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This no-bake berry trifle is quick to make, make-ahead friendly, and always one of the first desserts to disappear at a party.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Berry trifles make perfect summer party desserts—they’re beautiful, feed a crowd, and can be made ahead. The only downside is that all those layers can be time-consuming to make from scratch. I take a few shortcuts: store-bought Savoiardi (crisp ladyfingers), cream cheese whipped into the filling for richness, and raspberry jam to bring the fruit together. The result is a stunning, crowd-pleasing trifle that comes together in just 30 minutes.
“Oh my! This is so easy, beautiful and absolutely delicious!! Made for a party and everyone raved.”
What You’ll Need To make A Summer Berry Trifle
What Dish Should I Use For A Trifle?
Use a deep, clear glass bowl or a footed trifle dish so you can see the layers. For this recipe, you’ll need one that holds about 14 cups. Don’t worry if the layers are slightly uneven or mingle a little—that’s the beauty of a trifle!
You can also assemble the trifle in small glasses for individual parfaits, which are especially handy when you want dessert portioned and ready to serve.
How To Make a Summer Berry Trifle
Warm the jam and toss with berries: In a large bowl, heat the raspberry jam in the microwave until it’s hot and liquidy—about 1 minute. Add the sliced strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, then gently toss to coat. Let the mixture sit while you prep the cream; the berries will soften slightly and get nice and glossy.
Whip the cream: In a large mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip—you want it fluffy and smooth. Set it aside for now.
Make the cream cheese filling: In another large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the confectioners’ sugar until it’s completely smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Add whipped cream: Beat in about a third of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture. Switch to a spatula and gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream until fully combined and fluffy.
Assemble the trifle: Begin with a layer of ladyfingers in the bottom of a large glass trifle dish or bowl (break them as needed to fit). Spoon on about a third of the berry mixture—juice and all—then spread a third of the cream on top. Don’t worry about being perfect; rustic looks beautiful here.
Finish layers and garnish: Continue layering, ending with the cream cheese mixture on top. For the last layer, try to leave a 1-inch border around the edge so the colorful berries peek through underneath. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, then garnish with the reserved berries and mint before serving.
Make-Ahead Instructions
This is a dessert you actually want to make ahead: the ladyfingers need time to absorb the berry juices and soften into cake-like layers. Assemble the trifle the day before serving, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. For the prettiest finish, save the berries and mint for decorating just before serving.
Video Tutorial
Summer Berry Trifle
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (8 oz) seedless raspberry jam
- 1 qt (1½ lb) strawberries, hulled and cut into ¼-in (6-mm) slices
- 1 pint (12 oz) raspberries
- 1 pint (12 oz) blueberries
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
- 16 oz cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia brand, at room temperature
- 1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (7-oz) package crisp lady fingers (also called savoiardi biscuits)
- Fresh mint sprig, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Set aside a few berries for topping the trifle.
- Heat the raspberry jam in a large bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until hot and liquidy. Add the fresh berries and toss to coat. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the recipe, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the vanilla, then beat in a third of the whipped cream. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream until well combined.
- Cover the bottom of a 9-in/23-cm (14-cup capacity) trifle dish or glass bowl with a layer of lady fingers (break into pieces as necessary). Follow with ⅓ of the berry-jam mixture (including ⅓ of the juices), then ⅓ of the cream.
- Repeat the layering, ending with the cream cheese mixture on top. For the last layer of cream, leave a 1-in (2.5-cm) border around the edge showing the fruit beneath.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, then garnish with the reserved berries and mint before serving.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I am having trouble finding the crispy lady fingers. Can I substitute the regular ones I might use for Charlotte Russe?
Hi Patty, I wouldn’t recommend the regular lady fingers here. You’d be better off with pound cake but into pieces. Hope you enjoy!
I can’t find lady fingers. What cake recipe would you recommend?
Hi Natalie, you can just use store-bought pound cake here.
I don’t have enough time to order the Lady Fingers online. I found Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread they are crispy, would that be a substitute? or would pound cake be a better option?
Lisa, I think the pound cake would be a better option :).
Hi I could not find the lady fingers, can I use the Biscoff Europe’s,would that work?or not as good?
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried Biscoff European cookies, but I suspect that the texture may be too hard. If you’re determined to make this, you can order the crisp lady fingers on Amazon. If you don’t want to bother with that, you could always use pound cake cut into pieces.
I haven’t made this yet but how could I make it lower in calories? Always watching my weight!
Hi Sherry, You could make a few tweaks: look for reduced sugar or sugar-free jam, cut back a little on the confectioner’s sugar and try the reduced-fat (not fat-free) cream cheese. I would love to know how it turns out if you prepare it with these tweaks!
This is delicious.
Jenn, I live in England (home of the trifle!) and served this at a dinner party last night. My English hubby and friends said it was THE BEST TRIFLE THEY HAD EVER TASTED! One of them has even requested it in lieu of cake for his birthday next weekend. I personally found the cream cheese and whipped cream topping a bit too sweet but everyone else thought it was perfect! Thank you. I am looking forward to trying out some of your other recipes.
That’s high praise, Jan — so glad everyone enjoyed it!
Hi Jenn, can you tell me I this trifle is dry seeing as the finger biscuits don’t get dipped in anything.
Hi Rita, the berries tossed with the jam makes for plenty of moisture, so I don’t think you’ll find this to be dry at all.
This is a wonderful party recipe. The instructions were clear, the recipe easy and a sure hit with everyone. There will be nothing left over
Hi Jen! Can I use soft lady fingers for this recipe instead?
Hi Erin, Yes but the texture won’t be as good — I definitely prefer the hard cookies.