🍒 Cherry Cheesecake Lush

A decadent, layered “no-stress” dessert featuring a nutty crust, creamy cheesecake pudding, and vibrant cherry topping.

The Nutty Crust:

The Creamy Layers:

The Topping:

Prepare the Base: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, finely chopped pecans, and melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan.
Bake and Cool: Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. This is crucial to prevent your layers from melting!
The Cheesecake Layer: In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 ½ cups of the whipped topping. Spread this evenly over the cooled crust.
The Pudding Layer: In another bowl, whisk together the two boxes of cheesecake pudding mix, the milk, and 1 cup of whipped topping until thickened and smooth. Layer this carefully over the cream cheese mixture.
The Cherry Finish: Gently spread the cherry pie filling over the pudding layer.
Final Flourish: Top the cherries with the remaining whipped topping and sprinkle the 1/2 cup of chopped pecans over the top.
The Big Chill: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though overnight is best to let the layers set firmly for those perfect, clean slices.

Soften the Cheese: Ensure your cream cheese is truly at room temperature to avoid tiny white lumps in your “lush” layer.
Clean Slices: Wipe your knife with a warm, damp cloth between each cut to keep the layers looking sharp and professional.
Twist it up: As you mentioned, you can easily swap the cherries for blueberries or even lemon curd for a citrusy version!