Christmas trifle stands out as a festive favourite. Layers of spectacular colours, varied textures and delicious flavours create an impressive dessert that delights everyone at the table.
Whether you’re drawn to heritage recipes passed down through generations, or you’d like to experiment with seasonal fruits like mango, cherries, figs and quince, this collection of our best-loved Christmas trifle recipes offers something to please every palate at your celebration.
4 tips for your Christmas trifle
- Remember to allow time for the jelly to set, and for cake or other components to absorb sherry or other flavouring.
- Swap alcohol for fruit juice in most recipes if you’re creating a family-friendly Christmas trifle.
- Check the recipe to find out how long you need to refrigerate the trifle before serving. It can be several hours for some recipes (including the classic trifle and white chocolate, Irish cream and berry trifle recipes.
- If you have leftover trifle, cover and store it in the fridge. It should keep for a few days, as long as you put it back in the refrigerator soon after serving. As a general guide, foodstandards.gov.au advises businesses to follow the 2-hour/4-hour rule, which you could also apply at home. Basically, aim to get leftover Christmas trifle in the fridge within 2 hours (or less time, ideally). Don’t eat leftovers if it’s been left at room temperature for 4 hours or more.
Is it better to make a trifle the night before?
Most recipes in this collection work beautifully when prepared a day ahead (some even earlier), though you can certainly assemble them on serving day. Traditional Christmas trifle recipes typically feature jelly layers that require adequate setting time, so advance preparation often makes sense for stress-free entertaining.
Consider that sponge cake and biscuit layers may soften with extended refrigeration. Once you’ve selected your Christmas trifle recipe, check the method carefully to determine your ideal preparation timing.
Mangomisu
Panettone trifle with sparkling shiraz and berries
Tiramisu trifle
Classic trifle
Raspberry and almond trifle
Lemon curd, blueberry and meringue trifle
Trifle torta
Pavlova trifles
Baklava and Turkish delight trifles
Decadent Black Forest trifle
Classic Christmas trifle
Christmas trifle cake
Chocolate raspberry tiramisu trifle
Rosé and raspberry trifle
Black forest trifle
Julie Goodwin chocolate trifle
Summer mixed berry trifle
White chocolate, Irish cream and berry trifle
Peach and nectarine trifle
Panettone trifle
Ultimate berry mascarpone trifle
Ultimate trifle
Champagne & orange French macaron trifle
Grandma’s trifle
Pear and marshmallow trifles
