Home » Desserts » Drumstick Layered Dessert

Drumstick Layered Dessert

This lush Drumstick Layered Dessert is a layered dessert that encapsulates everything we love about Drumstick ice cream cones. It begins with a golden crust made of vanilla wafers and chopped peanuts. It’s then topped with a creamy white chocolate cheesecake mousse and embellished with crushed waffle cones, peanuts and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. There’s no need to freeze this dessert, just chill thoroughly until it’s set then cut and serve.

Drumstick Layered Dessert


Easy Drumstick Layered Dessert Recipe

This sort of easy layered dessert is perfect for any potluck event. Whether it’s the holidays, a picnic or potluck party this dessert is sure to appeal. It’s not necessary to freeze this dessert, but you can if you like. How to make a Drumstick Layered Dessert: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Prepare Dish – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Crust – In a small mixing bowl toss together the vanilla wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, melted butter and granulated sugar. Press onto the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden and set. Cool completely.
  • Filling – Whip instant pudding with half and half plus vanilla until it’s beginning to thicken. Add the whipped cream cheese and whipping until smooth. Fold in the fresh whipped cream by hand.
  • Assemble – Spread the filling over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the filling with 1/2 of the reserved mini chocolate chips, 1/2 of the chopped peanuts and 1/2 of the crushed sugar cones. Set aside the remaining to garnish the top.
  • Chocolate Topping – Melt mini chocolate chips and heavy cream in the microwave in 20 second increments, stopping to stir each time. Repeat this process until smooth.
  • Cool the melted chocolate slightly. Drizzle over the first layer of chocolate chips, sugar cone pieces and peanuts.
  • Double the Topping – While the chocolate is soft, garnish the top with reserved peanuts, chocolate chips and sugar cone pieces.
  • Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight before cutting.
Drumstick Layered Dessert

How to Make the Best Drumstick Layered Dessert Recipe

This dessert is a fun way to serve familiar drumstick flavors to a crowd. They’ll love it!

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Drumstick Layered Dessert: The crust is made with crushed vanilla wafers, granulated sugar and melted butter. You could use crushed waffle cones but please note it will take a couple of boxes for making the crust and the crushed cones for the topping. You’ll also need two boxes of white chocolate instant pudding mix (you could also use cheesecake flavored) half and half, softened whipped cream cheese, vanilla extract, peanuts, chocolate chips melted with heavy cream to drizzle on top and 5 waffle cones broken into pieces.
  • Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A 13 x 9 inch baking dish, a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a large silicone spatula, a hand mixer or a stand mixer, a food processor or chopping board and knife to chop the peanuts.
  • In this recipe, I opted to use white chocolate instant pudding for the base of the mousse filling, usually found quite easily at my local grocery store including places like Walmart. However, if you’re unable to find that flavor cheesecake flavored instant pudding is a terrific substitute. I would choose that first over vanilla.
  • If you prefer, you can use crushed sugar cones for the crust instead of vanilla wafers in the same amount.  It takes an entire box of sugar cones just for the crust, hence the reason I went with vanilla wafers. I’ve made it both ways and either way it’s delish.
  • Do you like lots of hot fudge? Double the amount and you’ll be good to go! There’s no such thing as too much chocolate.
  • The waffle cones on top will naturally soften a bit when chilled. If you’re all about the crunch, assemble the Drumstick Layered Dessert and chill it in the refrigerator overnight. Add the waffle cones, peanuts and melted chocolate just before serving.
  • Store leftover Drumstick dessert chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Drumstick Layered Dessert

More Southern Style Layered Desserts to Make

Add these luscious desserts to your specials occasion dessert menu ASAP.

Thanks for visiting come back soon!

Disclosure ~ If  a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Helpful Kitchen Items:

Drumstick Layered Dessert

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chill time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: drumstick-layered-dessert, drumstick-layered-dessert-recipe
Servings: 16 pieces
Calories: 523kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • 2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (OR Sugar Cone Crumbs)
  • 1 cup chopped peanuts divided
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 2 3.4 oz box white chocolate instant pudding [i.e. Hershey's]
  • 4 cup cold half and half
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 16 oz whipped cream cheese softened
  • 2 cup sweetened fresh whipped cream or one 8 ounce frozen whipped topping thawed
  • 2 cups mini chocolate chips divided (Set aside 1 cup total for the ganache)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream for the ganache
  • 5 sugar cones roughly crushed

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a small mixing bowl, toss together the vanilla wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, melted butter and granulated sugar. Press onto the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden and set. Cool completely.
  • In a medium mixing bowl use a mixer to whip both boxes instant pudding with 4 cups half and half plus vanilla for 2-3 minutes until it's beginning to thicken.
  • Add the whipped cream cheese and continue to whip until smooth and combined.
  • Fold in the fresh whipped cream by hand. Spread evenly onto the crust.
  • Sprinkle the filling with 1/2 of the reserved mini chocolate chips, 1/2 of the chopped peanuts and 1/2 of the crushed sugar cones. Reserve the rest for the top.
  • Chocolate Ganache: Melt 1 cup mini chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of heavy cream in the microwave in 20 second increments, stopping to stir each time. Repeat this process until smooth.
  • Cool the melted chocolate slightly. Drizzle over the first layer of chocolate chips, peanuts and sugar cone pieces.
  • While the chocolate is soft finish the top with reserved chocolate chips, peanuts and sugar cone pieces. (Double Topping)
  • Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight before cutting.

Notes

  • The mini chocolate chips, peanuts and crushed sugar cone pieces are layered once on top of the filling and then again over the chocolate ganache to garnish.
  • You can freeze this Drumstick Dessert for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 755IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

55 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is delicious! Rivals one of my favorite layered desserts from childhood. However 20 min prep is wayyyyyy short an estimate. The crust alone takes 15-20 in the oven, then it has to cool. Prep time took my whole lunch break instead of just a small chunk of it 🙂

    1. Prep time and cooking time isn’t the same. Of course, the crust would need to cool, yes. Perhaps in the future, make the crust in advance to give it plenty of time to cool, then assemble.

  2. I made this today, and I thought something was missing, maybe more flavoring in the cream cheese mixture. I looked up the recipe again, and in your notes before the recipe, you stated “You’ll also need two boxes of white chocolate instant pudding mix (you could also use cheesecake flavored) half and half, softened whipped cream cheese, vanilla extract,” etc…..
    It’s missing the vanilla extract. Do you mix it in with the cream cheese before adding the cool whip?
    thank you in advance.

  3. Can I make my own white chocolate pudding and leave out the half and half? We can’t get that pudding mix in Canada.

  4. Entire family loved this! I used 4 cups of skim milk instead of heavy cream. Its definitely still sweet and yummy, just not as heavy. I also drizzled caramel topping on bottom for the crust before baking.
    THANK YOU so much for the recipe!

  5. I do not have whipped cram cheese – would I use2 blocks or just 1 block of cream cheese? I don’t want ahave to run store – I have everything else 🙂

    1. Yes, I have, of course. If you choose to do it with crushed waffle cones you’ll need about 3 boxes to make this dessert between the topping and the crust. I developed this recipe with wafers because the taste is very close and it’s more cost effective.Totally your choice, if you want to go that route.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating