Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert

 

To me a really good and rich dessert always involves peanut butter and chocolate. If you're allergic to peanut butter, I'm sorry. But if you aren't, this recipe is so close to home made ice cream. I sometimes freeze this and eat it throughout several weeks. Like the name says, it's rich so it forces you to have to break it up and eat it over the course of a while, usually only lasts about a week around here but, you get the idea. My husband requests it at every birthday of his, if that says something. Here it is. Enjoy and I'd love to hear your feedback when you've tried it.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup confectioner sugar (if using cream cheese)
1 carton (13 ounces) frozen whipped topping
15 miniature peanut butter cups chopped (or any candy bars you like)
1 cup cold milk
1 package of cream cheese, softened (or replace with a package of vanilla pudding mix for less fat)
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix ( In the recipe for the picture above I used a chocolate fudge cake and added 1 package of chocolate fudge pudding mix in the cake)
20 chocolate cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided (or you could use cake cubes for less calories)
2 tbsp butter melted

Crush 16 cookies, toss with the butter (or if you're using cake, cut up cake into bite size cubes)
Place on the bottom of a glass trifle dish or glass 9-in. square dish.
Beat cream cheese (or vanilla pudding according to package instruction), peanut butter and 1 cup confectioner's sugar (leave out if substituting with vanilla pudding) until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over cookies or cake cubes. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups or your favorite candy bar. Repeat if you only want 2 layers. Continue onto the next step if you want more layers.
In another mixing bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix, whipped topping and remaining confectioner's sugar. Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cookies or cake crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Serve cold or frozen.