Candy cane lush is a creamy, no bake Christmas dessert with layers of whipped topping, fluffy peppermint cheesecake, and creamy pudding nestled on a graham cracker crust. It’s easy to make ahead and perfect for holiday parties, Christmas dinners, or anytime you need a crowd pleasing dessert without adding another baking project to your busy holiday schedule.

The season of mint-er is fast approaching.

And nothing says mint-er and the holiday season in general quite like candy canes.

If you’re looking for an easy Christmas dessert packed with the flavor of the season that doesn’t require the oven, this candy cane lush is it.

It’s packed with festive candy flavor, creamy layers, and a touch of Christmas magic.

At least that’s what it feels like since you don’t have to so much as turn on the oven to make this sweet, homemade dessert.

Plus, it’s one of those desserts you can make a day ahead so the layers have plenty of time to chill and set and gives you the opportunity to take something off your busy holiday plate the day of your festivities.

Ingredients

To make these you’ll need a few sets of ingredients for the different layers.

For the crust you’ll need:

Graham cracker crumbs– Either storebought or pulse about 15 whole sheets of graham crackers to make 2 cups.
Butter– Unsalted butter, melted.

For the cheesecake layer you’ll need:

Cream cheese– Softened to room temperature.
Powdered sugar– Do not substitute granulated sugar. It will be gritty.
Peppermint extract– There are several varieties of mint extract. Be sure you’re using peppermint for the candy cane flavor.
Food coloring– Red.

Next for the pudding layer, you’ll need:

Instant pudding mix– A 3.4 ounce package of vanilla instant pudding mix.
Milk– Cold.
Whipped topping– The kind you find in the freezer section like Cool Whip. Thaw it.
Red food coloring

And for the topping you’ll need:

Whipped topping– Again, you’ll need the kind from the freezer section like Cool Whip. Thaw it.
Crushed Candy Canes

How to Make

Making this candy cane lush is pretty easy if you take it one step at a time.

Start by making the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a medium mixing bowl.

Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9×9-inch baking dish.

Refrigerate the crust while preparing the layers.

Once you’ve made the crust, make the cheesecake layer.

To do that, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl until the cream cheese is smooth.

Beat in the powdered sugar and peppermint extract.

Stir in a few drops of red food coloring until it’s your desired shade of red.

Then fold in 2 cups of Cool Whip to make the mixture light and fluffy.

Spread the red cheesecake layer evenly over the chilled crust and spread the remaining Cool Whip from the tub over the top of the red layer.

Pop it back in the fridge while you make the pudding layer.

To make the pudding layer, whisk the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk together until it thickens.

Stir in red food coloring until the pudding is your desired shade of red.

Spread the red pudding layer evenly over the cheesecake layer.

Finish the candy cane lush by spreading Cool Whip evenly over the pudding layer and sprinkling crushed candy canes over top.

Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours or until fully set.

Slice and serve chilled.

Enjoy!

Storing

Store leftovers covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve so the creamy layers stay firm and hold their shape.

Tips and Tricks

You can also make this dessert a day ahead so you can take pressure off of holiday entertaining. Just keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
The food coloring is optional. You could just top the dessert with crushed candy canes for a more subtly festive flair.
Have a little fun with it. You could substitute Oreos for the graham cracker crust for a chocolate peppermint situation.

Other No Bake Holiday Desserts

Candy cane lush is a delicious dessert you can put together without turning on your oven.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other no bake holiday desserts?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this CANDY CANE LUSH or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

Candy Cane Lush

Candy cane lush is a creamy, no bake Christmas dessert with layers of whipped topping, fluffy peppermint cheesecake, and creamy pudding nestled on a graham cracker crust. It's easy to make ahead and perfect for holiday parties, Christmas dinners, or anytime you need a crowd pleasing dessert without adding another baking project to your busy holiday schedule.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Chill Time: 4

Total Time: 4 30

Servings:

Calories: 530kcal

Author: Meaghan - The Quicker Kitchen

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

For the Cheesecake Layer

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red food coloring

For the Pudding Layer

1 3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
1 3/4 cups cold milk
2 cups whipped topping thawed
Red food coloring

For the Topping

2 8 oz tubs whipped topping thawed
crushed candy canes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make The Crust

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9x9-inch baking dish.
Refrigerate the crust while preparing the layers.

To Make The Cheesecake Layer

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
Add the powdered sugar and peppermint extract, and mix until well combined.
1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Add a few drops of red food coloring until the desired shade of red is achieved.
Red food coloring
Fold in 2 cups of thawed whipped topping until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2 cups whipped topping
Spread the red cheesecake layer evenly over the chilled crust
Spread the remaining whipped topping from the container over the top of the red layer.

To Make The Pudding Layer

In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk until thickened, about 2 minutes.
1 3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix, 1 3/4 cups cold milk
Add a few drops of red food coloring until the desired shade of red is achieved.
Red food coloring
Spread the red pudding layer evenly over the cheesecake layer.

To Make The Topping

Spread the remaining container of Cool Whip evenly over the pudding layer.
2 8 oz tubs whipped topping
Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top for a festive touch.
crushed candy canes
Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.
Slice and serve chilled.

Notes

You can also make this dessert a day ahead so you can take pressure off of holiday entertaining. Just keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
The food coloring is optional. You could just top the dessert with crushed candy canes for a more subtly festive flair.
Have a little fun with it. You could substitute Oreos for the graham cracker crust for a chocolate peppermint situation.