Fat Man’s Delight-luscious layers of cheesecake filling, chocolate pudding and cool whip all on top of a pecan crust. Can easily be made low sugar/calorie.
We have to talk about this dessert. I can’t stand the name, Fat Man’s Delight. Honestly, I feel like I’m being insulting, so everyone, please do not take offence. I tried to think of a better name for this dessert. 4-layer delight. Cheesecake, Pudding, Coolwhip Dessert?
The name couldn’t just have chocolate in the name. It’s so much more than chocolate. And it couldn’t just be about the cheesecake, although I do love the cheesecake layer.
What makes this dessert so good is how all the flavors blend together in your mouth, not overpowering each other, fighting for the attention of your taste buds. So I just left the name alone. It’s what we’ve always called it.
You wanna know the real surprise flavor in this dessert? It’s the crust. No sugar in it so it completely balances the sweetness from the other layers. Those crunchy pecans are the perfect foundation to build this dessert on.
You can easily make this dessert a dieter’s dream. Just a few simple substitutions. Use sugar free pudding mix and the lower fat cream cheese and cool whip. Change out the powdered sugar for artificial sweetener and no one will ever notice the difference.
Fat Man’s Delight
Ingredients
for the crust
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup melted butter
cheesecake layer
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces cool whip
- 1 cup powdered sugar
pudding layer
- 1 box instant chocolate pudding (4 serving size)
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding (4 serving size)
- 3 cups milk
- additional 8 ounce cool whip for topping
Instructions
- Combine crust ingredients and press into a 9x13 baking pan. Don't worry if there are holes in the crust.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes. Lett cool completely.
- Cheesecake layer-Beat together cream cheese, and sugar then stir in cool whip until smooth. Spread evenly over crust.
- Pudding layer-combine both pudding mixes with milk and whisk until combined then stir for an additional 2 minutes until thickened. Spread over cheesecake layer.
- Top with additional cool whip.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
recipe source ChocolateChocolateandmore.com
Looking for other delightful fun desserts?
Chocolate Overload Loaded Brownies
Chocolate Malted Pudding from Crazy for Crust
Pam Bernard says
I make this all the time. It’s the one everyone ask for. We always called it Mountain Momma. Lol funny but the only difference is I use pecan sandies for the crust.
Kathy Pumeo says
LOVE the idea for using Pecan Sandies and would like that recipe for the crust! We have made this in my family for years and have always known it as Chocolate Lush or Lemon Lush, whatever anyone calls it doesn’t really matter as long as you MAKE it! It’s simply De-LUSH-ious! I like to add chocolate curls to the top of the Cool Whip layer for a bit of extra eye appeal. Pam, you MUST be from West Virginia, as I was, with calling it Mountain Momma, lol!
Jeremiah says
My sister found this recipe years ago in a magazine. There it was called “Brain Pudding.” I have no idea how it got such a terrible name! 😉
Sue says
I have been making this for about 36 years. But we call it “Texas Yum-Yum.” The only thing I do different is make a layer with the chocolate pudding and another layer with the vanilla pudding. The rest is all the same as yours. This past Christmas I made it with pumpkin pudding and vanilla pudding. Everyone love it.
Kelli says
We make this every Christmas for our Christmas dinner dessert. It’s that good!! A friend in college gave me the recipe originally, but called it Better than Sex Cake/Robert Redford Cake. Have to admit, many a serving have been eaten as leftovers for breakfast the morning after Christmas! It is wonderful!
Julie says
At our house we call it Charlesdessert after my husband because the rest of the family is lucky to get any of it.
Lisa says
Hi Joan,
Stumbled onto your site and love it! I can remember as a child the first time my Mama made this and she called it Chocolate Sin. Needless to say it was a big hit with all our family and became a tradition at all the family potlucks. After now being married myself over 30 years, it’s been a favorite go-to dessert in my family too. Have really enjoyed seeing all the different names from all over.
