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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Christmas Recipes

    Christmas Trifle

    Published: Dec 15, 2021 · Modified: Dec 15, 2021 by Susie Weinrich · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    pin image with text for Chocolate Christmas Trifle Recipe
    pin image with text for Chocolate Christmas Trifle Recipe

    A Christmas Trifle is a delicious dessert perfect for the Holiday Season! It has layers of chocolate brownies, fudge, peppermint cream cheese and Andes Peppermint Crunch Candies. Unlike this Thanksgiving Trifle, which is made in one large bowl, this dessert is made into individual trifle glasses. It is an incredibly easy trifle recipe and makes a super impressive Christmas dessert.

    an individual chocolate trifle with layers of brownie, fudge, peppermint whipped cream and candy cane

    Some other great Christmas Desserts to check out are: Hot Fudge Pudding Cake, Homemade Butterscotch Pudding, or Apple Crostata with Caramel Sauce.

    Table of Contents hide
    1 What is a Trifle
    2 Ingredients
    3 Individual Trifle Cups
    4 Step by Step Picture Instructions
    5 More Delicious Desserts to Try
    6 Christmas Trifle Recipe

    What is a Trifle

    A trifle is a traditional English layered dessert. It generally has multiple cake layers, pudding or custard layers and fruit layers.

    This Trifle recipe for Christmas is a little different. Here we are subbing some of the traditional layers for more festive flavors: brownies, fudge, peppermint whipped cream and peppermint crunch.

    This is a rich and indulgent dessert, perfect for the season!!

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients that you need to make your Peppermint Christmas Trifle, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

    Ingredients to make a Christmas Trifle

    Brownies: use the brownies that you like…fudgy, dark chocolate, triple chocolate, etc… Also, if you want to use store bought prepared brownies, go for it!!

    Cream Cheese: purchase full fat cream cheese, and make sure that it is completely softened so your whipped cream is smooth.

    Heavy Cream: make sure your cream is nice and cold, it helps your whipping cream come together faster and creamier!

    Fudge: use a store bought fudge, we really like Mrs. Richardson’s.

    Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips: If you have decided to make this dessert, then run out and buy this asap. It sells out quickly at the holidays. It is basically peppermint white chocolate pieces that have just a sparkle of crunchy candy cane bits. You will find this either in the baking aisle or by the Holiday candy.

    If you cannot find the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips you can sub some of these options:

    1. Wilton candy melts- candy cane flavor
    2. white chocolate and candy canes chopped/crushed together
    3. chopped up Andes Peppermint Crunch Thins

    Individual Trifle Cups

    Unlike a traditional Trifle Dish, this dessert is made in individual cups. Since it is such a rich dessert you can make them in a 6-8 oz. cup or if you really love dessert make them in larger 9-11 oz. cup (but I don’t recommend filling it all the way).

    The glasses pictured are 11 oz. cups that I did not fill all the way. I got them at World Market, they are the Small Bodega Glass.

    Step by Step Picture Instructions

    If you are not buying premade brownies, start by making your brownies in a 9×9 or 8×8 cake pan. Then cool completely.

    Cut the brownies into ½ inch pieces and set aside.

    Now it’s time to make the peppermint whipped cream!

    Start by adding a ¼ cup of the cold heavy cream and the 4 oz. softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk together for at least one minute until it is completely smooth.

    Add in the peppermint extract and powdered sugar and whisk until combined, then gradually pour in the remaining heavy cream and whisk until it forms soft peaks. It will be the consistency of thick pudding.

    peppermint whipped cream in a bowl

    Warm the fudge in the microwave until it is drizzling consistency.

    That’s it…it’s time to layer your trifles! In each glass layer:

    • 3-4 pieces of brownie
    • 1-2 tablespoon fudge sauce
    • cover with a layer of peppermint whipped cream
    • now a generous layer of the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
    • Repeat all the steps one more time.
    • brownies in the bottom of a cup
    • fudge being drizzled on brownies in a cup
    • peppermint whipped cream on top of brownies and fudge
    • drizzling peppermint crunch on top of whipped cream

    Pop the individual trifles in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

    Serve them cold, right out of the fridge.

    Christmas Brownie Trifle in a glass with a candy cane on the side

    More Delicious Desserts to Try

    • Grandma’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream
    • Homemade Chocolate Sheet Cake & Chocolate Frosting
    • Apple Spice Cake with Butter Rum Sauce
    • Thanksgiving Pumpkin Trifle Dessert

    Christmas Trifle Recipe

    A rich Chocolate Trifle perfect for Christmas. Layers of chocolatey brownie are topped with fudge, peppermint whipped cream and Andes Peppermint Crunch. Your dessert will be the star of Christmas!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Brownies & Refrigeration: 1 day
    Total Time: 1 day 30 minutes
    Servings: 10 people
    Author: Susie Weinrich

    Equipment

    • Dessert Glass (see notes)
    • stand mixer or hand held mixer

    Ingredients

    • prepared brownies, cooled completely – 8×8 or 9×9 pan
    • 4 oz cream cheese softened
    • 1 ½ cups heavy cream (cold)
    • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
    • ½ cup (heaping) powdered sugar
    • 15.5 oz. jar hot fudge sauce (Mrs. Richardson's is a great brand)
    • 10 oz. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips (see notes if you cannot find this product)
    Prevent your screen from going dark while you are cooking!

    Instructions

    • Either purchase already prepared brownies or prepare and bake your favorite brownie mix, any flavor will work.
      Cool them completely and then cut into ½ inch pieces. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl and a hand held mixer), whisk ¼ cup cold heavy cream and the 4 oz. softened cream cheese until it is completely smooth.
      Pro Tip: This will take at least 1 minute, don't skimp on this step, you want your whipped cream to be smooth!
    • Now add the peppermint extract and powdered sugar, whisk until combined.
    • Slowly stream in the remaining cold heavy cream. Whisk until very soft peaks form, which will look like very thick pudding and it will barely hold a peak when you pull the whisk out.
      Pro Tip: drizzle the cream down the side of the bowl so it doesn't catch the whisk and spray out of the bowl!
    • Warm the fudge in the microwave until it is a pourable consistency, if it is too hot let it cool for a minute before assembling your trifles, you don't want it to melt the whipped cream.
      Pro Tip: If your fudge is in a glass jar you can pop it right in the microwave! It will warm from the bottom up, so warm in 30 second increments and stir after each time.

    Assembly

    • Time to layer your Chocolate Trifles!
    • In each glass add:
      3-4 pieces of brownie
      1-2 tablespoon fudge sauce
      cover with a layer of peppermint whipped cream
      now a generous layer of the Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips
      Repeat all the steps one more time.
    • Pop the glasses in the fridge, covered, for 12-24 hours.
    • Serve cold! Goes great with a cup of hot coffee!

    Notes:

    Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips: You will want to look in the baking aisle or the holiday candy area for these. They do sell quickly because they are delicious. If you cannot find them, sub in one of these options:
    • Wilton candy melts- candy cane flavor, chopped into pieces
    • white chocolate and candy canes chopped/crushed together
    • chopped up Andes Peppermint Crunch Thins
    Dessert Glasses: Use a glass that is 6-11 oz. in size. If you use something 6-8 oz. the glass will probably be full to the top. In a 9-11 oz. glass you will not want to fill it completely as this is a rich dessert.
    **Pictured is the 11 oz. Bodega Glass from World Market.  
    Did you try this recipe? Connect with me & let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
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    If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.

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    About Susie Weinrich

    Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

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