No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna, an easy chocolate lasagna dessert recipe perfect year-round! This dessert lasagna recipe has a layer of homemade peanut butter filling and a layer of homemade chocolate filling with layers of graham crackers that turn almost cake-like. Easy ingredients and easy to make! Also known as an icebox cake or refrigerator cake, this chocolate and peanut butter lasagna is the best dessert for a crowd since it’s delicious and makes a lot. The best!
Thist No-Bake Peanut Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna recipe FAR exceeded my expectations when I first made it years ago. So much, in fact, I had to send most of it to work with my husband at the time before I ate it all. This layered no-bake chocolate lasagna dessert is the perfect potluck, holiday, Christmas, or anytime dessert recipe!
I know there are lots of chocolate lasagna recipes out there, but most don’t include peanut butter or at least didn’t when I first came up with this recipe. I thought about making a peanut butter lasagna recipe with no chocolate. but thought that might be a tad too much peanut butter. Chocolate and peanut butter recipes are one of my favorite combos so had to go with both!
Ohhh how I love chocolate and peanut butter don’t you? I have so many favorite chocolate and peanut recipes such as my Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Bars, Chunky Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies, this super popular Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake, and of course this chocolate lasagna recipe.
What is a Dessert Lasagna
Yes, I know dessert lasagna is not really like traditional pasta lasagna recipe so don’t send me hate mail. However, dessert lasagnas have layers. What’s in the layers can vary but definitely some sweet fillings.
Besides the sweet fillings, dessert lasagna generally has other layers of cookies (such as wafers or Oreos), sweet crackers, graham crackers, or something like that. When these “lasagnas” are refrigerated the cookie/cracker layer softens and becomes cake-like. So these graham crackers in this recipe almost taste like an easy graham cracker cake.
You may also know these type of desserts as “icebox cakes”, “refrigerator cake”, “graham cracker cake”, “graham cracker icebox cake”, or something along those lines.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
There are only 9 ingredients in this chocolate lasagna recipe so it’s quick and easy! All the ingredients should be easy to find at your local grocery store.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna Ingredients
- Mini chocolate chips – I think the mini chips work best but you could use chopped chocolate or regular chocolate chips and semi-sweet, bittersweet, or dark chocolate.
- Milk – Fat-free worked fine, but you could also use 2% or whole. I haven’t tried milk substitutes like almond milk or coconut milk, but they might work.
- Chocolate graham crackers – I used chocolate graham crackers but you could also use regular honey graham crackers. I do not recommend the cinnamon sugar ones.
- Cream cheese – Make sure it’s softened to room temperature so you don’t have lumps in your filling.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix – Make sure you get the INSTANT pudding mix and not the cook version. You could really use any flavor of pudding you’d like.
- Peanut butter – I think smooth peanut butter works best but you could use chunky. I would not recommend using a natural type of peanut butter but instead, use something like Skippy or Jif for the best results.
- Instant chocolate pudding mix – Again, make sure you get the instant mix and you could substitute any flavor.
- Whipped topping – I think this would work better than whipped cream and hold up better. Be sure to defrost it before using.
- Peanuts – I like the lightly salted peanuts but you could use unsalted.
How to Make a Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
- MAKE CHOCOLATE SAUCE (for the chocolate layer). Microwave some of the chocolate chips and milk, stir. Cool.
2. LAYER GRAHAM CRACKERS. Place 1/3 of graham crackers in the bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish
(make sure your pan is deep so it can fit all the layers)
I broke my graham crackers into quarters, but you really don’t need to. The graham crackers get soft (almost cake-like) with the filling so you could use full sheets of graham crackers then break some apart to fill in the edges. Do NOT worry if the pan is not completely covered in graham crackers, just spread them out a bit.
3. MAKE PEANUT BUTTER LAYER. Beat cream cheese, then add vanilla pudding mix and peanut butter. Slowly add milk. Spread over graham crackers.
VERY IMPORTANT, make sure your cream cheese is soft and at room temperature. Otherwise, the cream cheese and peanut butter filling will be lumpy when you try to mix everything together. Also while making the peanut butter filling, be sure to add the milk very SLOWLY to help prevent lumps as well.
4. LAYER OF GRAHAM CRACKERS. Place another 1/3 of graham crackers into a single layer on top of peanut butter filling.
5. PREPARE CHOCOLATE LAYER. Beat cream cheese, then slowly beat in chocolate pudding mix, chocolate sauce, and milk. Spread on top of graham crackers.
Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature and add the milk slowly. Also, make sure your chocolate sauce is completely cool before adding.
6. LAYER OF GRAHAM CRACKERS. Place another 1/3 of graham crackers into a single layer on top of chocolate filling. Spread whipped topping on top of crackers. Sprinkle chocolate chips and peanuts on top.
When you add the last layer of graham crackers, push down slightly if you need to make room for the whipped topping. This Peanut Butter Chocolate Lasagna may go all the way to the top of your pan that’s why I strongly recommend a deep pan.
7. REFRIGERATE. Cover and refrigerate.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil being careful it doesn’t stick to the top. Refrigerate the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna at least 4-6 hours or overnight. You really DO need to let this sit in the fridge for the filling to thicken and for the graham crackers to get soft.
Serving Suggestions
- Be sure to keep this lasagna in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- This dessert lasagna is fairly decadent so small pieces are probably more than enough.
- Serve with coffee or hot chocolate (like this peanut butter hot chocolate), or even your favorite chocolate cocktail (like these cute Chocolate Cake Shots).
