Our Top Trifle Recipes

Layers of pumpkin, mascarpone, crushed cookies, and a coffee mixture create this show-stopping holiday trifle. 

By layering classic breakfast ingredients that you could have on hand, like yogurt, blueberry muffins or scones, sliced fruit, and granola in a trifle bowl (or any large vessel), you'll make a tender, creamy dish worthy of any hungry group. The best part of this dish has got to be the whipped yogurt: You'll mix softly whipped cream with thick Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. After trying it in the trifle, watch out—you'll be plopping this topping on everything.

Want something big for your Thanksgiving dessert buffet? This layered trifle recipe is a showstopper. Thin layers of spice cake give the old-fashioned trifle a modern look, but you can also cut the layers into large cubes if you prefer. However you prepare it, refrigerate the trifle at least four hours so that the layers of cake and custard can meld. Or make it a day in advance and top with the remaining whipped cream (step 6) just before serving.

This show-stopping layered dessert will be a hit at your next luncheon or shower.

This decadent pear-and-caramel trifle is perfect for a party because it can be made a day ahead and it serves a crowd.

Effortless to pull off? Check. Tastes better the longer it sits? Check. Make this beauty up to one day before company arrives.

Top this rich trifle with a sprinkle of chocolate curls.

Assemble trifle the morning of Thanksgiving, and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before serving.

Maggie Kademian's easy trifle is a classy dessert for a spring party. 

This decadent turtle trifle gets its flavor inspiration from classic turtle candy and features marscapone cheese, whipping cream, vanilla, pecan pie chunks, toasted pecans, and fudge candy caramel toppings.

Notes: We've designed this gorgeous, gooey dessert to serve more than the other dishes in the menu, for the sake of filling a large trifle dish and having leftovers. The trifle has several components, all of which can be made ahead of time. You'll find plump, moist Medjool dates in the produce section of many supermarkets; if they're unavailable, use drier packaged dates.

Make a reduced-sugar trifle using sugar-free chocolate cake, sugar-free pudding, frozen cherries, and whipped topping.  This classic make-ahead layered dessert is ideal for entertaining when you have guests that need to reduce their intake of sugar.

Loved ones will happily dig right into this decadent Lemon-Strawberry Trifle. Get a head start on dessert by making the strawberry sauce up to a day in advance. Just keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

Make most of this the day before so the gelatin can set. Then finish it off the next day.

This classic layered dessert  features slices of pound cake brushed with strawberry jam, creamy custard and fresh strawberries. Once you have layered all the ingredients, just cover and chill until you're ready to serve.

Layer homemade gingerbread, pears, vanilla custard, and whipped cream for an elegant dessert that's just as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.

Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries all rank in the top 20 of the government's list of antioxidant-rich foods. Great for your heart and full of fiber, almonds can help keep you at a healthy weight.

This fantastic trifle recipe is layered with cream, strawberries, and sugar biscuits, which gives this great dessert a strawberry shortcake feel.

This classic English layered pudding dessert goes Southern with banana pudding and bourbon-soaked vanilla wafers.

You can't have enough blackberry dessert recipes, and this one makes brilliant use of the summer's juicy gems. Feuilletage is flaky puff pastry, and here it is partnered with melted butter, pecans, and sugar, reminiscent of some of our favorite pecan treats. Use frozen blackberries if you want to make this recipe in the cooler months.

This impressive and decadent layered dessert comes from Cassidee Dabney of The Barn at Blackberry Farm. 

A half cup of Kahlúa gives this mocha-chocolate trifle a kick. Chocolate lovers will appreciate this dessert that's lighter in calories but big on taste. Don't skip the toffee, you'll want that crunch!

Give the classic English layered dessert a Southern accent by drizzling slices of pound cake with bourbon and layering the cake with fresh peaches, pudding and whipped cream.