Oreo Cookie Pudding Cake

So, I found two different versions of this cake on Pinterest. The problem is, once I picked one and started buying the ingredients and making it I got WAY confused. What happened is that I kept glancing at the directions for the one but was mostly just bee-bopping around buying stuff and putting it together from what I remembered in my head. However, what I was remembering was the ingredients and the directions from the one I chose not to make. In the end I kind of created my own version of this dessert, which is perfectly fine because it was AH-MAZ-ING!!!

Chocolate, Chocolate and some more Chocolate... with Oreo's. How could this not be anything but totally amazing?

First... the list of ingredients:

 Oreo Cookie Pudding Cake

1 Package Chocolate Cream Oreo's

1 Stick Butter - Melted

1 Lg Box Instant Chocolate Pudding

3 C Whole Milk to make Pudding

2 - 8oz Bowls Cool Whip

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1 1/2 C Powdered Sugar

Step #1 - Crush Oreo's either in a food processor or put in a zip-lock bag and beat with rolling pin. Set aside 1/2 C for topping. Dump remaining crumbs into a 9x13 pan. Pour melted butter over crumbs, stir, then press down onto bottom of pan, creating crust.

Step #2 - Make chocolate pudding according to package directions and allow to set up in refrigerator. Once pudding is set, fold in one 8oz bowl of Cool Whip, set to the side.

Step #3 - In a mixing bowl blend softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in one 8 oz bowl of Cool Whip until combined then spread over cookie crust layer.

Sep #4 - Spread chocolate pudding layer over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining 1/2 C crushed Oreo's. Cover and refrigerate till ready to serve.

The butter mixed with the Oreo's for the crust keeps the cookies from getting mushy, it did however make them hard enough to need a knife to cut through them. It is possible to not mix the chocolate pudding with the Cool Whip and do a layer of pudding and then a third layer of Cool Whip for a triple layer dessert. I blended the two, however, because the people I made it for do not like Cool Whip on it's own, so it was better whipped into the pudding mix.

As I said before, there are several variations of this cake, this one is of my own making/screw-ups, but it was so yummy that I would make it this way again... and again... and again....