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!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
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
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 large tub (12 oz.) whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed, dividedDirections:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Use a spatula to fold in half of the whipped topping. Gently combine ingredients until no streaks remain.
4. 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.
5. 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.My Baking Addiction
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{ 92 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi! The recipe looks so yummy! Where can you buy the cookies? I’m definitely going to try this! Thank you so much! Happy Thanksgiving!
Sarah-
You can purchase the Biscoff Cookies pretty much anywhere. I have seen them at Kroger, Giant Eagle and even Target. Here is an image of the cookies so you know what you are looking for. Hope this helps.
-Jamie
These look wondeful. They carry Biscoff cookies at Walgreens, too.
These look completely fabulous. Marry me? haha
Seriously, in my decade or so of following food blogs, I have never found a recipe so fantastic that I felt obligated to leave a comment. You are fabulous.
Krissy-
Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words.I am so glad that I’m your first official blog comment! Happy Holidays!
-Jamie
These look amazing!!! I have a soft spot for layered desserts, and these look so delicious! Happy Thanksgiving!
These trifles look delicious and I understand your schedule…mine is remarkably the same! Happy Thanksgiving!
I love these – the perfect Thanksgiving treat!
This sounds heavenly! Love this.
Love these individual trifles. I posted a pumpkin trifle recipe yesterday on dyingforchocolate.com, but I think I like this one as well if not better. Instead of the cookies, I’ll use chocolate wafers..I’m all about the chocolate.
I understand how it’s totally exhausting..Just thinking about making all the stuff makes me nervous but the food is so good, I’ll pretend it doesn’t matter every year for the rest of my life!
Clean the kitchen — eleventy billion hours! Ha! So true. You forgot “Friday all day: collapse on the couch and have minions bring me leftovers on a plate.” A happy and tasty Thanksgiving to you and yours!
OMGosh… are we ever kindred spirits!! I couldn’t have expressed my displeasure with Thanksgiving any more perfectly. The only difference is that my siblings despise me and I’m not so fond of them either, so as much as I miss my sweet mom, I’m sort of grateful that she passed away in August, because now it allows me to have a perfectly quiet Thanksgiving dinner with Brian rather than watching my brother and sisters slip into a Tryptophan-induced coma…. or is it a vodka/gin/whiskey induced coma? No matter… I’m happy!
These look fabulous. I just made something very similar for dessert last night!!! Love that you used Biscoff cookies, I was all out and used gingersnaps. Not the same! I hear ya on the prep and clean up. Although, I love the dinner….
Hmmm when you put it like that… Still, I can’t help it, Thanksgiving is my favorite! These trifles are just adorable and look delicious.
The multi layers of these trifles make them so appetizing. I want to scoop in right away.
Good luck with the Thanksgiving preps!
Is it just me – I can NEVER get cream cheese to whip smooth. I have tried every way I can, and it always ends up lumpy. Is there some type of secret you use?
Tiffany-
I would recommend letting your cream cheese sit at room temperature for at least 5 hours. This should help with the lumps. Happy Holidays!
-Jamie
I agree!! if there is a stubborn chunk that won’t go away I will use a fork also to smosh it out.
these look heavenly. i kinda wish i hadn’t signed up to make 2 pies cause i really want to make this! i agree, that although the food is delicious on Thanksgiving, it is kind of a waste.
This sounds so good and your pictures are wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
These look delicious! And I agree with you about Thanksgiving…so much build up for one short meal!
I really do hate the cleaning up part, it sucks because my dad makes me do it while he goes to watch some football game. But Thanksgiving is so nice, and it’s fun to wolf down turkey like you never will again.
These trifles look so creamy and decadent.
Ha! Love the *Eat Dinner…10 minutes*
These trifles are just simply beautiful! Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving.
These trifles look so goooood! Maybe if you tell everyone they need to slow down eating and you have these as their reward? I bet it would work!
