Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle

This Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle is an easy no-bake holiday dessert! It has layers of thick gingerbread cookies, no-bake gingerbread cheesecake, caramel and whipped cream. It’s perfect for holiday parties!

Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle - layers of gingerbread, no bake gingerbread cheesecake, caramel and whipped cream!

Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle - layers of gingerbread, no bake gingerbread cheesecake, caramel and whipped cream!

A Christmas Trifle

So just this week I noticed that one of the radio stations that I listen to regularly has changed. It used to be a station that played current music and often I’d hear a song for the first time on that station – sometimes weeks before hearing it on another station. I’m kind of sad to see it go.

However.

It might just have been replaced with an even better station. What is it? ALL 90s. Shut the front door! If you know me well, you know I dig my 90s music. You can regularly find me jammin’ out the to 90s station on the DirecTV music stations – especially while I’m baking. It’s totally the best and only way to bake. 🙂

Yesterday morning, I was rocking out in the car on the way to work. One of the songs that came on reminded me of the movie “Save The Last Dance.” Did you see that one? It’s from way back in 2001 and I was obsessed with it. A friend and I actually watched a couple scenes over and over to learn some of the moves, haha.

Did you know Kerri Washington (Scandal!!!!!) was in that movie? I loved her even back then. 🙂

Oh, how I love the 90s.

Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle - layers of gingerbread, no bake gingerbread cheesecake, caramel and whipped cream!
Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle - layers of gingerbread, no bake gingerbread cheesecake, caramel and whipped cream!

And this trifle. I’m a big fan.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve barely even begun your Christmas shopping and are semi freaking out that you only have about 2 weeks left to get it together and get on it. Soon, I’ll be running around like a crazy person (but really, how is that different than normal?) trying to get everything finished.

That’s why we need easy desserts like this one in our dessert arsenal. No baking, just a little mixing and layering, refrigerate and you’re done. You could even make it the night before and let in refrigerate for a bit so that everything softens up and melds together. In fact, I recommend it.

I used my favorite childhood gingerbread cookies in this trifle – the Little Debbie ones – and I would actually recommend using those. They are thick, puffy and soft, making them great for a solid layer in a trifle. If you can’t find those cookies, I’d recommend another cookie that is nice and thick. Another option would be to use gingerbread cake instead of the cookies, but that might require baking which defeats the whole no bake purpose. So yea, find those cookies if you can. Walmart is always where I go for the hard-to-find stuff, but I was able to get these at Publix.

Isn’t great how I look out for you at this time of year? To busy to bake? Crisis averted. Enter this Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle.

You are welcome.

Overhead view of Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle with a scoop removed
Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle - layers of gingerbread, no bake gingerbread cheesecake, caramel and whipped cream!

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Side view of a Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle
Recipe

Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours
  • Yield: 10-12 Servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle is an easy no-bake holiday dessert! It has layers of thick gingerbread cookies, no-bake gingerbread cheesecake, caramel and whipped cream. It’s perfect for holiday parties!


Ingredients

  • 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of cloves
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 20 oz cool whip, divided
  • 14 oz gingerbread cookies (I used about 2 1/2 boxes of these cookies)
  • 1 cup caramel sauce, divided

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
2. Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, molasses and milk and mix until smooth.
3. Stir in 8 oz of Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream).
4. In a large trifle dish, break up gingerbread cookies to make an even layer.
5. Top cookies with half of cream cheese mixture.
6. Top cream cheese mixture with 1/2 a cup of caramel sauce.
7. Top caramel sauce with about 6 oz of Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream).
8. Repeat steps 4-7, then finish off trifle with gingerbread crumbs.
9. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 4 hours. Can be made the night before and refrigerated overnight.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 506
  • Sugar: 50.6 g
  • Sodium: 327 mg
  • Fat: 27.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 62.5 g
  • Protein: 4.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 38.3 mg

Keywords: gingerbread trifle, christmas dessert recipe, christmas dessert, easy christmas dessert, best christmas dessert, christmas trifle, trifle recipe

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Enjoy!

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43 Comments
  1. Rebecca

    Not a huge caramel fan- do you know of anything that I could substitute that would be good with this trifle? Thanks! 

    1. Lindsay

      If you enjoy chocolate with gingerbread, you could try chocolate sauce. Otherwise, I’m not really sure what other sauces like that are readily available.

  2. Pao

    Hi, I’m planning on baking gingerbread cookies for this trifle. Would you recommend crunchier cookies or softer?
    This looks delicious!

  3. Nicole

    Hi! Do you use the Little Debbie Gingerbread cookies that are Gingerbread Men with icing? That’s all I can find but your picture does not show the iced kind :). Thanks!

      1. Nicole

        Ohh! For the whole trifle or just for the topper? Your post says Little Debbie but I just want to grab the right ones ????. Thanks!!

      2. Lindsay

        I’m sorry, I didn’t correctly see which recipe you were looking at. I thought it was the Gingerbread Cheesecake, which uses Pepperidge Farms. It’s been a while since I’ve made this, but it looks like they are also Pepperidge Farms. I will update the post to reflect that. Sorry!

  4. Erin

    HI, I haven’t been able to find those gingerbread cookies you used. Do you recommend a different kind or would it be good with gingerbread cake instead of the cookies as a layer? I am going to try and make this for Christmas this year. Thanks so much!

    1. Lindsay

      You can definitely use other gingerbread cookies. The little debbie gingerbread cookies are a little softer, but would still be good. And cake would likely be fine too.

  5. Grace

    I made this for a holiday party I was invited to.  As I was tasting all components of the trifle while putting it together!, the taste was off putting.  But…I do not that Trifles need to set.  With that being known, I was prepared to serve it anyway. And…..OMG!!! INCREDIBLE!!!!
    Everyone asked Tor the recipe.  I could not believe how amazing it tasted.

    Lindsay, you are my go to!  Everything I have tried so far on your site has just been amazing!

  6. joanne

    Made a version of this last night using my home made gingerbread and double cream instead of the cool whip which we don’t have here in the UK. I made them into mini desserts using large shot glasses. Very very well received by anyone who had one. Very simple and tasty.

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