If you were attending a party in the 1970s or 80s, there’s a good chance this dessert made an appearance on the table and there’s an equally good chance it was the first thing to disappear. Robert Redford Dessert (which you might know as “Better Than Robert Redford”) is a vintage layered dessert that became a potluck and church cookbook staple during the height of Robert Redford’s fame. The idea makes sense: name the most irresistible dessert you can think of after the most irresistible man of the era. The trend may have passed, but the deliciousness of this dessert hasn’t faded one bit.
What Ingredients Do You Need for Robert Redford Dessert?
It’s made up of four dreamy layers, and one simple ingredient list. You’ll need:
All-purpose flour.
Unsalted butter.
Finely chopped walnuts. (These go into the crust and give it an irresistible nutty crunch!)
Cream cheese.
Powdered sugar.
Two containers of frozen whipped topping, like Cool Whip. (One goes in the filling, one goes on top.)
One package of instant chocolate pudding mix.
One package of instant vanilla pudding mix.
Milk.
And a little grated semisweet chocolate for garnish.
Why two pudding flavors?
The combination of chocolate and vanilla pudding layered together is what gives this dessert its classic, old-school flavor that’s somehow greater than the sum of its parts. It gives the dessert the comfort of chocolate without it overwhelming the dish.
How Do You Make Robert Redford Dessert?
This dessert comes together in four simple layers and while it does need a couple of hours to chill before you serve it, the actual hands-on time is minimal. It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert for a gathering — just assemble it, pop it in the fridge, and let it do its thing. When you’re ready to serve it, it’s ready too!
Here’s how you make it:
Start with the crust. Cut the butter into the flour and mix in the chopped walnuts. Press that mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 pan, and bake until golden. Let it cool completely before moving on — this is important so the layers above it don’t melt into each other. This is the only part you need to bake but it helps it maintain a sturdy base during the chilling time.
Next, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until they’re smooth and fold in one container of whipped topping. Spread that over your cooled crust for the first creamy layer. Then whisk up both pudding mixes with the milk until it has thickened and spread that over the cream cheese layer. Easy peasy!
Last but not least, spread the remaining container of whipped topping over everything and refrigerate it for at least two hours, though you can make this a day ahead if you need to. When you’re ready to serve, finish it off with a sprinkling of grated chocolate for a final flourish.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chopped
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 (8 oz each) containers frozen whipped topping, thawed (such as Cool Whip)
1 (5.1 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (5.1 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
1/8 cup semisweet chocolate, grated
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut the cutter into the flour with two forks, a pastry cutter, or your fingers, then mix in the chopped nuts until combined. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool while you work on the filling.
In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Fold in one container of whipped topping until well mixed. Spread over the cooled crust.
In a clean bowl, whisk together the chocolate and vanilla puddings with the milk. Whisk until mixture has thickened, then spread over cream cheese layer.
Spread remaining whipped topping over the top, then cover and chill until ready to serve, but at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, garnish with grated chocolate. Enjoy!
