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This easy Thanksgiving pumpkin trifle recipe is made with pumpkin bread. But use what you have on hand, to make this fun and easy pumpkin dessert.

pumpkin trifle recipe in glass dessert dish with pumpkin

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This easy Thanksgiving pumpkin trifle recipe is made with pumpkin bread.

And no. You don't need to make the pumpkin bread. Get a loaf from the store if you choose.

This pumpkin dessert recipe has a pumpkin cream cheese layer and a brown sugar whipped cream topping.

The pumpkin bread layers are brushed with bourbon and because I like pecans, I added glazed pecans, too.

I might have added some chocolate toffee in the form of toffee bits for a bit of crunch. Well, I did add some because they are so good!

And then I just couldn't help myself, but before I served this I kind of drizzled a little salted caramel sauce over the top.

Yeah. This is a really simple no bake pumpkin trifle recipe that is very over the top.

individual pumpkin trifle desserts on silver tray with pumpkins

Why I Love this Pumpkin Trifle Recipe

I remember my mother making my dad a trifle on his birthday-which was Christmas Day.

We always had lots of people over so a big, giant trifle served the crowd.

I have many happy memories of my dad's birthday trifle!

I love this simple no-bake dessert because it can be made easily and so many different ways.

I don't remember how Mom made hers, but I am guessing it was with Sara Lee pound cake.

Not a bad thing to make this with.

So you might be wondering since a trifle dish is large and is glass with tall sides-kind of like this- what happened to mine-which in actuality might be called parfaits.

So there are just two of us. And I thought individual servings much more appropriate for testing this.

Pumpkin trifle or any trifle dessert can also be made up to three days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. This allows the flavors to blend and saves you from having to make dessert at the last minute.

Ideas for the cake layers in your pumpkin trifle dessert:

There are a million trifle recipes out there, but since I love pumpkin bread, that was what I used.

Sponge cake, spice cake, pound cake, angel food cake, gingerbread; any are perfect for this recipe.

In fact you can even use cookies, such as gingersnaps or biscoff or graham crackers.

What to layer your pumpkin trifle recipe with?

Many like to layer their trifle with a pudding mixture, but I used a cream cheese mixture spiced with pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin pie filling.

A little maple syrup and brown sugar added in worked pretty well, too.

But think-butterscotch pudding or vanilla pudding spiked with bourbon or rum would totally rock.

And hey-who doesn't like to rock?

Then using heavy cream, brown sugar and vanilla extract I made my other topping which made this Thanksgiving trifle a very festive dessert.

Yes, you could even use Cool Whip.

I've been known to use it in this! And it's one of the most popular recipes here at TIHIC this time of year!

The best part of this perfect Thanksgiving dessert is that you can really use what you have on hand.

How To Make this Pumpkin Trifle Dessert

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, combine 8 oz of room temperature cream cheese with 1 c of pumpkin pie filling.

Mix until no lumps remain. Add in some pumpkin pie seasonings to jazz it up and a little maple syrup and brown sugar for sweetness.

Then it's time to mix up your heavy cream mixture.

That is if you aren't using Cool Whip!

Whip one cup of heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and ½ t of vanilla extract.

Cut the pumpkin bread into 1" slices and then cut the slices into 1" strips.

In the bottom of a large glass bowl or in my case - 4 coupe glasses - place a dollop of whipped cream.

Top that with some pumpkin bread and then brush it with bourbon. Or coffee. Or rum! Top that with the pumpkin filling mixture.

Sprinkle on some glazed pecan pieces.

pumpkin trifle recipe in parfait glasses

Add more pumpkin bread. Brush again.

Add some of the brown sugar heavy cream mixture. Sprinkle that with toffee.

Another layer of pumpkin bread brushed, top with pumpkin and then some whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Of course a few more sprinkles of pecans and toffee on top tastes pretty good, too!

If you screw up the order, it doesn't matter. This pumpkin trifle recipe will still taste amazing!

By the way, this tastes even better the next day, so just stick a piece of plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate.

FAQ's

Trifle vs. Parfait?

Both are layered desserts except a trifle is of British origin and the parfait is of French. The French version often contains ice cream where as a trifle usually contains pudding or custard.

What does trifle mean?

A trifle is something of very little importance and a trifle dessert means something often made with a spongecake, cream and fruit. Trifle can also mean to treat someone with respect. I like to think of this as, " Do not trifle with this dessert. It is to delicious to be trifled with." There are many definititons for the word trifle. It's a fun word to have in your vocabulary!

What is a trifle bowl?

A trifle bowl is a tall sided clear glass bowl. I love to use it for layered salads and of course, for trifles. When it's not in use it is pretty with pinecones or mini pumpkins or even small ornaments.

What to Serve with this Pumpkin Trifle Recipe

This pumpkin trifle recipe is great with a simple cup of decaf, but I also love it with an after dinner liqueor such as Bailey's or Amaretto. Of course, a bit of bourbon would be great, too.

Perfect for your holiday table during the holiday season!

This pumpkin spice trifle with its beautiful layers is a spectacular dessert.

Light enough to serve after Thanksgiving dinner, this pumpkin trifle recipe would go well with pecan pie.

That is if you need two delicious desserts!

Other Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Scones

Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Oatmeal

I'd love to hear if you make this recipe!

Please share a review or rate the recipe,

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Recipe Card

Recipe

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Trifle Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Abbe Odenwalder
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Print Recipe

Description

Pumpkin trifle is a fabulous dessert and can be made many ways. Take your choice of fillings or cake and come up with your own delious concoction.

Instructions

Begin by choosing your trifle dish. Do you want glasses or a large glass bowl?

Cut the pumpkin bread into 1" slices. Cut the slices into 1" strips. If you are using a large bowl you may just want to use the bread cut into cubes.

Make the pumpkin pie layer by adding the cream cheese and pumpkin pie filling to a large bowl. Using a handhels mixer, blend the cream cheese and filling until there are no lumps. Stir in the pupmkin pie seasonings and the brown sugar and maple syrup to sweeten.

Make the whipped cream in a medium bowl. If it is chilled so much the better. Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then stir in the brown sugar and vanilla and beat until the cream is somewhat stiff. Don't overbeat.

Layers:

Place a dollop of the heavy cream in the bottom of your serving dish. Add a lyer of pumpkin bread. Brush with bourbon if using. Dollop on a layer of the pumpkin filling. Sprinkle with pecans.

Do this again except use the heavy cream and toffee.

The third layer is more pumpkin bread brushed with bourbon, topped with pumpkin and whipped cream, sprinkle on more pecans and toffee and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Notes

This recipe serves 4 but you will have some pumpkin bread leftover and some pumpkin filling. Of course, this depends on how thick you want your layers.