12 Decadent Fall Trifles & Parfaits | SimplyMealful

Layers of cake, cream, and spiced fall goodness — these twelve trifles and parfaits look stunning and taste even better. From pumpkin cheesecake trifles to caramel apple parfaits, each one is an easy showstopper for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any autumn gathering. Grab a big glass bowl and start layering.

1. Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle

Clouds of spiced pumpkin cheesecake mousse layered with crushed gingersnaps — the easiest showstopper dessert.

Ingredients

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 box gingersnaps, crushed
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce
• Whipped cream, for topping

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, powdered sugar, and spice until silky.
2. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold half into the pumpkin mixture.
3. Layer gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin mousse, and caramel in a trifle bowl.
4. Repeat the layers until the bowl is full.
5. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Top with whipped cream and extra caramel before serving.

2. Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits

Buttery cinnamon apples, crushed graham crackers, and vanilla cream in individual glasses — apple pie, no fork needed.

Ingredients

• 4 apples, diced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

Instructions

1. Sauté the apples in butter with brown sugar and cinnamon until tender, 8 minutes.
2. Beat the cream cheese smooth, then whip the cream and fold in.
3. Layer graham crumbs, cream, and warm apples in 6 glasses.
4. Repeat the layers.
5. Chill 2 hours to set.
6. Drizzle with caramel and serve.

3. Maple Pecan Bread Pudding Trifle

Cubes of maple-soaked bread pudding layered with pecan praline cream — pure autumn decadence.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed brioche
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz mascarpone
• 1 cup candied pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, half the maple syrup, and vanilla; soak the brioche 20 minutes.
2. Bake at 350°F in a greased dish 25 minutes until set; cool and cube.
3. Beat the mascarpone with the cream and remaining maple syrup until fluffy.
4. Layer bread pudding cubes, maple cream, and candied pecans in a trifle bowl.
5. Repeat until full.
6. Chill 3 hours and top with extra pecans.

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Trifle

Fudgy brownie chunks, peanut butter mousse, and hot fudge — a chocolate lover's dream in layers.

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix, baked
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup hot fudge sauce
• 12 mini peanut butter cups, chopped
• Chocolate shavings

Instructions

1. Cut the baked brownies into bite-size cubes.
2. Beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth.
3. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the peanut butter mixture.
4. Layer brownie cubes, peanut butter mousse, and hot fudge in a trifle bowl.
5. Repeat the layers.
6. Top with chopped peanut butter cups and chill 3 hours.

5. Cranberry Orange Parfaits

Tart cranberry compote and bright orange cream over vanilla cake — a festive jewel-toned dessert.

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 pound cake, cubed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz mascarpone
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Simmer the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, and juice 10 minutes until popped; cool.
2. Beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla; fold in softly whipped cream.
3. Layer pound cake cubes, cranberry compote, and orange cream in glasses.
4. Repeat the layers.
5. Chill 2 hours.
6. Garnish with sugared cranberries if you like.

6. Spiced Pear & Almond Trifle

Poached pears in warm spices with almond cream and amaretti crumbs — elegant and unexpected.

Ingredients

• 4 pears, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups white wine or apple juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup almond paste
• 1 1/2 cups crushed amaretti cookies
• Sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

1. Simmer the pears in wine, sugar, and cinnamon 15 minutes until tender; cool and dice.
2. Beat the almond paste smooth, then whip with the cream to soft peaks.
3. Layer amaretti crumbs, pears, and almond cream in a trifle bowl.
4. Repeat the layers.
5. Chill 3 hours.
6. Top with toasted sliced almonds.

7. Pumpkin Spice Latte Parfaits

Espresso-soaked ladyfingers, pumpkin mascarpone, and cocoa — tiramisu meets pumpkin spice latte.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 8 oz mascarpone
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup strong coffee, cooled
• 24 ladyfingers
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

1. Whisk the pumpkin, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and spice until smooth.
2. Whip the cream and fold into the pumpkin mixture.
3. Dip the ladyfingers quickly in coffee and line the bottom of 6 glasses.
4. Layer pumpkin cream and more dipped ladyfingers.
5. Chill 4 hours or overnight.
6. Dust with cocoa and serve.

8. Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Trifle

Classic banana pudding dressed up for fall — salted caramel, vanilla wafers, and clouds of cream.

Ingredients

• 2 boxes vanilla pudding mix
• 4 cups cold milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 5 bananas, sliced
• 1 box vanilla wafers
• 3/4 cup salted caramel sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Whisk the pudding mix with cold milk and vanilla; chill 10 minutes to set.
2. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the pudding.
3. Layer vanilla wafers, bananas, pudding cream, and caramel in a trifle bowl.
4. Repeat the layers.
5. Chill 4 hours so the wafers soften.
6. Finish with caramel and a pinch of flaky salt.

9. Gingerbread & Eggnog Trifle

Spiced gingerbread cubes soaked in eggnog cream — Christmas-in-a-bowl, perfect for the holidays.

Ingredients

• 1 gingerbread loaf, cubed
• 2 cups eggnog
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• Crushed gingersnaps, for topping

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese, eggnog, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth.
2. Whip the cream and fold into the eggnog mixture.
3. Layer gingerbread cubes and eggnog cream in a trifle bowl.
4. Repeat the layers.
5. Chill at least 4 hours.
6. Top with crushed gingersnaps before serving.

10. Apple Cider Donut Parfaits

Crumbled apple cider donuts, cinnamon cream, and apple butter — fall's favorite donut, spoonable.

Ingredients

• 6 apple cider donuts
• 1 cup apple butter
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Caramel sauce
• Chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Crumble the donuts into bite-size pieces.
2. Beat the cream cheese, apple butter, powdered sugar, and cinnamon until smooth.
3. Whip the cream and fold into the apple mixture.
4. Layer donut crumbles, apple cream, and caramel in 6 glasses.
5. Repeat the layers.
6. Chill 2 hours and top with pecans.

11. Dark Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

Rich chocolate cake, tart raspberries, and silky ganache cream — dramatic, decadent, and gorgeous.

Ingredients

• 1 chocolate pound cake, cubed
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Chocolate curls

Instructions

1. Heat half the cream and pour over the chopped chocolate; stir to a smooth ganache and cool.
2. Beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and remaining whipped cream until fluffy.
3. Layer chocolate cake, raspberries, ganache, and mascarpone cream in a trifle bowl.
4. Repeat the layers.
5. Chill 4 hours.
6. Top with chocolate curls and fresh raspberries.

12. Sweet Potato Marshmallow Trifle

Toasted marshmallow fluff, spiced sweet potato mousse, and pecan streusel — Thanksgiving in a glass.

Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed sweet potato
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1 cup pecan streusel or crushed cookies

Instructions

1. Beat the sweet potato, cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth.
2. Whip the cream and fold half into the sweet potato mixture.
3. Fold the marshmallow fluff into the remaining whipped cream.
4. Layer streusel, sweet potato mousse, and marshmallow cream in a trifle bowl.
5. Repeat the layers.
6. Chill 3 hours; toast the top with a kitchen torch if you like.