Cookies and Cream Trifle

FB Source: Stacie Allred (via a newspaper from the mid-90s)

Ingredients:
2 small pkgs (4 serving size) Instant Chocolate Pudding
4 C Milk
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
2 3oz packages of Ladyfingers
32 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
12 oz Whipped Topping

Directions:

1. Beat softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
2. Add in the chocolate pudding mixes and 3 cups of milk and mix on low speed until mixed thoroughly. (It's okay if small bits of cream cheese remain.)
3. If they aren't already (mine are), split the lady fingers in half, lengthwise. Place half of one package on the bottom of your trifle bowl, cut side up.
4. Slowly drizzle 1/4 cup of milk over the the lady fingers to moisten. (As a general rule, I just pour 1 tsp of milk over each individual ladyfinger.)
5. Spread 1/4 of the pudding mixture over the ladyfingers.
6. Spread 1/4 of the whipped topping over the pudding layer.
7. Chop 8 cookies and sprinkle over the whipped topping.
8. Repeat the layers 3 more times, beginning with the ladyfingers and ending with crushed cookies on top.
9. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

Optional: garnish with extra cookies.

Other variations we have tried (or WANT to try):

• Mint cookies and mint chocolate pudding mix - tried successfully
• Colored Oreos (when they color the cream filling) is fun at Halloween (orange) and Christmas time (red/green) - tried successfully
• Peanut butter Oreos and add a little bit of peanut butter to the pudding mixture - want to try