Peanut Butter and Chocolate Parfaits

These parfaits are so easy to throw together and include a homemade peanut butter mousse that is made with cream cheese. Wow! If that didn't catch your attention I don't know what will! :) Chocolate and peanut butter are like a match made in heaven, but whenever you throw in some cream cheese, it simply becomes amazing! I wanted to make my peanut butter mousse stretch so I made my parfaits with chocolate pudding. They were delicious but the original recipe stated to just pair it with hot fudge and crushed cookies. Either way would be wonderful. The peanut butter mousse would also be incredible paired with a brownie in a trifle dish!!

I have a confession...I ate this entire thing for lunch one day. Yes, that is right, I skipped the sandwich and veggies I had prepared and just went straight to the dessert. I'm not totally proud of myself, but well, I was tired and cranky and I needed it. Come on...admit it, we've all done it. Next time you need a 'fix' consider this one. :)

Recipe from My Baking Addiction

yield | 4 mini trifles
**I doubled this recipe and paired it with chocolate pudding, and so I was able to get 10 kids size, and 1 giant grown-up size parfaits out of it. :)

Ingredients for the peanut butter mousse:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Crushed Cookies of your choice (the original recipe recommended Tagalong girl-scout cookies, but obviously I didn't have any of those and so I used chocolate dipped Oreo peanut butter cookies - Yum!)
fudge sauce or chocolate pudding (store bought or homemade)
Redi Whip or cool whip

Directions for the peanut butter mousse:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream until thoroughly combined and fluffy; about 3 minutes.

To assemble the Peanut Butter Trifles
1. Place about 1 chopped cookie into the bottom of each mini parfait glass. Pipe or spoon in a layer of peanut butter mousse. Add a layer of chocolate fudge sauce or pudding, and a layer of Redi-whip, and then repeat layers once more. Top with whipped cream and finish with chopped Tagalong® cookies.

These were the cookies I used. They were perfect for what I was looking for.