Mini Tiramisu Trifles

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Soft espresso-soaked ladyfinger cookies are layered with a creamy mascarpone filling in these glorious Tiramisu Trifles! They’re finished off with a swirl of Kahlua whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.

Looking for traditional tiramisu? This tiramisu recipe won’t let you down.

Easy No-Bake Tiramisu Trifles

Tiramisu is one of my top favorite Italian desserts, and I just discovered a whole new way to enjoy it – in the form of a mini trifle! These babies are incredibly easy to make and even easier to eat (by the heaping spoonful). The only hard part is stopping at just one trifle.

Between the sweet mascarpone filling and the melt-in-your-mouth espresso ladyfingers, these no-bake treats would taste heavenly with no topping at all! The Kahlua-infused whipped cream and the cocoa powder only elevate the lusciousness. You don’t have to spike your whipped cream if you don’t want to, but I couldn’t resist!

A metal tray holding three tiramisu trifles with another trifle and a dish full of cocoa powder behind the tray

What is Tiramisu?

Tiramisu (tee-ruh-mee-soo) is a layered dessert made of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream and a dusting of cocoa powder. The ladyfingers are often soaked in liqueur as well as espresso, but some versions are completely alcohol-free. For these tiramisu trifles, I like to leave the liqueur out of the ladyfingers and add it to the whipped cream topping instead.

A close-up shot of a group of three tiramisu trifles on a serving platter

Recipe Ingredients

You don’t need many ingredients to make any part of this crave-worthy treat. Let’s get started!

For the Mascarpone Cream Filling

  • Mascarpone Cheese
  • Sugar
  • Heavy Whipping Cream: Keep this cold until you’re about to use it.
  • Powdered Sugar: To provide some structure.
  • Vanilla Extract: Stick with a high-quality extract for the best results.

For the Espresso-Soaked Ladyfinger Cookies

  • Hot Water
  • Instant Espresso Powder: This will be dissolved in the water along with the sugar.
  • Sugar: Just enough to make the espresso enjoyable in a dessert. If you’re a big fan of bitter flavors, you can leave this out.
  • Ladyfingers: I use the softer, more cake-like ladyfingers in these trifles as opposed to the more traditional hard ladyfingers.

For the Kahlua Whipped Cream

  • Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Kahlua: If you want to omit the alcohol, I suggest adding a splash of vanilla extract instead.
A tray holding three mini trifles and a metal spoon with a long stem

How to Make Mini Tiramisu Trifles

These trifles are not only a no-bake masterpiece, but they also don’t require any chill time! Here’s how to bring them to life:

  1. Combine Mascarpone & Sugar: Mix the mascarpone cheese and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl until they’re combined. Do not over-mix. Set the bowl aside.
  2. Whip Heavy Cream, Powdered Sugar & Vanilla: Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to another bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
  3. Combine Mixtures: Carefully fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese mixture and set the prepared filling aside.
  4. Make Espresso Mixture: In another bowl, combine the hot water, espresso powder and sugar.
  5. Dip Ladyfingers & Start Layering: Dip the ladyfingers into the espresso mixture one at a time and place them into the bottom of each trifle cup. Use 2-3 ladyfingers for each cup, breaking them into pieces as needed so they can create a full layer.
  6. Continue Layering: Pipe or spoon a layer of mascarpone cream on top of the ladyfingers. Repeat the process with another layer of ladyfingers and mascarpone filling.
  7. Make Whipped Cream: Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and Kahlua to a large mixer bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
  8. Add to Trifles: Pipe a swirl of whipped cream on top of each trifle, then add a sprinkle of cocoa powder if you’d like.
Three tiramisu trifles on a metal plate with a spoon inside one of them

Tips for Success

Before you tackle these Italian-style trifles, take a look at the following tips to make sure you’re on the right track.

  • Use the Right Kind of Ladyfingers: There are two types of ladyfinger cookies – the softer, more cake-like ones and the harder, thicker ones (both can be found in the cookie aisle at your local supermarket). I suggest using the first kind for these trifles so you won’t have to wait for them to soften.
  • Don’t Over-Mix the Mascarpone Cream: Mascarpone cheese can easily break down and develop a thin, almost watery consistency. Make sure you don’t over-mix it with the sugar or the whipped cream that’s folded in later.
  • Chill the Trifles Until You’re Ready to Serve Them: If you’re not serving your trifles as soon as they’re done, pop them into the refrigerator. This will help preserve them while you wait.
Three no-bake trifles with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder on top of each one

Storage Instructions

These trifles actually become more flavorful as they sit! They can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days – after that, the ladyfingers will get too mushy. Make sure the trifles are well covered if you’re storing them for longer than an hour or two.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”dUZc7C6B” upload-date=”2017-01-12T15:51:23.000Z” name=”Tiramisu Trifles” description=”These Mini Tiramisu Trifles have layers of mascarpone cheese, ladyfingers and espresso. They’re super easy to make and are a fun twist on one of my favorite Italian desserts – tiramisu!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]

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A close-up shot of a mini tiramisu trifle
Recipe

Mini Tiramisu Trifles

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Soft espresso-soaked ladyfinger cookies are layered with a creamy mascarpone filling in these glorious Tiramisu Trifles! They’re finished off with a swirl of Kahlua whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.


