Trifle is a Christmas dessert guaranteed to look amazing with minimal effort. Make trifle the star of the show this Christmas with these easy trifle recipes.
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I had an interesting childhood with its fair share of adverse childhood experiences, but one of my positive memories is the year I asked my grandmother to make two trifles for my birthday: one for me and one for everyone else. She duly complied.
I was only seven or eight but I ate every last bite.
Looking back, Nana’s version wasn’t the most elegant of concoctions. There was sponge, jelly, custard, peaches and cream and of course lashings of sherry all kind of slapped together in a bowl.
But it tasted divine, instilled in me a love of trifle that continues to this day. More than that, it created a meaningful connection between a simple dessert and a happy childhood memory, between my present and my past self.
The first Christmas I hosted, I made trifle.
I’m not going to lie – it looked amazing, and it tastes good (if not better) than Nana’s efforts. I whipped it up again for a neighborhood Christmas in July and received high praise. And yet it was super simple to make.
That’s when I was sold not only as a trifle consumer but also as a trifle creator!
If the ease and visual appeal of the trifle wasn’t enough to persuade you to try it for your Christmas this year, add the fact trifles taste best when they are at LEAST one day old, making it the perfect make-ahead dessert.
To make your trifles look their best, you’ll want a trifle bowl like this:
This large trifle bowl helps make your trifle the star of the show with its straight sides that allow for a beautiful presentation. It's a must-have bowl for your Christmas dessert.
So if you’re looking for an easy Christmas dessert then why not give one of these easy trifle recipes a go?
Your taste-buds will thank you.
Christmas trifle recipes
A trifle is a British dessert. Traditionally, it is made with sponge, custard, jelly and cream.
These Christmas trifle recipes range from traditional versions to tasty variations, such as brownie instead of sponge, the addition of fruits and puddings and more.
Check out these easy trifle recipes for your Christmas dessert menu.
Classic trifle recipes
Banana berry trifle dessert is a stunner on a party table. It's an easy and delicious trifle dessert recipe your guests will rave about.
A delicious trifle made with berries and Italian pastry cream: a no-bake recipe that makes for an easy yet tasty Christmas dessert.
This classic sherry trifle is made with layers of delicate ladyfinger cookies, raspberry preserves, homemade vanilla custard, plenty of sherry-wine, and mounds of vanilla whipped cream.
This is the classic Christmas trifle recipe for the purists out there.
This no bake tiramisu trifle is a quick and easy take on a classic tiramisu recipe. Angel food cake is soaked with coffee and rum, topped with a creamy mascarpone layer and whipped topping.
This English Christmas trifle has layers of almond pound cake, creme anglaise, fresh berries and poached pears, soaked in almond liqueur, then topped with fresh whipped cream.
This classic trifle recipe is simply delicious!
Making a traditional trifle recipe is easier than you think. The step-by-step instructions for this English trifle recipe mean you'll be whipping up this fabulous Christmas dessert in no time.
Fresh, juicy blueberries and bright, tart lemon pudding combine in a stunning dessert that will wow your guests.
You might call it trifle, but in the South it's called punch bowl cake.
Enjoy classic Southern strawberry-coconut punch bowl cake with scrumptiously creamy layers of angel food cake, fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and coconut.
This strawberry praline trifle recipe is fun to make with layers of fresh strawberries, a praline filling, pudding and cool whip.
This Christmas trifle recipe features angel food cake soaked in Grand Marnier, layered with luscious fresh strawberries and a creamy orange zest filling.
Looking for an uncomplicated, impressive and mouthwatering dessert? How about one that can easily be modified to be gluten-free? Allow me to introduce you to triple berry angel food trifle.
Typsy Laird is a traditional Scottish trifle, but don’t serve it to the kids as it has quite a kick.
Chocolate trifle recipes
Chocolate lovers will love these trifle recipes which feature brownie instead of traditional sponge or pound cake.
Yes, it’s the dessert of the Gods.
It’s quick, easy, and you don’t even have to bake or cook anything.
Mint fanatics will go crazy over this chocolate peppermint trifle. Layers of fudgy chocolate brownies, cheesecake pudding and cool peppermint combine for a festive Christmas trifle.
Looking for an elegant dessert you can put together quickly? This easy trifle is made with HoHos, has only 5 simple ingredients, and looks and tastes amazing.
Layer upon layer of chocolatey goodness makes this gluten-free brownie toffee trifle look complicated (as well as delicious!). However it’s actually an easy recipe with just a few ingredients.
Mexican chocolate trifle with orange curd and pomegranate pudding
A hint of cinnamon and chipotle in a brownie provide the base for this indulgent Mexican chocolate trifle with orange curd and pomegranate pudding.
The fresh orange curd gets a hint of cinnamon, and the pomegranate pudding with its pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, and pomegranate arils gets thickened with tapioca.
The result is a festive, holiday trifle with vibrant and fresh Mexican flavor. Fantástico!
Try this twist on a classic dish this Christmas.
This Oreo cookies chocolate trifle is the perfect easy dessert for any occasion. With Oreos, chocolate pudding and Cool Whip, how could you go wrong?
Mini trifle recipes
Although I struggle to think of a situation where you WOULDN'T want a large bowl of trifle, here are some super delicious individual trifle recipes.
True chocoholics will delight in the most decadent layered Baileys chocolate brownie trifle – filled with rich chocolate brownie, vanilla custard, whipped cream, Baileys Irish Cream, chocolate custard and salted caramel sauce.
This berry vanilla pudding pound cake trifle is filled with creamy, whipped vanilla pudding, buttery pound cake chunks, and fresh blueberries and raspberries.
Layers of soft, fluffy carrot cake and rich cream cheese pudding are topped off with a generous dollop of whipped topping, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of chopped nuts.
These individual tea trifles are sweet, creamy, and delicious with chai spiced cake and tea-infused custard layered with vanilla whipped cream.
Traditional English trifles in individual dishes is an extra fancy and easier way to serve this classic British dessert.
Lemon and raspberry pair beautifully in this easy, make-ahead dessert.
These mini chocolate trifles are constructed with yummy chocolate and pistachio brownies as a base for the crumb, mixed with layers of chococlate pudding and cream.
These mini tiramisu trifles are a rich treat blending the bold flavors of cocoa and espresso with creamy mascarpone cheese custard mixture, fresh whipped heavy cream, and coffee dipped ladyfinger biscuits.
These easy no-bake pumpkin cheesecake trifles have layers of fluffy pumpkin cheesecake, creamy vanilla cheesecake and a gingersnap crumble. They make a great Christmas dessert.
Layers of fudgy brownie with Kahlua flavored chocolate pastry cream, fresh strawberries, and creamy vanilla whipped cream – this strawberry chocolate brownie trifle is a simple yet satisfying chocolate dessert.
In this tasty Christmas trifle recipe, a triple citrus pound cake is layered with a no bake lemon curd cheesecake filling, fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
This is an easy trifle recipe for individual strawberry shortcake parfaits (also known as trifles) layered with bright lemon curd, macerated strawberries, buttery scone, and pillowy whipped cream.
This dessert is bliss in every bite.
Whether you’re planning Christmas with the whole family or a Christmas dinner for two, start something new this Christmas by making one of these easy trifle recipes.
In years to come, one of YOUR grandchildren might be asking you if you could please make a trifle just for her for her birthday!
(Why not add making a trifle to your Christmas bucket list?).