About this recipe

These elegant little Mini Dessert Shooters are the ultimate crowd-pleasing party treat — layered with velvety chocolate mousse, silky vanilla pudding, and a buttery graham cracker crumble, all topped with a swirl of whipped cream. Served in small shot glasses or dessert cups, they're easy to assemble ahead of time, require no baking, and look absolutely stunning on any dessert table. Perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or casual get-togethers.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed. Set aside. Reserve about 2 tablespoons for garnishing the tops.

2. 2

   Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of each shot glass or dessert cup and press gently to form an even base layer. Place the glasses on a tray and refrigerate while you prepare the fillings.

3. 3

   In a small saucepan over ^[low heat], warm 1/2 cup of the heavy whipping cream until it just begins to steam — do not boil. Pour it over the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof mixing bowl and let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until completely smooth and glossy. Let cool to room temperature, about 10–15 minutes.

4. 4

   In a large chilled mixing bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract using a hand mixer on ^[medium-high speed] until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes.

5. 5

   Gently fold the cooled chocolate ganache into the whipped cream in two additions using a spatula, being careful not to deflate the cream. Fold just until no streaks remain. The mousse should be light, airy, and uniformly chocolatey.

6. 6

   Transfer the chocolate mousse to a piping bag or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped. Pipe a generous layer of mousse (about 2 tablespoons) into each glass on top of the crumble. Return the tray to the refrigerator.

7. 7

   In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cold milk and Instant vanilla pudding mix for about 2 minutes until it begins to thicken. Fold in the sour cream until smooth and creamy.

8. 8

   Spoon or pipe about 1–2 tablespoons of the vanilla pudding on top of the chocolate mousse layer in each glass. Smooth the top gently with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate the tray for at least 15 minutes to allow the layers to set.

9. 9

   In a chilled mixing bowl, beat the cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer on ^[medium-high speed] until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

10. 10

    Pipe a swirl of whipped cream on top of each shooter. Garnish each with a pinch of reserved graham cracker crumbs, a few chocolate shavings, and a single fresh raspberry if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

11. 11

    Serve the shooters chilled, straight from the fridge. For the cleanest layers and best texture, make them at least 30 minutes ahead and up to 24 hours in advance. Add the whipped cream and garnishes no more than 2 hours before serving for the freshest presentation.