Why This Once-Popular Dessert Was Named After Robert Redford

Film legend Robert Redford, who died at his home in Utah on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89, was a Hollywood heartthrob from the moment he first hit the silver screen. Over the years since Redford rose to stardom, a decadent dessert has come to be named for the actor that is as smooth as his good looks and as rich as his onscreen persona. Known as "The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford," the treat is a layered chocolate treat that combines some of the best elements to be found in any dessert — definitely a compliment to the actor it's named for.

As a Hollywood icon starring in the nighttime dreams of countless fans, Redford was the epitome of desirability for many. Maybe it was only natural, therefore, that comparisons were drawn between Redford and a dessert that was almost too delicious to be real. Though tracing the precise origin of the treat is difficult, one can imagine the sorts of conversations that took place surrounding it, leading to statements that it was "The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford" and occurring enough times that the name stuck.

The reasoning behind the name is simple. Redford was a star in hot demand in the 1960s and 1970s, which is when the dessert named for him started gaining popularity (it was even mentioned in an issue of Family Circle magazine in the late 1970s).

This scrumptious homage to the man who brought the Sundance Kid to life onscreen and directed films like "The Horse Whisperer" has also been known by various other names. "The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford" is also sometimes referred to as "Better Than Robert Redford." It's also been known as "Chocolate Lush," "Better-Than-Sex Cake," "Chocolate Delight," and even "Jimmy Carter Cake."

Sometimes referred to as a pie and sometimes a cake, the fundamentals of the dessert include a foundational crust of shortbread, a cream cheese layer, a layer of chocolate pudding, and a topping of whipped cream. It's essentially an icebox cake, which is an old-school dessert that is layered and refrigerated and doesn't require baking. Some also refer to it as a version of chocolate silk pie.

There are many variations on the dessert. Different pudding flavors can be used rather than chocolate, for instance. Or, instead of pudding, a decadent chocolate mousse could serve as the third layer. Some employ a graham cracker crust rather than shortbread, and some add peanut butter into the mix. However you choose to stack up the treat, as long as it's as delicious as its namesake, it will pay adequate tribute.