This 4-layer no bake recipe Chocolate Cherry Lush dessert is going to steal your heart and your tastebuds! It’s full of classic flavors, including a chocolate cookie Oreo crust, a chocolate cheesecake layer that is rich and creamy, and easy cherry pie filling. Guests will go wild once they have the first taste!
One reason I love making desserts like this one is because they are super simple! It takes just 20 minutes to put the lush together and is absolute heaven on your taste buds. My Chocolate Lasagna is similar to this recipe, and everyone goes crazy over it.
While chocolate and cherries may remind you of Valentine’s day, no-bake recipes like this one are great for the warmer months since it’s hot enough without turning the oven on! You can also prep chocolate cherry lush ahead of time and it freezes well!
Since you are going to be loading up on cherry pie filling, grab a few extra cans so you make these Cherry Pie Bars.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love Chocolate Cherry Lush:
- The most simple reason…Chocolate and Cherry are the best duo!
- Very easy dessert to make and its quick.
- Since this is no bake- it’s perfect on a warm summer day. Refreshing and delicious.
🍒 Ingredients:
- Oreos – for the Oreo cookie crust.
- Salted butter – salted is best to bring out the flavors.
- Cream cheese – adds richness to the cheesecake layer.
- Powdered sugar – to sweeten the cheesecake layer.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – to make the cheesecake layer chocolate!!
- Vanilla extract – enhances flavors.
- Half ‘n’ half – also for the cheesecake layer, this thickens it.
- Cherry pie filling – choose your favorite brand
- Cool Whip – thawed for ease of spreading
- Chocolate sprinkles and maraschino cherries for garnish
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Substitutions and Variations
- This would also be quite yummy with a graham cracker crust instead.
- If you are not a cherry fan, you can double the chocolate cheesecake layer in this recipe OR switch things up by using strawberry filling instead of cherry.
- Garnish options: You can go wild on this and choose your favorites: oreo cookies, m&m’s, sprinkles, chocolate chips, graham crackers, graham cracker crumbs…
- For the swirls on top, we use cool whip. However, if you want a more detailed swirl, you can make a batch of whipped cream instead.
- For the cheesecake layer, if you don’t have half ‘n’ half, whole milk can be substituted.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter.
Step 1: Add the Oreos to a bowl of a food processor and turn on until the Oreos are fine crumbs, then add the melted butter.
Step 2: Press the cookie crumbs firmly into the bottom of the dish and place it in the freezer while you make the next layer.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, with a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and cream until cream cheese mixture it’s smooth and fluffy.
Step 4: Then gently spread the chocolate cheesecake layer over the chilled cookie crumb layer.
Pro Tip: If the cheesecake layer appears too soft, you can chill the dish in the freezer for 15 minutes or so between each layer to help firm up the surface.
Step 5: Spread the cherry filling over the cheesecake layer using a spatula. Be careful, the cheesecake layer is soft. You can chill layers between each addition to make it easier to spread the next layer on top of the previous.
Step 6: Top with a layer of Cool Whip. Reserve a cup of whipped topping if you are going to pipe swirls on top.
Step 7: Add the chocolate sprinkles.
Step 8: Use a #1M tip and piping bag to make 16 soft swirls on top. Let the lush freeze for at least 2 hours so it firms up.
Step 9: Add cherries to each whipped topping swirl!
Step 10: Cut around each cool whip and cherry swirl and serve!
Recipe Tips for Cherry Cheesecake Lush
- To make the chocolate layer sweeter, add more powdered sugar.
- Be sure to allow enough time for the cream cheese to soften. It’s easier to mix and it makes a smoother layer.
- This chocolate cherry dessert slices easiest and cleanest for serving when it is just slightly frozen.
Recipe FAQs
Refrigerate the lush in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days.
YES, you can freeze this chocolate cherry dessert for up to 3 months. I’d suggest to cover it with plastic wrap and then cover in an airtight container. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before serving
MORE Cheesecake Recipes
If you tried this Chocolate Cherry Lush Recipe or any other easy recipes on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
No Bake Chocolate Cherry Dessert Lush
Ingredients
Oreo Crust Ingredients:
- 1 – 14.3 oz. package of chocolate sandwich cookies approximately 36 cookies
- ⅓ cup salted butter melted (plus more for greasing the pan)
Chocolate Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:
- 16 ounces of cream cheese softened
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ½ cup half ‘n’ half ⅓ cup whole milk can be substituted
Other Ingredients:
- 2- 21 oz. cans cherry pie filling
- 16 oz. tub of frozen whipped topping Cool Whip, thawed
- Chocolate sprinkles optional
- 16 maraschino cherries optional
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 glass baking dish with butter and set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulverize the Oreo cookies until small even crumbs form. Add the melted butter to the cookie crumbs and pulse until combined.
- Press the crust mixture into the prepared baking dish and place it in freezer to chill while preparing the next layer.
- With a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and the cream. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Spread the chocolate cheesecake layer over the chilled crust.
- Use a spatula to carefully spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the cheesecake layer (if the cheesecake layer appears too soft, you can chill the dish in the freezer for 15 minutes or so between each layer to help firm up the surface.
- Top with the Cool Whip, reserving about a cup to pipe swirls on top of the lush if you wish.
- Spread the Cool Whip smooth. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles.
- Use a piping bag and tip #1M to pipe 16 soft swirls of Cool Whip on top of the lush.
- Place the lush in the freezer to firm up for at least 2 hours.
- Gently place a cherry on top of each piped swirl.
- Cut into pieces and serve.
Notes
- To make the chocolate layer sweeter, add more powdered sugar.
- Be sure to allow enough time for the cream cheese to soften. It’s easier to mix and it makes a smoother layer.
- This chocolate cherry dessert slices easiest and cleanest for serving when it is just slightly frozen.
Nutrition
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