This American dessert trifle recipe is one my family and I look forward to every year! Remember on that episode of Friends when Rachel makes a traditional English trifle and gets the ingredients all mixed up? Thankfully, this is NOTHING like that.
We have layers of brownies, Cool Whip, and berries in this one. The red, white, and blue colors make this a perfect 4th of July dessert! Check out the process for this easy trifle recipe below.
Ingredients
- Brownie mix
- Cool Whip
- Chocolate instant pudding mix
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Egg (for brownies)
- Vegetable oil (for brownies)
- Water (for brownies)
- Milk (for instant pudding)
Make the Brownies First
Since they need time to cool after baking, the first step in making this dessert trifle is to make the brownies first. If you have your own brownie recipe you love, then use that. This is also the perfect time to remove the Cool Whip from the freezer and let it thaw.
But if you’re a sucker for the box brownie mix like me, then make sure to mix with egg, vegetable oil, and water as instructed on the box. Make brownies in a 9×13 pan as to have enough squares cut to fill the trifle dish for two layers.
Brownies should take at least an hour to cool to room temperature. Cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch squares, but not the crispy edges and corners. I recommend to start cutting brownies 1/2 inch from the edges.
Two Types of Whipped Topping
This American dessert trifle recipe has not one, but two types of whipped topping flavors. Regular whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, is one and another is whipped topping infused with instant chocolate pudding.
To make the chocolate whipped topping, mix two four-ounce packages of chocolate instant pudding mix in a large mixing bowl with two cups of milk. Use a mixer to blend ingredients together until it starts to thicken.
Add one 8 ounce container of Cool Whip in bowl and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until white and dark brown colors combine to make a tan color. Save the other container of Cool Whip for later.
How to Layer American Dessert Trifle
In a trifle dish, the layers go as follows (from bottom up):
- brownies
- chocolate pudding whipped topping
- whipped topping
- blueberries and strawberries
Repeat this process one more time to create a total of two layers of each. Make sure strawberries are sliced into fourths.
How to Serve a Trifle
Let me be upfront with you: serving a dessert trifle won’t be pretty. As you can tell from the image above, it’s going to look like a mess on a dish. But that won’t stop your family and friends from eating it all up! This treat vanishes quickly as a backyard BBQ dessert, Fourth of July dish, or for any day of the week!
If you don’t have a trifle dish, you can use a large glass bowl. You’ll want glass so the presentation of the layers is visible. I use a trifle dish in my banana pudding recipe as well.
How Long is American Dessert Trifle Good For?
In all of the years my family and I have been making this dessert, only once have we had leftovers. In my experience, leftovers are best kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days.
Other BBQ Dessert Recipes
Smoked Cream Cheese with Apple Cinnamon
American Dessert Trifle
This American dessert trifle is layered with brownies, berries, and different flavors of whipped topping. Perfect dessert for any backyard BBQ or Fourth of July!
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsp water
- 2 - 8 oz. containers Cool Whip, thawed
- 2 - 3.9 oz. boxes of Jello chocolate instant pudding
- 2 Cups milk
- 8 oz. blueberries
- 8 oz. strawberries, cut into fourths
Instructions
- Remove Cool Whip containers from freezer to thaw out to refrigerator temps (35-38°F).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees or as directed on box of brownie mix. Mix in a medium sized mixing bowl with ingredients listed on back of box (eggs, vegetable oil, water). Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake for 22-25 minutes.
- Remove pan of brownies from oven and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cut brownies into one to 1 1/2 inch squares, but not the crisp edges or corners.
- In a separate mixing bowl, pour two boxes of chocolate instant pudding with two cups of milk. Mix together until it starts to thicken. Place one tub of Cool Whip in bowl and stir until it’s a smooth brown consistency.
- In a trifle dish or large glass bowl, layer brownies, chocolate Cool Whip, regular Cool Whip, then strawberries and blueberries. Repeat layers one more time. Serve immediately.
Notes
- 1. Substitute your own brownie recipe instead of the box brownie mix.
- Substitute a homemade whipped cream recipe instead of Cool Whip.
- Trifle dishes usually are glass and have a stand underneath. Can use a large glass bowl if you prefer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 4 ouncesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gCarbohydrates: 25gSugar: 23gProtein: 1g
NOTE: Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
