12 Impressive Holiday Trifle Recipes

There's nothing trifling about these dramatic desserts, which make a showstopping entrance and are as easy as layering cake with fruit, custard, whipped cream, and other surprises.
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Cranberry Trifle

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With layers of sweetened cranberries, buttery pound cake, and fluffy whipped cream, this trifle is a truly easy and dazzling dessert. You can prepare all the components ahead of time and assemble shortly before serving.

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Chocolate Cream-Puff Trifle

Linda Pugliese
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We've combined the holiday classic with another crowd favorite -- cream puffs! They're layered with anisette-soaked fruit, ricotta cream, and blood-orange marmalade in this hybrid dessert. The best part? Everything can be made ahead.Watch how to make the Chocolate Cream-Puff Trifle.

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Lemon Trifle

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Impress guests with layers of lemon curd, whipped cream, and ladyfingers soaked in sweet dessert wine.

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Strawberry-Banana Pudding

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Okay, this one's technically a pudding, but it's assembled just like a trifle! Alternate layers of vanilla pudding, vanilla wafer cookies, whipped cream, and sliced strawberries and bananas, then refrigerate until set.

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Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

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Dip into spectacular layers of milk-chocolate pudding and snowy white-chocolate mousse balanced by chocolate-liqueur-soaked cake. Crumbled candy inside and on top adds crunch.

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Raspberry Trifle

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Frozen raspberries macerated in sherry and lemon zest give a lively kick to the layers of this festive, coconut-crowned trifle.

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Frozen Chocolate-Mousse Trifles

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Chocolate angel food cake soaked in brandy and layered with chocolate meringue will have dinner guests swooning in their seats.

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Waffle-and-Strawberry Trifle

Johnny Miller
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Hosting a holiday brunch? Consider serving this breakfast trifle! Save time without sacrificing on flavor by using frozen waffles but making the creamy vanilla pudding from scratch.

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Lemon Cloud Trifle

Krause, Johansen
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What is a lemon cloud, you ask? It's a mixture of homemade lemon curd, freshly whipped cream, and egg whites that makes a delicious foil for angel food cake and sherry syrup.

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Christmas Trifle

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Store-bought pound cake and lemon curd, plus frozen sliced peaches are super time-savers in this lovely layered Christmas dessert.

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Sherry Trifle with Brandy Custard

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Layers of brandy-spiked pastry cream, ladyfingers, raspberry jam, toasted almonds, and amaretti cookies make a lovely chorus of flavors and textures in this holiday trifle. The piece de resistance? The whole thing is doused in sherry.

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Gingerbread Trifle with Cognac Custard and Pears

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Pears coated in ginger-cinnamon caramel are layered with sliced gingerbread and cognac custard in this spectacular trifle. This dessert is the perfect finale for a holiday dinner.

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