Maybe we should start a new Thanksgiving tradition and declare it a cooking free day. It is an awful lot of work for a few minutes of eating and then the fridge is stuffed with leftover that no one wants to eat. At least it’s only once a year around here – we don’t do a big Christmas dinner. Your trifles are going on my must-make-these-soon list, they look delicious! And simple….big plus!
I would dig my spoon deep to get to those cookie crumbs, yum!
I am with you, lots of cooking for a meal that ends up too quickly. I love though that the people who don’t cook normally offer to do the dishes.
Have a great turkey day!
Wow! If I hadn’t already made a pumpkin cheesecake last night I would definitely be making this. Thankfully I am only in charge of dessert this year – the advantage of going to someone else’s home. I am sure I will be helping with the prep a little though,
These look awesome. I’m a little wary, though, of Cool Whip. I would prefer to use real whipped cream. Do you think I would need to add gelatin to stabilize it?
Oh my gosh, I am totally rolling on the floor laughing reading this – I agree on the eleventy billion hours thing! And, as a girl who likes football, sometimes I’m annoyed because I’d like to sit down and watch the game too! Thanks for a lovely, quick dessert!
I don’t really get the fuss either … but the food – - oh my goodness, the food is worth it all. These are prefect little cheesecakes!!
that looks so simple and elegant.
mmmmm these trifles look so yummy! while i’ve never hosted thanksgiving dinner, i do help cook/bake and it always make me a little sad when i realize that the 10+ hours of prepping, cooking & baking will be gone in under 30 minutes. thank goodness for leftovers! anyways, thanks for sharing this awesome recipe. your photo is beautiful!
delicious and beautiful! I also hate that you prep for such a long time and only get to truly enjoy it for such a small amount of time. Ah the fickle ways of Thanksgiving…
The desserts make it all worth it! This one looks especially good
wow! This is sooo tempting!
literally making these tonight! they look amaaaaaaazing!
I am hosting my first Thanksgiving this year, and my invited guests (inlaws, my parents, aunts+uncles) will be bringing desserts and appetizers. I decided last minute that I needed to make these! I love all things pumpkin, and all things cheesecake. I wasn’t able to find the jars last minute so I bought those little mini pie tins (Disposable) and I’m going to use a graham cracker crust. single serving pumpkin cheesecakes sound amazing!
You are so right!! These are definitely easy to make and look incredibly tasty.
That looks incredible!
your feelings about cooking for thanksgiving completely mirror my own. that’s why, this year instead of making thanksgiving dinner, i made a reservation instead.
this desert looks delicious though. just discovered your blog and am really loving it!
I plan to make these but want to know if I can prepare them one or two days in advance. Will it taste the same??
April-
I wouldn’t prepare them more than one day in advance. Make sure you cover them with plastic wrap. You can then top with whipped topping right before serving.
-Jamie
looks wonderful and soooo yummyyy
Omgsh! These honestly look too pretty to eat!
Loving this recipe, Jamie !
I’m on currently on a diet, but this makes me want to make an exception. Oh, and what a creamy delicious exception it would be… *drooling*
This recipe is unbelievable! I made a modified version for our Passover seder, using Passover cookie crumbles and real whipped cream. It will now become one of our family traditions. Next time, I think I’ll leave out the cookie part because the “pudding” is awesome all by itself. Thank you!
These pumpkin trifles are making my mouth water! Must try!
thanks for sharing
I will definitly be making this in my new trifle bowl..I have been looking for recipes to make and this one is a-mazing. Thanks for sharing!
This looks scrumptious! I can hardly wait to make this.
I have one question: instead of me having to buy those cookies, do you think this dessert would still be okay if I crushed graham crackers in its place?
Okay, trifle looks amazingly delicious.
I’m with you on Thanksgiving being over the top amount of work, and I have another gripe. It seems like it is not enough to keep the women in the kitchen, but the men often have activities Thursday morning. There are Turkey Bowls, and don’t forget turkey trots. My goodness, I can’t just stay home and cook, and I have to stay home and cook and keep track of the kids while he gets to play. As you can tell, I’m not bitter at all!
