Thanksgiving Trifle (Easy No-Bake Recipe)

Pumpkin Trifle

This trifle is a one of our favorite pumpkin dessert ideas for Thanksgiving because you can make it ahead and there’s no baking required. That way you can use your oven for side dishes like wild rice dressing or sweet potato casserole.

The presentation is beautiful with its monochromatic colors and textured layers. You should definitely use a trifle dish to show off this spectacular dessert.

There are three distinct layers in this trifle. A cake layer, a cookie layer, and a sumptuous pumpkin cream layer. While each is tasty on its own, the combination is delectable!

Why You’ll Love It

• You get a yummy pumpkin cake layer that’s complimented by the pumpkin cream.
• The pumpkin cream layer has just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavor and is lightly sweetened; not overly sweet at all.
• You also get the texture and spice of ginger snap cookies. These add a tasty “heat spice” that ginger is known for and adds balance to the other ingredients.

Fall Dessert

Serve this layered trifle for a fall dinner party, a Friendsgiving party, or your family’s Thanksgiving meal. It’s filled with seasonal flavors we just don’t utilize during other times of the year.

Make It Ahead

This trifle is a hostess’ dream for holiday entertaining because you can make it ahead. You have a couple of options.

• You can make the trifle completely several hours ahead and refrigerate it until ready to serve.
• Or, you can make the pumpkin cream and refrigerate it. Cut the cake pieces and cover with saran wrap. And about an hour before your party you can assemble the trifle, breaking and layering the cookies as you go.

If you make this trifle in advance the cookies will soften, which is great! They take on that dipped-in-milk texture that goes so well with the cake and cream, and creates a complete dessert experience.

If you want to keep the crunchy texture just make this a couple of hours ahead and you should still be fine. Don’t forget, you can always add broken cookies to your individual serving for that crunchy texture, too.

How to Make a Fall Trifle

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You’ll need a clear trifle bowl for a classic presentation. In a pinch you can use a small punch bowl or glass baking dish. Just know you won’t be able to see the pretty layered effect.

I say this is no-bake because I used a pumpkin bundt cake from the bakery section. If you want to make your own cake then you can make my easy pumpkin spice bundt cake recipe and leave out the white chocolate chips and glaze.

1. Start with a prepared pumpkin spice cake. You can make it from a box mix a day ahead or purchase one from the bakery. Just make sure it’s not frosted.
2. You could even use pumpkin bread for this recipe.
3. Make the pumpkin cream first and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour so it can firm up. This makes it easier to work with when you’re layering ingredients in the trifle dish.
4. If you don’t have a hand mixer to combine the cream ingredients, you can use a whisk and stir briskly.
5. Make sure you use canned pumpkin and NOT pumpkin filling.
6. While the cream is chilling, cut cake into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
7. Add a layer of cake in the trifle dish using half the cake pieces.
8. Top cake layer with broken cookie pieces Use about 8-10 cookies and break them into 1-inch pieces. You can use more or less to suit your taste.
9. Spread half of pumpkin cream on top of the cookie layer.
10. Repeat with another layer of cake and cookies and top with the remaining pumpkin cream layer. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
11. Add the cookie topping just before serving. Top with cookie crumbs and pieces. Push whole cookies into the cream, on their side in a circular pattern.

More Trifle Recipes

There are not many desserts that make as impressive a presentation as a trifle. Here are some other recipes to try throughout the year of parties.

• You’ll love this taste of the South Pecan Pie Trifle!
• Make our quick and easy chocolate trifle recipe for year round entertaining. 
• This tiramisu chocolate trifle is perfect for year round dinner parties.
• Nothing beats a Red, White, and Blue Trifle for summer and 4th of July parties.

And even though this 4-layer pumpkin cake isn’t a trifle it has a similar flavor profile and it’s fantastic!

If you’re looking for a traditional pie, my easy pumpkin pie recipe is my go-to.