Chocolate eclair cakes were a staple dessert when I was growing up. I make them on occasion for my family and friends. Everyone loves them! But, here’s the secret, they are soooo easy to make.
Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe
The recipe only requires a few ingredients and about 15 minutes to put it together. However, you should make the dessert a day ahead in order to give it time to set up. Here’s the recipe if you can eat dairy and gluten. Scroll down for the alternate version.
Ingredients:
- 2 packages of vanilla instant pudding (8 oz)
- 1 container cool whip (not the spray can type)
- 3 cups of milk
- 1 box of graham crackers
- 1 jar of chocolate fudge topping
Directions
- In a mixing bowl, add the pudding, cool whip, and milk. Use a hand mixer to beat the ingredients for 2-3 minutes.
- Layer graham crackers in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.
- Spread out ⅓ of the pudding mixture on top of the layer of graham crackers.
- Alternate layers with graham crackers and pudding. The top layer should be graham crackers.
- Heat up the jar of chocolate fudge topping in the microwave without the lid for 45 seconds.
- Spread the fudge pudding on top of the graham crackers.
- Cover and place in the fridge for 5 hours.
- Serve cold.
Dairy-Free/ Gluten-Free Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe
Since I can’t eat dairy or gluten, I made a dairy-free, gluten-free chocolate eclair cake that I could enjoy. Here’s how I did it:
Dairy Free/Gluten Free Ingredients
- 1 large container of non-dairy vanilla yogurt (almond, coconut, soy)
- 1 container of coconut cool whip
- 1 package of crispy gluten free/ dairy free cookies
- 2 cups of dairy free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)
- Non-dairy milk to thin out chocolate chips
Directions
- Use a hand mixer to beat non-dairy yogurt and coconut cool whip in a bowl.
- Place a layer dairy-free/gluten-free in the bottom of a 9×9 pan.
- Add ⅓ of the yogurt mixture on top of the cookies.
- Alternate layers of cookies and yogurt. The top layer should be cookies.
- In a saucepan, heat up 2 cups of dairy-free chocolate chips and use 2-3 tablespoons of non-dairy milk to thin out the chocolate. Heat until melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate on the top layer of cookies.
- Refrigerate for 5 hours.
- Serve cold.
The only thing I’ll say about my alternative is that the chocolate chips got really hard and the top layer of cookies stayed crispy. I haven’t seen non-dairy fudge before, but if you find some, I’d go that route instead.
I hope you enjoy this dessert!
