This Christmas Dessert Lasagna is made with delicious layers of red velvet brownies and vanilla pudding, and topped with tangy peppermint. It’s a colorful dessert that will wow your friends and family.
If you love this Christmas Poke Cake, then this is the recipe for you. The red velvet brownie base is fudgy, soft and chewy, while the vanilla pudding layer adds a creamy texture. You won’t regret making this sweet treat!
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Peppermint Lasagna
Peppermint is a popular flavor for Christmas desserts, and this lasagna is no exception. But did you know that peppermint has health benefits such as reducing symptoms of the common cold, improving digestion, and reducing stress?
Why I Love This Recipe
This delicious Christmas Dessert Lasagna is made with layers of red velvet brownies and vanilla pudding, topped off by tangy peppermint. It’s a colorful treat that will impress your friends or family members during the holidays!
- Easy to make
- Always a hit at parties
- Looks beautiful on a plate
- Fills the house with a delicious aroma
If you love Christmas recipes like this one, then you may also enjoy these Christmas Hot Cocoa Cookies.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy dessert recipe. These ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store, or you may already have some of them in your pantry.
- red velvet cake mix – I like to use the Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix, however you can use any brand that you have on hand.
- cream cheese – I’ve found that full fat cream cheese works best in this recipe. You will also need the block of cream cheese and not the whipped cream cheese.
- candy canes – Peppermint-flavored candy canes are best for this recipe to get the delicious peppermint flavor.
- green food coloring – I like to use green gel food coloring because it gives the best color and doesn’t make your dessert runny.
Substitutions
Cake Mix: If you are not a fan of red velvet cake, you can use a vanilla or white cake mix, and add red food coloring to turn it red.
Peppermints: If you don’t have candy canes on hand you can use crushed peppermints or starlight mints instead.
Variations / Options / Add-Ins
Here are a few ways that you can personalize this delicious dessert recipe.
Chocolate Chips: Add more chocolate flavor to your brownie mix by folding in some chocolate chips to the batter.
Peppermint: If you are not a fan of peppermint you can leave them out all together.
Marshmallows: This would be an amazing addition to this recipe! Just sprinkle some mini marshmallows on top before baking for an ooey gooey treat.
Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
You only need a few kitchen tools to help you make this delicious recipe.
- 13×9 casserole dish – I like to use a glass or ceramic baking dish to make this sweet treat.
- large bowl – You will need a large mixing bowl to make this recipe.
How to Make Christmas Dessert Lasagna
Making this dessert lasagna is so simple. Just follow the instructions below and you will have a wonderful holiday dessert that your whole family will enjoy.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare a baking dish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13×9 pan.
Step 2: Mix together the cake mix and wet ingredients
In a large bowl, mix cake mix, butter, and egg.
Step 3: Press the brownie batter into the bottom of the pan
Press brownie dough into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
Step 4: Bake the brownies
Place in oven for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Cool the brownies and make the cream cheese layer
While the brownie layer is cooling, beat cream cheese and sugar together and add 1/4 cup milk.
Step 6: Fold in half of the Cool Whip and candy canes
Fold in one container of Cool Whip and the crushed candy canes.
Step 7: Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownies
Spread the peppermint cheesecake layer evenly over the cooled brownie layer and place in the refrigerator.
Step 8: Mix the pudding
In a large bowl, whisk the milk and the instant pudding mixes together and add green gel color until happy with the shade.
Step 9: Pour the pudding over the cream cheese and chill
Pour the green pudding layer over the cream cheese layer and place it back into the refrigerator to set up for at least 4 hours.
Step 10: Top with remaining Cool Whip
When ready to serve, top with the 2nd container of Cool Whip and top with sprinkles for the final layer. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this dessert lasagna with other festive treats like these Christmas Cake Mix Cookies or a cup of these Christmas Hot Cocoa Bombs.
Pro Tips
Here are a few tips to make sure that your Christmas Lasagna turns out perfectly every time that you make it.
- Be sure to chill the dessert for at least 4 hours before serving. This allows the layers to set up and get nice and chilled.
- You can also make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before you plan on serving it.
- If you want more of a peppermint flavor, feel free to add in extra candy canes.
- For more peppermint flavor you can add a few drops of peppermint extract to your cream cheese mixture.
- If you want to change up the usual vanilla flavor, white chocolate pudding can also be used instead of vanilla pudding.
- If you need to cool this dessert quickly you can store it in the freezer for about an hour and a half instead of the fridge.
- Be sure to spray your baking pan well with nonstick cooking spray or grease it with butter or shortening so that your dessert removes easily from the pan.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this whimsical layered dessert recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
This recipe should be stored in the refrigerator. It will last up to 24 hours before needing to be thrown away or consumed.
No, if you prefer a different flavor of cake mix, feel free to substitute that into the recipe instead. However, since it is the red layer, you will need to add some food coloring if you want to keep the holiday colors.
The only way that you can use whipped cream is if you use stabilized whipped cream.
More Christmas Recipes
If you like Christmas desserts, give these recipes a try:
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📋 Recipe
Christmas Dessert Lasagna
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces Red Velvet Cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 egg
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
- 2 3/4 cups milk divided
- 16 ounces Cool Whip
- 6.8 ounces Vanilla Instant Pudding
- Green gel food coloring
- Christmas themed sprinkles and crushed candy canes for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix cake mix, butter and egg.
- Press brownie dough into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
- Place in oven for 15 minutes.
- While the brownie layer is cooling, beat cream cheese and sugar together and add 1/4 cup milk.
- Fold in one container of Cool Whip and the crushed candy canes.
- Spread evenly over the cooled brownie layer and place in refrigerator.
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk and the pudding mixes together and add green gel color until happy with the shade.
- Pour the pudding over the cream cheese layer and place back into the refrigerator to set up at least 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, top with the 2nd container of Cool Whip and top with sprinkles. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Be sure to chill the dessert for at least 4 hours before serving. This allows the layers to set up and get nice and chilled.
- You can also make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before you plan on serving it.
- If you want more of a peppermint flavor, feel free to add in extra candy canes.
- For more peppermint flavor you can add a few drops of peppermint extract to your cream cheese mixture.
- If you want to change up the usual vanilla flavor, white chocolate pudding can also be used instead of vanilla pudding.
- If you need to cool this dessert quickly you can store it in the freezer for about an hour and a half instead of the fridge.
- Be sure to spray your baking pan well with nonstick cooking spray or grease it with butter or shortening so that your dessert removes easily from the pan.