Well, Thanksgiving is my favourite time of year and I love to cook for family. Honestly, sweater weather with all the fixings, sigh…. lovely. And none of the nasty commercialism of Christmas. I live in Canada and I have never seen these cookies where I live. Are they buttery, gingery…. any nice descriptive words so I can find a replacement? And I would definitely use real whip cream, super yum! Great idea. You are so imaginative. I love pumpkin and not pumpkin pie so this is perfect!
Alex-
Hi! Biscoff cookies have a caramely-buttery flavor and a crisp texture. You could certainly sub in a great gingersnap as well. I hope this helps. Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
I’m in Canada too and you can get cookies at Safeway or Save-on-foods! I’m making today!
Wow! I was craving pumpkin and decided to try this. Yum! I made it as a pie instead of individual servings because I didn’t have small dishes and I wasn’t making it for a crowd-just me and my sister!
I made a homemade graham cracker crust -I would love to make a ginger cookie one!- and it is sooooo good! Thanks!
Lisa-
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for coming back to us about your experience with the recipe!
-Jamie
I made these tonight, and they were delish! Will make these again, especially during the holiday season. BTW, I posted your link to my blog… http://pintheredidthat.blogspot.com/2012/09/pumpkin-cheesecake-triffle.html
Vera-
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for coming back and letting me know how the recipe worked for you!
-Jamie
Has anyone used regular graham crackers rather then biscoff cookies??
I haven’t, but I would like to use ginger snap crumbs.. I’ve made a pumpkin cheesecake with a gingersnap crust, and it’s an excellent flavor combination!
These trifles look amazing and I would like to try to make these for a party that I am hosting. Two questions, how did you get the cool whip evenly ridged on the top and the how did you make the layers look so uniform….any tricks?
Ohhh my goodness, biscoff cookies AND pumpkin PLUS cream cheese?!?! All of my favorite things…I might just faint. Thanks for the awesome recipe! Definitely making these for Thanksgiving!
Awesome! Hope you don’t mind if I steal it! Lol. Just finished making the pumpkin-cream cheese mixture ahead of time, for Thanksgiving, and couldn’t stop licking the spoon. Wonderful
Venus-
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback – have a great day!
-Jamie
I agree 100%, 2-3 days of way to much work for a 10 minute dinner. Your receipes look amazing, I will defiantly try them.
These were amazing! made them for thanksgiving dinner and the entire family was super impressed. i substituted the cookies for graham crackers because i couldn’t find them and it was still amazing! super quick and looked great! thanks for the idea
Melissa-
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe – thanks so much for leaving your feedback! Have a great day!
-Jamie
this looks wonderful! I plan on making this for my 4 twentysomethings. We all love pumpkin?
question for you:
didn’t you say you were a ms teacher? how do you have energy to test recipes and write a blog after teaching all day? I am wiped out!!!
Sorry about all the capitalization mistakes. I am still getting used to the iPad. I love your blog and enjoy reading it.
Do you know the size/ounces of the glasses? I was thinking of doing these for book club. The nearest Ikea is Chicago … a 6 hour drive. I am thinking of using my 4 ounce jelly jars instead. But if you are using 8 oz. trifle dishes, I need to adjust my serving size I think….
Mary Ellen-
Unfortunately I do not know the exact size of these glasses, but Pier One has some that are similar. I think your jelly jar idea is just perfect.
-Jamie
That looks yummy… Do you use icing sugar or granulated sugar for this recipe?
Made these tonight using graham crackers instead of the cookies….they were SO good and I got rave reviews from our guests. Thanks for the great recipe!
Lydia-
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe – thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback! Have a great day.
-Jamie
This looks AMAZING! I am wondering if anyone has made it in a regular trifle bowl as opposed to individual glasses? If so, was it enough filling or should I double it? Thank you!!!
how far in advance can I make these?
Kathy-
Hello! I would make them the day they are served. You wouldn’t want the cookies to get too soggy. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
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
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
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!
Thank you for a great dessert!
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.
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
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
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