These cute individual trifles are layered with creamy cheesecake pudding, fresh berries, jam, and sweet strawberry shortcake for a fun red, white, and blue dessert for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day holiday gatherings.
Put out a whole spread of patriotic desserts with 4th of July Fresh Fruit Skewers and Blueberry Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries.
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I love making mini individual desserts for entertaining—there's just something about having your very own dessert. Plus, portion control, amirite? And when I first made these mini berry trifles, I knew they'd be a regular on my summer entertaining hit list.
Not only are they striking to look at, but all those lovely layers are filled with FLAVOR. The creamy cheesecake filling, jammy berries, and strawberry shortcake all work together to create the perfect blend of flavors and textures.
I make them in individual clear cups for us at home, but I'd use mason jars with lids if I'm taking them somewhere.
Mini trifle cups are light and refreshing, the perfect dessert for summer BBQs and Fourth of July parties. The best part about this trifle recipe is it's super easy to customize!
❤️Why You're Going to Love These
- Cool and refreshing, summery dessert with a pretty patriotic color combination
- Easy to make mini trifle bowls with simple ingredients
- Easy recipe to customize with your favorite flavors or things you have in the fridge
- Delicious individual strawberry trifles make the most of fresh summer berries
🍓Ingredients You'll Need
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients.
- Cream cheese. Use softened cream cheese, so it whips up smooth and creamy.
- White chocolate instant pudding mix. Be sure to get instant, not cook and serve pudding.
- Cool Whip. If you're not into Cool Whip, try Truwhip or fresh whipped cream -- the cream cheese and pudding mix should stabilize the whipped cream layer.
- Fresh berries. I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries
- Jam. Mixing jam with the berries makes the fruit layer saucy and juicy.
- Little Debbie Strawberry shortcake rolls. These strawberry snack cakes have a pretty red and white swirl, making a stunning cake layer in these mini trifles.
✨Customize Your Trifle Cups
Make your own delicious treats by swapping out the components.
- Cheesecake, lemon, or vanilla pudding would also be delicious!
- Try different types of fruit like raspberries, cherries, oranges, peaches, bananas, or kiwi
- Change up the flavor of jam with rhubarb, raspberry, or mixed berry jam or preserves. You can also skip the jam altogether and use straight fresh fruit.
- For the cake layer, try sponge cake, pound cake, a store-bought angel food cake, or even brownies or chocolate cake!
- Make one large trifle dessert and serve it in a large clear bowl to show off your pretty layers. You may need more fruit and cake.
- Make a build-your-own trifle bar! Set out bowls of all of the individual components and clear plastic cups and let everyone make their own trifle creations!
🥣How to Make Individual Trifle Cups
Step 1: In two separate bowls, gently toss the strawberries with strawberry jam and blueberries or blackberries with blueberry jam.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add the pudding mix. Gradually add the milk. Mix until creamy.
Step 3: Fold in the Cool Whip with a spatula, not the mixer or the mixture can become runny.
Step 4: Slice the strawberry shortcake rolls into 6 slices.
Step 5: Assemble individual trifle cups in small cups or mini mason jars. Layer pudding, strawberries, pudding, slices of strawberry shortcake, pudding, and blueberries.
Step 6: Chill for a few hours, up to overnight. If desired, top with more Cool Whip, fresh berries, and another slice of strawberry shortcake roll before serving.
👉Top Tip: Freeze the strawberry shortcake rolls to make slicing them a breeze
☑️Tips
- When cutting the strawberry shortcake rolls, wipe the blade between cuts to keep the slices clean.
- Depending on the size of the cups you use or how you choose to layer, you may need more slices of shortcakes or berries. You should have plenty of pudding.
- To create a simple cover for plastic cups without disrupting the topping, invert another cup on top and tightly wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap.
📅Make Ahead
Berry individual trifle cups are the perfect make-ahead dessert -- letting them sit overnight enhances the flavors.
To make more than a day ahead of time, mix the berries and jam, make the cheesecake pudding, cut the shortcake rolls, and store everything in individual containers in the fridge. Assemble. Sliced strawberries will release liquid, so you may need to strain off some of the fruit juice.
🎁Storage
Store leftover mini cheesecake trifle cups tightly covered in mason jars or individual cups in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
🎆More No Bake 4th of July Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Individual Berry Trifle Cups (Patriotic)
Ingredients
- 1 box Little Debbie Strawberry Shortcake Rolls or about 12 oz. pound cake cut into cubes
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup strawberry jam
- 1 cup blueberries and/or blackberries
- ¼ cup blueberry jam
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 boxes white chocolate pudding mix (4-serving size)
- 2 cups milk
- ½ tub Cool Whip or 1 ½ cups whipped cream
Instructions
- Place strawberry shortcake rolls in the freezer for a few minutes so they are easier to slice.
- In two separate bowls, gently stir the strawberries with strawberry jam and the blueberries/blackberries with blueberry jam.
- In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese with a mixer on medium high until fluffy with no lumps. Mix in all of the pudding mix and the milk -- a little bit at a time, in about 4 installments -- until completely combined, smooth, and creamy. Fold in the Cool Whip.
- Cut each strawberry shortcake roll into 6 slices, wiping the blade between cuts if necessary.
- Build the individual trifle cups in 8-9 oz. cups. Spoon or pipe two tablespoons of pudding into the bottom of the cup. Add a spoonful of strawberries and two more spoonfuls of pudding. Arrange 4 shortcake slices, with some facing out. Cover with more pudding, then a couple spoonfuls of blueberries. If desired, top with more whipped cream, fresh berries, and a strawberry shortcake roll slice.
Notes
- I used 9 oz. Chinet Crystal plastic cups, which yielded 7 full cups.
- To cover the plastic cup, invert another plastic cup on top of the trifle cup and tightly wrap the cups in plastic wrap.
- Mason jars with lids are also a great option to cover, store, and travel with mini trifles.
- Depending on the size of the cups you use or how you choose to layer, you may need more slices of shortcakes or berries.
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