Recipe Review | Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

This one really is a crowd-pleaser. What's not to love (besides the calories)? But we all need to pig out indulge every once in awhile... 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight (via taste of home)

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What you need:

1 tube (16.5 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

3 cups cold 2% milk

1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

chopped nuts and chocolate curls, optional

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What to do:

1. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes until golden-brown. Cool on a wire rack.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 3/4 cups whipped topping. Spread over crust.
3. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls if desired.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until firm.

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Thoughts and tips:

• I have yet to find a 12-ounce carton of whipped topping. My grocery store only carries 8-ounce and JUMBO cartons. I buy 2 8-ounce cartons and hope to have half of one left over when I'm finished.
• I find that in buying the flat package of pre-portioned ("makes 24") cookie dough, as opposed to the tube, I have an easier time spreading it evenly on the bottom of my baking pan. It's a very thin layer that rises and "fills out" as it bakes. AND keep your eye on it! If you overcook the crust then every slice of your creation is going to be tinged with that burnt cookie flavor (and you can't scrape the burnt edges off this sucker).
• I only ever have 1% milk in the house and it works just fine.
• If the kids you're around are anything like the ones I'm most often around, then skip the nuts and just put some chocolate on top for the garnish. Left plain, the dessert doesn't look very tempting. In the past, I've used chocolate chips and I've grated Hershey's kisses (that's what I had on-hand) over the whipped topping. You could also use chocolate sprinkles (or anything else like that).
• You really DO need to make this in advance and let it chill for the 8 hours (or overnight); however, take it out of the refrigerator about 30-60 minutes before you're going to serve it. The flavors are more pronounced when it's not too cold.
• Let your kids help! And let them lick the utensils when you're done using them.
• And lastly, don't take food pictures with a green-tinted lens; save that shit for all the pictures you snap of leprechauns.