QC&E (Quick, Cheap, & Easy): Faux Cheesecake

Alright Ladies & Gentleman, 
Tonight I’m sharing with you a QC&E (quick, cheap, and easy) get out of jail free card-kind of recipe. You DON’T have to go to your next social gathering empty handed!
You can bring this Faux Cheesecake with you!
This “cheesecake” is perfect if you’re short on time or just plain lazy. It’s so versatile and light that people will want to eat it (even if it’s not as gorgeous as a traditional cheesecake) and they won’t feel stuffed afterward!

You can swap many of these ingredients out for vegan options or different flavors but I’m going to “make” a chocolate peppermint cheesecake! You can also make this as “healthy” as you’d like by using reduced fat/fat free graham crackers, milk (although this may affect the setting process), and whipped cream.

You’ll need: a 9 x 9 (or 9 x 13) pan.
🔹Chocolate graham crackers

🔹8 Oz cream cheese (or cottage cheese for extra protein)
🔹1 cup cold milk
🔹1 box cheesecake pudding mix

🔹8 oz (or a little extra) cool whip

🔹Pie filling or topping of choice (candy canes!)

1. Break the graham crackers down to your preference (so completely) or just enough to fit into your pan and lay out 1 layer. *I don’t recommend using crumbs bc the slices will crumble after it softens and won’t serve well!
2. Blend cream cheese/cottage cheese until smooth. 
3. Add milk
4. Add pudding mix
5. FOLD in whipped cream
6. Add filling or topping to the top!
7. Refrigerate for a few hours until graham cracker crust is soft (or over night). AND your done! And everyone will love it! And you can play it off like you were just trying to save them a stomach ache instead of fessing up to being a bum! 
If you make this tell me how it went and what flavors you chose! *side note: you can also use nilla-wafers and banana cream pudding mix and make it in little single size cups for banana pudding!