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I seriously can’t believe that Thanksgiving is in 3 days! I am so not ready, not even close. The post-it note hanging from my monitor that I creatively titled “Thanksgiving” has one item written on it – Turkey. Yep, according to my list, all I need is a turkey.
If I am being honest, cooking on Thanksgiving sort of annoys me. Sure it’s great to hang out with the family and eat until we all slip into a tryptophan-induced coma, but seriously have you ever actually analyzed the process? Let me break it down for you.
Here is how my prep goes:
Wednesday Morning: Make pie and pumpkin roll. (2 hours)
Wednesday Afternoon: Head to grocery store for all the fixings – after I finish my list. (1.5 hours)
Pick up the turkey that I ordered thanks to the aforementioned post-it note (30 minutes)
Wednesday Evening: Head to “stuffing night” with Brittani’s family (3 hours)
Wednesday Night: Brine Turkey (1 hour)
Thursday Morning: Start cooking and continue cooking all whilst making an insane mess and chasing off my father who will inevitably be trying to pluck turkey skin from a piping hot bird. (5 hours)
Thursday Evening: Eat dinner (10 minutes)
Thursday Evening: Clean the kitchen while everyone else suffers from the aforementioned turkey coma. (Eleventy billion hours)
So let’s see – 14 hours of prep and an endless line of dishes afterwards for 10 minutes of eating pleasure? Yeah – can ya tell why it kind of irks me?
If your Thanksgiving schedule looks anything like mine, you may be in search of a quick, delicious dessert that can be prepped and assembled in minutes. I’m coming to your rescue (and my own) with these simple Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles. They start with a base of crushed Biscoff cookies followed by a velvety layer of pumpkin cheesecake filling and are finished with a swirl of whipped topping. In a small glass, these elegant trifles are sure to be a hit at any Thanksgiving table. And as a bonus, those little trifle glasses are dishwasher safe!
I hope your Thanksgiving week is off to a delicious start!
[pinit]
Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles
Ingredients
- 12 Biscoff Cookies crushed into crumbs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 12 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed, divided
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine Biscoff Cookie crumbs and butter. Divide the crumbs into the bottoms of your trifle glasses. Gently press crumbs to form an even layer of crust.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth.
- Add pumpkin, vanilla, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until well combined and creamy.
- Use a spatula to fold in half of the whipped topping. Gently combine ingredients until no streaks remain.
- To Assemble the Trifles: Pipe or spoon a layer of pumpkin cheesecake onto the Biscoff crust followed by a layer of whipped topping. Repeat layers until your trifle reaches the top of your glass or jar.
- Store trifles in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If desired, garnish with Biscoff cookie crumbs.
Notes
- The glasses and spoons seen in the photos are from Ikea.
- The layering proportions will vary depending on what size container you use.
Great recipe! I just finished making these, and they taste really good! I divided everything into 5 servings, it is a little much…probably could have gotten away with 8.
Sarah-
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for stopping by and providing your feedback – have a great day!
-Jamie
Hi Jamie,
I’ve decided to make these this year for my Thanksgiving dinner (so thank you btw) :). Would you make these the night before or it’s better to make and serve them fresh?
Thanks & Happy Thanksgiving!
Stacey-
The trifles are much better fresh, so I would wait until the day of. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
-Jamie
What size can of pure pumpkin did you use?
Lori-
I used one cup of pure pumpkin puree from a 15 ounce can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
Thanks, I misread the recipe as one can and not one cup.
Thank you for a great dessert!
How many do these make? I’m wondering if it would be possible to make one large trifle off this recipe as I don’t have trifle glasses but a large nice glass bowl that would work.
Thanks!
Mary-
Hello. This recipe will make 4-6 servings depending on the size of your serving dishes. I have not attempted this recipe as a single trifle, but I would recommend doubling the recipe to start with. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
Thanks that helps a lot!
I doubled the recipe tonight (for a breakfast treat in the morning at work). I used it in my trifle bowl and it made PLENTY! I did pumpkin layer, whipped topping layer, crushed cookies, and then repeated. I easily filled my trifle bowl and even had enough for a mini trifle to leave for my family! They will be so happy b/c it tastes delicious!
Can I make these a day ahead? It’s always great to know if something will keep. I usually make things the night before our work potlucks or church or family events.
Thank you!
Linda-
I think you could definitely make these a day in advance, but I would definitely use the cookie crumbs as a topping as opposed to a crust. Simply sprinkle them on top right before serving.
-Jamie
Linda,
I actually had about 3 of these leftover after Thanksgiving, that did not get finished until 5 days later…the crumbs did not get soggy at all.
Looks cool!
For non-USA readers what are Biscoff cookies are all about? Any ideas for an alternative for them?
Julie-
I don’t know of a substitute in Russia, but any crisp cookie with a caramely, cinnamon flavor profile would work. You could also try gingersnaps or digestive biscuits if those are available near you. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
Hi newjulie,
If I’m not wrong, Biscoff cookies are what we call ‘Speculoos’ in central Europe, or ‘pepparkaka’ in Scandinavia (although the last ones are not exactly the same)
Blanaca-
Thanks for the tips. I appreciate you stopping by.
-Jamie