Linda says
Instead of Fat Man’s Delight, how about “I’ve Died and Gone to Heaven” or “Chocolate and So Much More”? As a fat woman, I know there must be another way to describe and enjoy it. 😎
Stephanie @ Plain Chicken says
I have a recipe that is very similar. I was actually planning on making it this weekend. Your version looks delicious!!
Jovanna says
What can I use instead of pecans some of family members have nut allergy.
Penny says
options for those with nut allergies:
Graham cracker crust.
(above made substituting your favorite crushed cookie-( Oreos. Vanilla Wafers, Oatmeal cookies, etc)
Coconut crust: mix 1 1/2 Cups flaked coconut & 3 Tbsp melted butter – press into pie pan, bake 15 min at 350 allow to cool before adding filling.) _ can also use your favorite flavor of Macaroons
Ritz cracker crust – follow recipe for graham cracker crust but substitute Ritz crackers. I use this for desserts that are complimented by something salty
Brownie crust ( a thin layer of brownies)
Homemade Chocolate chip cookie crust (a thin layer of choc chip cookie dough – bake until cookies are done – & let cool. After assembling dessert, let set for 12-14 hours to allow crust to absorb moisture from cake to soften it.
There are probably 100 other non-nut crusts you could use. Have fun!
Paula says
I have this same recipe but it is called “sex in a pan” which sounds way better than “fat man’s delight”
kathy chapman gates says
I’ve been making this for over 30 yrs. Here in East Tn. we call it “Holy Smoke”. First made it with butterscotch pudding, then with chocolate. My dad who was diabetic loved it, so I would use the fat free and sugarfree items to lighten It for him. No one could tell the difference.
Sandy Sheppard says
Love your recipes,I have made the chocolate dessert for over35 yrs and it is called Chocolate Delight in our family.No matter the name it is a favorite.I have grandchildren getting married and I write out several recipes for their collection,this is always included.
Rae says
We’ve always called it Chocolate Delight. And it is both chocolatety and delightful!
Jodi says
My mom used to make this 40 years ago and now I make it all the time. We’ve always called it Chocolate Ecstasy, and rightly so! It’s so luscious!
Helen Stafford says
It sounds delicious. I’m in the UK. Do you know if cool whip is available here (I’ve never seen it). If not what could I use as an alternative? Thanks
Joan Hayes says
Cool whip is a sweetened non dairy whipped topping so just whip some fresh whipping cream with a little sugar to taste for a substitute. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Helen Stafford says
Thank you
Tracy says
We’ve always called it “3 Steps to Heaven”. I use pecans or walnuts, and only chocolate pudding. My sister has used pistachio pudding and it was well received. Love this!! 🙂
Lorie says
Is there anything that can be used instead of pecans or other nuts? My kids can’t have them and I’ve got to make this! 🙂
Joan Hayes says
Just make a graham cracker crust for the bottom layer instead of the nut crust. Hope your kids enjoy it, mine can’t get enough of this!
Lorie says
Thank you!! I’ll be making it today and the kids are excited! 🙂
MamaT says
you can use graham cracker crust instead of nuts
Teresa Kastner says
I just made this yesterday for my Grandson & Son-in-law, while my Daughter is out of town on a business trip…They LOVED it!!!…I make this for potlucks, holidays, church dinners, etc…I have always known it as Chocolate Lush…Sounds better than Fat Man’s Dessert, don’t you think?
jerianne bateman says
I LOVE this desert! I’m asked to bring it to every get together we have! And have been asked for the recipe many times.
We call it Robert redford.
But the crust is graham crackers and melted butter and sugar. I don’t prefer the crust with nuts. Imo.
Mari says
I discovered this recipe in a magazine a few years ago and it was called “Better Than Robert Redford Dessert”. I just know it was heaven to eat!! The only difference being the chocolate and vanilla puddings were layered on separately.
Libby Dawn says
Ahhhh nothing could be better than Robert Redford himself! 🙂 I’ve had a crush on him since I was a kid in the 80’s. I always said I would marry him in my next life, he just didn’t know it yet! I’ve heard it called Burt Reynolds as well. I wonder what it would have been 80-100 years ago. My guess would be Clark Gable lol