Easy Pie Trifle Dessert, A Favorite No-Bake Recipe
This Easy Pie Trifle Dessert is luscious, made with chunks of baked pie of any flavor, layered with a mascarpone cream filling, and topped with your favorite syrupy sauce. Garnish with pie crust crumbs, and you've got a super-easy dish that's an ever-present help in time of need!
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Let's take the classic dessert, pie, to another level. This Easy Pie Trifle Dessert helps you out next time you need dessert in a pinch or want a sweet and luscious treat.
Speaking of pie, this French Apple Pie, baked in a brown paper bag, can be used to make a pie trifle. It features a sweet, crunchy topping that is evenly browned. The filling is tender and juicy, too, thanks to the sealed bag in the oven.
Pecan Pie Plaisir is another luscious pie indulgence. A light, creamy pecan pie with a crisp cracker and pecan meringue crust, much like Piccadilly Cafeteria's famous Pecan Delight pie.
Trifle Help
A trifle (or punch bowl cake) is my favorite and one of the easiest desserts to make for dinner parties because you can:
- prepare them ahead of time and keep them chilling in the refrigerator
- assemble it easily and quickly with ready-made ingredients
- serve a luxurious dessert with cold, creamy fillings
- entertain guests with endless ingredient combinations, never the same
Isn't it lovely? I always get "Oohs!" and "Ahs!" when I bring this delicious dessert, served in a trifle dish, to the table. The trifle recipe is beneficial when you're short on time and need to feed a crowd. It's gratifying without a lot of work.
Ingredients
You can use any pie, such as apple pie, pumpkin pie, southern pecan pie, or any one of your favorite flavors. The spices of cinnamon and nutmeg are optional, but they do add flavor to the cream cheese mixture, enhancing it with just about any pie. Vanilla bean paste imparts a richer, more intense vanilla flavor to the cream compared to vanilla extract.
- mascarpone cheese - a spreadable, smooth-tasting, Italian cheese made from cow's milk; read What is Mascarpone Cheese to learn more about it.
- heavy cream - this adds creaminess to the filling
- vanilla bean paste - imparts a richer flavor to the cream compared to regular vanilla extract.
- ground cinnamon - adds spicy flavor to the cream mixture
- ground nutmeg - complements the warm cinnamon spice
- baked pies - any flavor: homemade, from the deli, bakery, or grocer's freezer section
- Pie crust crumbs - reserved for garnishing the top of the trifle
- caramel sauce or chocolate fudge topping - use any flavored sweet syrupy sauce you desire in between the layers and the topping
Instructions
The first time I served this dish, it was well-liked, but no one could figure out what was in it. I told them I made it with pies from the bakery at the grocery store. How much easier can it be?
You start by cutting them into squares and lining the bottom of a trifle bowl. Make a mascarpone cream mixture with cinnamon and nutmeg to cover the pie pieces, or omit the spices altogether. You can even have a combination of flavors with more than one kind of pie. Leftover pies work wonderfully well!
- Place mascarpone cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with the whisk attachment of an electric stand mixer or hand mixer until the cheese is smooth and creamy.
- Add the whipping cream, vanilla, and spices to the creamed cheese and beat for 1-2 minutes on high or until the mixture is smooth and firm.
- Cut the pie into small squares and layer ⅓ of the pieces on the bottom of a large trifle bowl, or glass bowl, reserving some of the pie crust edges for garnish.
- Spread ⅓ of the cream mixture onto the pie pieces.
- Spread three tablespoons of the sauce onto the cream.
- Repeat layers two more times.
- Sprinkle pie crust crumbles on top of the trifle for garnish.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
HINT: Do not overbeat the cream filling. It only takes a minute or two on medium speed for it to get firm.
Top Tip
Use your favorite pies of different flavors (such as leftover dessert at Thanksgiving) that complement each other.
Make smaller trifles in dessert cups for individual servings with leftover pie.
Substitutions
- A ready-made refrigerated whipped topping from the grocery store is a suitable substitution for the cream in the filling.
- Instead of a chocolate sauce, use a chocolate ganache in between the layers.
- Use ricotta cheese or cream cheese as an alternative to mascarpone cheese; however, ricotta will yield a different texture, and cream cheese will have a slightly sharper taste.
- Click here for a cinnamon whipped cream filling from my Fig Cake recipe if you're interested in a lighter version without the mascarpone cheese. Either way is yummy!
Variations
- Make a mascarpone cream mixture with cinnamon and nutmeg, or omit the spices altogether to cover the pie pieces.
- Using caramel syrup and chocolate syrup, along with a pecan pie, this pecan pie trifle replicates the taste of turtle candy.
Related
For more tasty treats like this Easy Pie Trifle, try these recipes:
Pairing
This Pie Trifle Dessert goes well with these dishes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Pie Trifle Dessert, A Favorite No-Bake Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
A luscious dessert made with chunks of pie layered with a mascarpone cream filling and caramel sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 2 regular-size baked pies, any flavor
- Pie crust crumbs reserved for garnishing the top of trifle
- 9 tablespoons caramel sauce or other flavored toppings
Instructions
- Place mascarpone in a large mixing bowl and beat with the whisk attachment until cheese is creamed.
- Add the whipping cream, vanilla, and spices (if using them) into the creamed cheese and beat for 1 - 2 minutes on high or until the mixture is smooth and firm.
- Cut pie into small squares and layer ⅓ of the pieces on the bottom of a trifle bowl reserving some of the pie crust edges for garnish.
- Spread ⅓ of the cream mixture onto the pie pieces.
- Spread 3 tablespoons of the sauce onto the cream.
- Repeat layers 2 more times.
- Sprinkle pie crust crumbles on top of the trifle for garnish.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use the same kind of pies or different flavors (maybe from leftover dessert) that complement each other.
- Make smaller trifles with leftover pie.
- Vanilla bean paste gives the cream a richer taste compared to vanilla extract.
- Do not overbeat the cream filling. It only takes a minute or two for it to get firm.
- Add some chocolate and caramel sauce when using pecan pies for the taste of turtle candy.
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"When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude."
G.K. Chesterton
Ms. Kay, I’ve made this twice! First time I made it, I used pecan pie with caramel and chocolate sauce. My family loved it!!
The second time (Sunday) I used apple pie with caramel sauce. Oh my goodness! It was so good! My girls couldn’t decide which they liked better. My youngest, Becky said, “Mom, you just need to make each one again so we can make up our minds!”
I will be making this again! I was thinking also that cherry pie with chocolate sauce would be really good. I was also thinking about using a strawberry pie made with fresh strawberries in the summer...maybe with chocolate syrup?
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes and especially the stories! I enjoy them as much as I do the recipes!!
Yay! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes, it’s my pleasure to share with you. I love how easy trifles are and your combinations sound amazing with the cherry or strawberry and chocolate combinations. Thanks for letting me know!