Christmas Lush Dessert with Gingerbread
The holiday season is all about the desserts! But just because you need to make a sweet treat for your next party doesn't mean you have to spend hours in a hot kitchen! With this no-bake Christmas lush dessert, your party guests can enjoy a gingerbread-flavored treat that doesn't require you to turn on your oven. Just layer the crust, pudding, and whipped cream in a baking dish, pop it in the fridge, and your holiday dessert is ready to eat!
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What Do I Need to Make This Christmas Lush Dessert?
With all the flavor of a classic gingerbread dessert without all the hard work, this fun Christmas treat is sure to be a hit at your next get-together. And the best part about this simple gingerbread-flavored snack is that you can make it with just a few supplies from the store, including:
- Graham crackers
- Butter
- Instant vanilla pudding mix
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Milk
- Cool Whip
- Gingersnap cookies
How Do I Make This Gingerbread Lush Dessert?
Since there's no baking involved in this simple gingerbread dessert, you can whip it up in a matter of minutes. All you have to do is follow these four easy steps to prepare a delicious make-ahead treat for your next Christmas celebration.
Step One: Prepare the Crust
Get the pan ready for your dessert by lightly greasing it with nonstick cooking spray. Then, place your graham crackers in the bowl of your food processor and pulse on high until they are a medium-fine consistency. Transfer the graham cracker crumbs to a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Mix the two ingredients together until they start to stick and form a sandy consistency. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and press it into the pan until the crust is firm.
Step Two: Make the Pudding
Add the pudding mix, cinnamon, ground ginger, and milk to a medium bowl. Beat the ingredients together for about two minutes until the pudding begins to thicken. Then, let the pudding stand for five minutes to continue thickening. When the pudding has thickened, fold in half the Cool Whip until the two components are well mixed and no streaks appear.
Step Three: Layer the Dessert
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Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the prepared crust, then add the remaining whipped topping. Spread the topping evenly over the pudding layer.
Step Four: Chill the Lush
Place the prepared dessert in the refrigerator to chill for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. When you're ready to serve the dessert, garnish with crushed gingersnap cookies.
What is a Lush Dessert?
A lush dessert is typically a no-bake recipe with layers of ingredients to create a sweet lasagna-inspired treat. It typically consists of a graham cracker crust topped with pudding, cheesecake, or Jello. The dessert is then topped with whipped cream and garnishes to complete the flavor profile.
Since this Christmas lush is inspired by the holiday season, its layers include:
- Graham cracker crust made up of crushed graham crackers and butter
- Vanilla pudding seasoned with gingerbread flavors, like ground ginger and cinnamon
- Whipped topping garnished with crushed gingerbread cookies for added holiday flavor
Christmas Lush Dessert Ideas
The holiday season is the perfect time to whip up a no-bake treat inspired by the holidays! With these easy recipe ideas, you can create a delicious gingerbread dessert that everyone is sure to love.
- Use different ingredients for the crust. Graham cracker crumbs are a classic choice when making lush, but you can also use crushed golden Oreos, vanilla wafers, or chocolate graham crackers to create your no-bake crust.
- Add some decorations to the top of the cake. Gingerbread cookie crumbles are a great way to add even more holiday flavor to your dessert. You add some holiday cheer by decorating your dessert with Christmas sprinkles, cinnamon, crushed graham crackers, or whole gingerbread cookies.
- Decorate the crust. In addition to decorating the top of your lush, you can also add a pop of Christmas color to your crust! Mix some red and green sprinkles into the crust for extra holiday spirit.
How Do You Store Christmas Lush?
This delicious dessert is going to be the star of your holiday celebration! But if you have some leftovers after the party, they should be kept in the refrigerator. You can cover the dish with plastic wrap or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Then, store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Can I Make Christmas Lush Ahead of Time?
One of the best things about this easy recipe is that it's perfect for prepping in advance. You Christmas lush can be made up to one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. In fact, the dessert tastes even better when it's prepared ahead of time because it gives the layers time to meld and set-up properly. For best results, leave off the gingerbread cookie crumbles until you're ready to serve your cake.
Christmas Lush Dessert with Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 30 sheets Graham crackers
- 9 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup milk
- 16 oz cool whip thawed
- gingersnap cookies crushed (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan and set aside.
- Place your graham crackers in a food processor on high until they are a medium-find consistency.
- Pour graham crackers crumbs into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Pour melted butter over the crumbs and mix well until you have a sand-like consistency. 5. Pour your crumbs into the 9x13 pan and press to make the crust. Set aside 6. In a mixing bowl mix together your pudding mix, cinnamon, ground ginger and milk. Mix for about 2 minutes or until thick and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Fold in 1 package of cool whip with a spatula. Spread evenly over the crust. 8. Top with the remaining package of cool whip.
- Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight if possible.
- Garnish with crushed gingersnap cookies before serving (optional)
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
