Fresh macerated strawberries, whipped cream cheese filling, and buttery graham cracker crumbs layered in adorable mini dishes — an elegant no-bake dessert that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
Yield
5 trifles
Prep time
35 min
Chill time
1 hr
Total time
1 hr 35 min
Ingredients — 5 servings
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberries | ||
| Fresh strawberries, sliced | 3 | cups |
| Sugar | 2 | tbsp |
| Graham Cracker Crumbs | ||
| Whole graham crackers | 9 | — |
| Light brown sugar, firmly packed | 1 | tbsp |
| Salt | 1 | pinch |
| Ground cinnamon (optional) | 1 | pinch |
| Ground nutmeg (optional) | 1 | pinch |
| Unsalted butter, melted | 5 | tbsp |
| Whipped Cream Cheese | ||
| Full-fat cream cheese, chilled | 8 | oz |
| Confectioners' sugar, or to taste | ½ | cup |
| Fresh lemon juice | 2 | tsp |
| Vanilla extract | 1 | tsp |
| Salt | ⅛ | tsp |
| Heavy whipping cream, chilled | 1¼ | cups |
Directions
1
Macerate the strawberries. Toss the strawberries and sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside for at least 15 to 20 minutes — the sugar will draw out the juice from the berries, creating a light syrup that flavours the layers beautifully.
2
Make the graham cracker crumbs. Add the graham crackers, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Pour in the melted butter and pulse again until the mixture is evenly moistened and holds together when pressed. Set aside.
3
Make the whipped cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until completely smooth. Add the chilled heavy cream. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, beat until the mixture holds stiff, glossy peaks.
4
Assemble the trifles. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs into the base of each dish and press lightly to flatten. Add a layer of 2 to 3 tablespoons of strawberries along with a drizzle of their juice. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese evenly over the strawberries. Repeat the layers — crumbs, strawberries, cream cheese — until each dish is full.
5
Chill and serve. Refrigerate the assembled trifles for at least 1 hour before serving. The layers will meld together and the crumbs will soften slightly into the cream — just as they should.
Cook's notes
Keep everything cold
Chilled cream cheese and heavy cream are essential for the filling to whip to stiff peaks. If either ingredient is too warm, the mixture will stay loose and won't hold its layers in the trifle dishes. Work quickly once whipped and get the trifles straight into the fridge.
Maceration makes the difference
Don't skip letting the strawberries sit with the sugar. The juice that releases becomes a natural syrup that soaks into the layers and ties the whole trifle together. The longer they sit — up to an hour — the more syrup and the more flavour.
Make ahead and vessel options
These trifles can be assembled up to a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge — the layers settle and improve overnight. No trifle dishes? Small mason jars, dessert glasses, or any clear cup work beautifully and show off the layers just as well.
Nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Amount | Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | — | Saturated fat | — |
| Protein | — | Cholesterol | — |
| Total carbohydrate | — | Sodium | — |
| Dietary fiber | — | Calcium | — |
| Total sugars | — | Vitamin C | — |
| Total fat | — | Potassium | — |
Tags:
DESSERTS