Instructions

• Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish; set aside.
• Put the 14.3 oz package vanilla sandwich cookies in a food processor and pulse until they are fine, even crumbs (about 2½ cups). (If you don’t have a food processor, place cookies in a heavy-duty zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.)
• Pour the cookie crumbs into a bowl, add the 1/3 cup melted and cooled salted butter, and stir or pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
• Press the cookie-butter mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place the dish in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat the 8 oz softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Add about 1 cup of the defrosted whipped topping and beat until fully combined.
• Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the chilled cookie crust. Return the dish to the freezer for 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together both packages of cheesecake instant pudding mix and the 3 cups whole milk until the mixture begins to thicken (about 1–2 minutes). Stir in about 1/2 cup of the defrosted whipped topping until smooth.
• Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the chilled cream cheese layer. Chill in the refrigerator about 30 minutes, or until the pudding layer is set.
• Pour both 21 oz cans of cherry pie filling over the chilled pudding layer and spread gently so the cherries stay on top of the pudding.
• Gently spread the remaining defrosted whipped topping over the cherries. Sprinkle the 1 cup chopped pecans over the top.
• Chill the assembled dessert in the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before serving (longer chilling will produce firmer slices).