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Oma's Black Forest Dessert  (Schwarzwälder Kirsch Dessert)

This Black Forest Dessert is one the easiest dessert recipes. It uses soda crackers, instant chocolate pudding and Cool Whip. Top it off with Cherry Pie Filling. 

Ingredients:

• 1 14-ounce (200-250 gram) package of unsalted soda crackers (about 4 sleeves)
• 1 4-ounce (113 gram) box instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups (480 milliliters) milk (for pudding)
• 1 large 12-ounce tub (1 liter) Cool Whip or whipped topping
• 1 21-ounce (595 grams) can of cherry pie filling

Instructions:

1. Line bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with half the soda crackers.
2. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions. Gently spread half of the pudding over the crackers.
3. Gently spread half the tub of Cool Whip over pudding.
4. Cover the Cool Whip layer with a layer of remaining soda crackers.
5. Gently spread remaining pudding over crackers. Cover with remaining Cool Whip.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
7. Serve, topping each piece with some cherry filling.

Notes/Hints:

• If you use sugar-free Jell-O instant pudding mix, your package will weigh less. Use the package instructions to make your pudding with as much milk as the package says. If it's 3 cups (720 milliliters), then your pudding layer will be nice and thick. See the section "Can you use sugar-free instant pudding?" in the post above for more info.
• To get thicker chocolate layers as shown, I used 2 packages of regular Jell-O instant pudding mix (not sugar-free) with 4 cups (960 milliliters) of milk as per package instructions.
• I prefer to use whole milk (3.5%) to get a rich-tasting pudding. You can use 2% if you prefer. 
• Use low-fat Cool Whip, low-fat pudding, and low-fat milk if you need a low-fat version.
• Yes, you can use homemade whipped cream frosting instead of Cool Whip. Whip up 2 cups (480 milliliters) of heavy cream with 2 packages of Dr. Oetker's Whip It (to stabilize it), adding sugar to taste.
• Add this recipe to your list of quick Christmas recipes. Since you can make it ahead of time, preferably the day before, there's no hassle the day of the party.
• Add a little bit of almond extract to the chocolate pudding for some added deliciousness to the pudding mixture.
• Drizzle with some chocolate sauce or sprinkle chocolate shavings or chocolate chips for added pizzazz!
• Try the original version of this with vanilla pudding and pineapple. A summertime (or anytime) treat.

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Recipe updated August 24, 2026