaks.
- Common pitfalls: Overmixing cream layers kills fluffiness—be gentle and patient. Not chilling crust enough means soggy bottom layer. Butterscotch chips can clump if added too early or melted by warm ingredients. Cool Whip substituted? Stabilize whipped cream with gelatin or cream cheese for better hold. Use sifter for powdered sugar to avoid gritty taste. If pudding layer seems runny, add minute chilling or reduce cream slightly next time.
- Timing flexibility: Trust touch and look—crust firm to freeze but not frozen solid, cream cheese fluffy without lumps, whipped peaks glossy and stiff, pudding layer uniformly colored and thick. Too runny? Fold less or chill a bit longer before spreading. Smooth but aerated final topping. You’ll learn by feel and glance more than clock.
Cooking tips
Pressure on textures and sensory cues—crispy base cold to touch and audible crunch on prodding; creamy layer whipped silky smooth, no lumps visible, responds gently to a spatula slide without breaking apart. Whipped cream stiff peaks glossy and stable, with a pointed tip that don’t flop; folding carefully, methods matter here, no overmix or layers flatten and dessert collapses. Caramel pudding added must fully combine to uniform caramel color—streaks mean underfolding. Thickness should be scoopable, not runny, test with spoon lift. Last Cool Whip layer spread evenly but lightly, not collapsed or heavy, to balance density below. Garnish just before serving or chips soften and sauce sinks in. Chill after every layer to stabilize, preferably in fridge rather than freezer except base stage where quick firming helps. Hot knife in warm water slices neat squares without dragging layers. Experience shows timings are suggestions—texture is queen. Visuals and touch over clocks every time.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Press almond meal crust firmly but not crushed. Use a flat glass bottom. Listen for faint crunch when tapping after freezing 25+ minutes. Avoid soggy bottom by chilling well before layers.
- 💡 Whip heavy cream cold; peaks stiff but glossy keep structure. Chill bowl and beaters first. Fold cream gently in figure eight style to keep air, no stirring or fluff disintegrates fast.
- 💡 Mix caramel pudding completely with cream cheese layer until uniform color, no streaks. Too thin means more chilling or less cream next time. Texture should hold shape, scoopable mousse, not runny soup.
- 💡 Add butterscotch chips just before final layering and garnish. Early mixing risks melted chips or clumps. Sprinkle chips frozen on top for crunch; sauce drizzle glossy, no thick blobs.
- 💡 Knife warm water dipped for slicing neat edges. Chill layers at least one hour; two hours better for firmness. Folding technique key to layer stability. Overmix and volume dies, under chill and layers slump.
Common questions
How do I keep the crust crisp?
Freeze crust firmly before next layer. Press tight but not smashed. Chill long enough or soggy crust happens. Butter temp matters too; melted but cool.
Can I substitute Cool Whip?
Yes. Whip fresh cream with sugar and vanilla. Stabilize with gelatin or cream cheese if you want it firm. Cool Whip adds convenience but fresh is doable.
Why does cream cheese layer get grainy sometimes?
Powdered sugar lumps cause grit. Always sift sugar before adding. Beat cream cheese smooth no lumps first; mix medium speed only.
How to store leftovers?
Covered, refrigerated for 3-4 days. Can freeze but texture changes, chips soften. Thaw in fridge, don’t microwave or it melts layers. Best eaten chilled and fresh.
