This easy, no-bake Chocolate Peppermint Lasagna is the perfect recipe for the holidays when you need something that can feed a crowd and always gets rave reviews. Be prepared to share the recipe on this one because you're going to be getting a lot of requests.
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Peppermint is one of our favorite holiday flavors and it doesn't get better than peppermint & chocolate together in one delicious, creamy layered dessert like this one, which is also sometimes known as chocolate peppermint lush or chocolate peppermint delight.
It's obviously not really a lasagna, but it's lots of yummy vertical layers so when you slice it you can see the stripes of Oreo cookie crust, creamy no-bake peppermint cheesecake, chocolate pudding, and homemade whipped cream because we can do better than Cool Whip.
If you love peppermint desserts, you might also want to try our Frosted Peppermint Brownies, Peppermint Oreo Cookies, or Peppermint Marshmallows.
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Oreos - Just regular Oreos, filling and all, for the crust.
- Salted butter - This helps bind the crust together and adds a great flavor.
- Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses - These are one of our favorite seasonal items with the perfect amount of peppermint flavor and crunch. I prefer them over chopped candy canes in this dessert.
- Cream cheese - This is the base of the no-bake cheesecake layer so it's best to go with full-fat cream cheese. Make sure it is softened to room temperature so you don't end up with any lumps of unmixed cream cheese.
- Sugar - You'll need granulated sugar for the cheesecake layer and powdered sugar for the whipped cream.
- Chocolate pudding mix - You need two of the small boxes of instant chocolate pudding mix, not the cook & serve kind.
- Vanilla extract - Although peppermint is the primary flavor here, vanilla softens and rounds out the other flavors.
- Peppermint extract - You will need peppermint extract, not mint extract, which has more of a wintergreen flavor.
- Heavy cream - Real whipping cream has a much better taste than Cool Whip and makes all your homemade desserts even better!
How to Make This Recipe
- Unwrap and chop candy cane kisses.
- Place Oreo cookies, filling and all, into a food processor (affiliate link) and pulse until they are fine crumbs. This can also be done with a large ziploc bag and a rolling pin (affiliate link) instead. Add chopped candy cane Kisses and melted butter. Pulse again until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Press the crust mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and set in the freezer for 10 minutes while preparing the next layer.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Add milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat again until combined.
- Beat the heavy cream in a separate bowl until thickened and medium peaks start to form. Add half of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture along with the chopped candy cane kisses and fold together. Add remaining whipped cream and fold until evenly combined. The color from the Kisses should turn this layer a pink shade, but you could add a few drops of food coloring (affiliate link) for even more color, if desired (I didn't).
- Spread the cheesecake layer evenly over the set Oreo crust, then refrigerate or freeze while preparing the next layer.
- Combine both packages of instant chocolate pudding mix in a large bowl with the cold milk. Whisk or beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- Carefully pour the chocolate layer over the peppermint layer and spread to the edges of the pan. Transfer to the fridge to set up for at least 2-3 hours.
- Shortly before serving, make the whipped topping by beating the remaining heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until medium peaks form. Carefully spread the whipped cream over the set chocolate layer and sprinkle with the remaining chopped Candy Cane Kisses or crushed candy cane pieces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQ's
I don't recommend freezing this dessert because the layers are likely to break and separate as it thaws.
Yes, if you would like to use crushed candy canes for this recipe in place of the chopped Hershey's candy cane kisses, you certainly may. They are crunchier than the candy cane kisses and I feel like they are a little sharp on my mouth, so we prefer the slightly softer crunch of the candy cane kisses, but the choice is yours!
Tips for Success
- Leave enough time for the layers to set. If you try to rush this and serve it too early, the layers are likely to be soup and not hold their shape as well.
- Oreo cookie substitutions: You could use Golden Oreos instead of the classic Oreos for a different crust option that is not chocolate.
- Pudding flavors: If you want to change up the chocolate peppermint approach, you could use a vanilla pudding mix instead of chocolate.
How to Store Chocolate Peppermint Lasagna Dessert
Keep the chocolate peppermint lasagna in the refrigerator until just before you are ready to serve it. It can be stored in the fridge covered in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
More Christmas Dessert Recipes
- Peppermint Oreo Cookies
- Frosted Peppermint Brownies
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Peppermint Marshmallows
- Homemade Peppermint Patties
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 36 Oreo cookies
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- ¼ cup chopped Candy Cane Kisses
Peppermint Layer
- 1 (8-ounce) package full-fat cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cold milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chopped Candy Cane Kisses or ½ cup chopped candy canes
Chocolate Layer
- 2 (3.9-ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 ¾ cups cold milk
Top Layer
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Remaining chopped Candy Cane Kisses or additional chopped candy canes
Instructions
- Place Oreo cookies, filling and all, into a food processor (affiliate link) and pulse until they are fine crumbs. This can also be done with a large ziploc bag and a rolling pin (affiliate link) instead. Add chopped candy cane Kisses and melted butter. Pulse again until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Press the crust mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and set in the freezer for 10 minutes while preparing the next layer.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth.
- Add milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat again until combined.
- Beat the heavy cream in a separate bowl until thickened and medium peaks start to form. Add half of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture along with the chopped candy cane kisses and fold together. Add remaining whipped cream and fold until evenly combined. The color from the Kisses should turn this layer a pink shade, but you could add a few drops of food coloring (affiliate link) for even more color, if desired (I didn't).
- Spread the cheesecake layer evenly over the set Oreo crust, then refrigerate or freeze while preparing the next layer.
- Combine both packages of instant chocolate pudding mix in a large bowl with the cold milk. Whisk or beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- Carefully pour the chocolate layer over the peppermint layer and spread to the edges of the pan. Transfer to the fridge to set up for at least 2-3 hours.
- Shortly before serving, make the whipped topping by beating the remaining heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until medium peaks form. Carefully spread the whipped cream over the set chocolate layer and sprinkle with the remaining chopped Candy Cane Kisses or crushed candy cane pieces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Storage: Keep the chocolate peppermint lasagna in the refrigerator until just before you are ready to serve it. It can be stored in the fridge covered in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