Ingredients

For the Mascarpone Filling

  • 20 oz (565g) mascarpone cheese
  • 3 tbsp (39g) sugar
  • 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Espresso-Soaked Ladyfingers

  • 3/4 cup (180ml) hot water
  • 3 tbsp (45ml) instant espresso powder
  • 3 tbsp (39g) sugar
  • 36 ladyfingers (the softer, more cake-like kind)

For the Kahlua Whipped Cream

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup (29g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) Kahlua

Instructions

  1. Mix mascarpone cheese and sugar together until combined. Do not over mix or the mascarpone cheese can thin out. Set aside.
  2. In another bowl, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form.
  3. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese mixture. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, combine the hot water, espresso powder and sugar.
  5. To layer the trifles, dip the ladyfingers into the espresso mixture one at a time and place into the bottom of the trifle cup. Use two to three ladyfingers and break into pieces as needed so they fit in the cup and create a full layer.
  6. Pipe or spoon a layer of mascarpone filling on top of the ladyfingers.
  7. Repeat another layer of ladyfingers and mascarpone filling.
  8. After completing the trifles, make the whipped cream.
  9. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and kahlua to a large mixer bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
  10. Pipe a swirl of whipped cream on top of each trifle, then sprinkle with cocoa powder, if desired.
  11. Refrigerate trifles until ready to serve.

Notes

  • Makes 5-6 mini trifles.
  • Trifles can be kept in the fridge, well covered, for 2-3 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Mini Trifle
  • Calories: 979
  • Sugar: 28.7 g
  • Sodium: 167.9 mg
  • Fat: 70.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 71.6 g
  • Protein: 15.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 333.1 mg

Categories

More Homemade Trifles to Try

Looking for more luxurious trifle recipes? You can’t go wrong with any of the treats linked below.

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52 Comments
    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t ever tried freezing them so I can’t really say if they would turn out well. You could cover the tops of the cups and freeze them and then thawed them in the fridge and see how they do. The texture of the cream could change and the moisture in the lady fingers could affect their texture as well.

  1. Fanny

    Hi .
    Do you recomend this recipe for a wedding ?if yes it is posible to make 1 or 2 days ahead?What kind glass can I use for mini tiramisu for a wedding

    1. Lindsay

      You can. The ladyfingers will get softer as they sit. It’s been a while since I made it, so I’m not sure if they’ll be too soft after 2 days, but I’m guessing they’d be ok.

  2. Anna

    Hi! These look amazing! Would I be able to make this in a big baking dish as opposed to making them in individual cups? If so, what size dish would you recommend? Thank you in advance!

    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to say for sure without testing out amounts. I have a regular full sized trifle dish and I’d probably double this recipe if I were to do it in that size.

  3. ss

    sorry one more question, if I make these a day in advance do the lady fingers get soggy? does it ruin the taste in anyway?

  4. ss

    Hi there, these look soo pretty!!! If I wanted to make these without Kahlua (non alcoholic) what can I use as a substitute?

      1. ss

        Thank you so much for responding to both questions! I’ll try it with an equal replacement of espresso to Kahlua

  5. Lindsey Daley

    This looks so yummy! They were all out of lady fingers at my grocery store so I got nilla wafers instead, I hope they work!

  6. Pamela Short

    Excited to try this for a Christmas party! My ladyfingers aren’t as caky I think. How long should I soak them? Still like you did in the video?

    1. Lindsay

      If they are the more traditional firm ones, I would just dip them an extra seconds or so. The main thing is they may take a little longer to soften up from all the moisture in the trifle once you make them. I might make these the night before you’re going to serve them if they are those hard ladyfingers.

      1. Lindsay

        Whoops, just realized that’s incorrect. I used the soft ones for these. I got them in the bakery section of my grocery store. If you can’t find those though, the ones on Amazon will work. They’re just the firmer lady fingers.

    1. Lindsay

      Depends on how strong you want the Kahlua flavor to be. You could definitely replace all of it, or just half of it. I’ve done both. You can also leave out the sugar when using the Kahlua.

  7. Tasty Details

    This dessert is sooo beautiful! I’ve shared this in my blog, with a link to your recipe. Thanks for the delicious things you share with us!
    Patricia.

  8. Sharon C

    Oh boy, do I love Tiramisu! It doesn’t matter if it’s in cheesecake form, traditional form, with fruit or in little trifles! Thanks for the recipe. Can you tell me where you got those adorable little trifle cups, please? 

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29