- A drizzle of chocolate sauce or even raspberry, strawberry, or cherry on the plate would be a nice garnish.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Be sure to keep the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours or better yet overnight. The graham crackers need time to soften and become “cake-like”.
- When you’re cutting the lasagna into slices, you might want to clean your knife in between slices so that the layers don’t get too messy.
- This is a fairly soft dessert, so I would recommend using a big spatula to lift the lasagna out of the pan onto serving plates.
FAQ
How should I store the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna?
Store lightly covered in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze this dessert lasagna?
No, I would not recommend freezing it.
How long will the lasagna last?
It will last at least a few days in the fridge, but probably more like a week. The longer it sits though the “mushier” it gets.
Substitutions?
You can use any flavor of pudding you’d like. Be sure you use INSTANT pudding though. You can also use regular chocolate chips or chopped chocolate instead of mini chips.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
You can use low-fat milk. You could probably use light cream cheese but just make sure it’s fairly firm for best results so your layers aren’t too soupy.
What else can I add to this recipe?
You could add toffee chips or chopped candy. You could also use flavored extracts in the chocolate and/or peanut butter layers.
Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.
Vegan – This would be a tough one to make vegan but you can try using vegan ingredients including a cream cheese substitute.
Vegetarian – It’s vegetarian. Be sure to check individual brands/products just to be sure though.
Low-Carb – You can try a lower sugar pudding mix, low carb crackers/cookies, and sugar-free whipped topping for a slightly lower carb version.
Gluten-Free -Try a gluten-free cookie or cracker for the graham crackers.
Other Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes You May Enjoy
- Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cookie Poppers – A fun sandwich cookie with a secret ingredient.
- Mini Buckeye Cheesecakes – These little cheesecakes are full of chocolate and peanut butter.
- No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie – Another delicious no-bake dessert idea!
- Buckeye Thumbprint Cookies – These have become a family and reader favorite.
- Crack Bars – An easy candy recipe with chocolate graham crackers and peanut butter chips.
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna Video
Check out the video for this Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna to see how easy it is to put together…
Hope you enjoy this easy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna recipe! It’s the perfect holiday, Christmas, or potluck dessert since you can make it ahead and it feeds a lot!
Be sure to check out my Potluck Desserts for more great easy recipes. You might also like these no-bake Dipped Oreo Ice Cream Pops! This Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake is also a reader favorite!
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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna
Ingredients
- 12 ounces mini chocolate chips divided
- 3 1/2 cups milk divided
- 1 box (14 ounces) chocolate graham crackers
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 - 8 ounce blocks) room temperature, divided
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 3.4 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix
- 12 ounces frozen whipped topping defrosted
- 1 cup peanuts chopped
Instructions
- Place half of chocolate chips (6 oz) and 1/4 cup of milk in small bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth, set aside to cool.
- Place 1/3 of graham crackers into a single layer in the bottom of a deep 13x9-inch baking dish.
- Prepare peanut butter layer. Place 1 (8oz.) block cream cheese in large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla instant pudding mix and peanut butter until smooth. Very slowly add in 1 3/4 cups of milk while beating until well mixed and smooth. Spread mixture on top of graham crackers in baking dish.
- Place another 1/3 of graham crackers into a single layer on top of peanut butter filling.
- Prepare chocolate filling. Place remaining 1 (8oz.) block of cream cheese in large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Slowly beat in chocolate pudding mix, cooled chocolate sauce, and remaining 1 1/2 cups milk until smooth. Spread mixture on top of graham crackers in baking dish.
- Place remaining 1/3 of graham crackers into a single layer on top of chocolate layer. Spread whipped topping on top of graham crackers. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips then peanuts on top of whipped topping.
- Cover and refrigerate chocolate lasagna for at least 4-6 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
This post was originally published in December 2013, but updated in November 2020 with additional information.
Lsai says
My family is Gluten-free. We use Pamela’s brand gluten-free chocolate chip graham crackers. Can get them direct from Pamela’s website or their store within Amazon
MJ Fulton says
We have peanut allergy. Any substitute suggestion for the peanut butter layer?
Thanks.
Lisa Huff says
I would do another layer like the chocolate but just use a different flavor. Or if there’s another nut butter substitute you like that should work as well.
Alice says
Could I make this in two smaller pans and freeze one?
Lisa Huff says
I don’t think this would freeze well. Instead, I’d just cut the ingredients in half and make a small pan.
Bash wack says
Could I use caramel instead of peanut butter?
Lisa Huff says
Hmmmm, I haven’t tried it but you probably could. Caramel isn’t as thick so I’d try to use a very thick caramel and maybe not as much.
Kim Eul says
This is a great looking dessert but it’s missing sweetness. The cream cheese overpowers the pudding. I absolutely hate wasting money or food but this one went in the trash. Will definitely try again but with a few additions.
Lisa Huff says
Hmmm there’s quite a bit of sugar in the peanut butter, pudding mixes, chocolate chips, and whipped topping but if you like things extra sweet you could always add additional sugar such as powdered sugar in the layers.
Lindsay Cotter says
Love how easy this is to make! It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Hadia says
This looks incredibly tasty. I will save the recipe for a very special occasion! Thank you for sharing!
Christy says
I just made this last night and followed the instructions to a tee. I just opened the fridge and the chocolate graham crackers didn’t soak up anything. Help :(
Lisa Huff says
They shouldn’t really be soaked, just soft and almost cake like. If you put graham crackers on top without anything on the top of them they may not be as soft as the ones between the layers.
Maggie Unzueta says
You’re making me hungry… I think I just heard my tummy growl. lol!