Have you ever noticed that trifles are almost always made with vanilla pudding and vanilla wafers or shortbread or angel food cake? Where’s the chocolate? I’m here today to change that! This Chocolate Berry Trifle involves creamy chocolate pudding, crunchy Oreo cookies, fresh fruit, and whipped cream. It’s quick and easy to whip up, can be made in individual dishes or one large one (I almost always prefer individual ones), and makes a great dessert for the 4th of July due to the red, white, and blue berries and cream!
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate Pudding – You’ll need chocolate instant pudding. Regular or sugar free will work.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – Find this on the baking aisle, usually down low near the evaporated milk.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy whipping cream has some added stabilizers that help the overall texture of the finished mousse. You could use regular whipping cream, you may just find your mousse has a softer texture.
- Cool Whip – Not a fan of Cool Whip? That’s ok! Whip 16 ounces of heavy cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar to use in its place.
- Cream Cheese – Full fat or low fat will both work here. Avoid fat free.
- Oreos – We all know and love this name brand, but any sandwich cookie will do here. Feel free to switch things up according to your personal taste!
- Berries – Blueberries and strawberries make for a great combo. If you’re going for red and blue, raspberries or blackberries are also great additions.
How to Make Chocolate Berry Trifle
- For the chocolate pudding layer, blend together a package of instant chocolate pudding, some water, and a can of sweetened condensed milk. Then whip some cream and fold it all together into a rich mousse.
- Next, whip together some softened cream cheese and 2 containers of thawed Cool Whip (or whipped cream, if you prefer).
- Lastly, chop up some Oreo cookies, wash and slice a pint of strawberries and wash our blue(ish) berries (blueberries or blackberries work great).
- Finally, layer it all up! You can do this however you please. For these pictures, in individual serving dishes, I did a layer of pudding, followed by Oreos, berries, the whipped cream cheese mixture, and topped with more berries and Oreos. If you’re making this is one large trifle dish, simply repeat the layers until you use up all of your ingredients. I do recommend finishing the top off with a layer of the whipped cream cheese mixture and garnishing with berries and cookie pieces.
Storing and Other Tips
- This dessert is best served fresh. I highly recommend only assembling what you think will be eaten in one sitting. You can store the different components in the fridge and assemble new servings from the leftovers as needed.
- If you do save leftovers already assembled, just expect some squishy cookie pieces! Cover tightly and store in the fridge. Eat within 3 days.
- Yes, this is a recipe for Chocolate Berry Trifle, but this same method works for other flavor combinations. You could switch out the chocolate pudding for vanilla and/or change the berries for a different flavor profile. Banana pudding, Nutter Butters, and bananas would be a yummy combo, especially if you snuck a spoonful of peanut butter into the topping!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time?
The best way to prep this Chocolate Berry Trifle ahead of time is to prepare the pudding and whipped cream cheese mixture up to 24 hours in advance and store in airtight containers in the fridge. You can also prep all of your fruit and chop your Oreos. Layer everything together within a couple of hours of serving. You can, of course, put it all together earlier, just remember that the longer it sits, the softer the cookies become.
What if I don’t have a trifle bowl?
Trifle is a beautiful dessert that looks best in a clear bowl. If you don’t have clear dessert dishes, try mason jars or drinking glasses! Don’t own any suitable clear serving dishes? No worries; this trifle is just as delicious when you can’t see the layers.
Chocolate Berry Trifle
Rich chocolate pudding, Oreo cookies, fresh berries, and a whipped cream cheese topping. The perfect easy, no-bake dessert for the 4th of July or Memorial Day thanks to the red and blue berries and white whipped cream cheese topping!
Servings people
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 14- ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 8- ounce containers Cool Whip thawed
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
- ⅔ package Oreo cookies roughly chopped
- 1 pint blueberries blackberries, or a combination of both, washed
- 1 pint strawberries washed, hulled, and sliced
Instructions
- To prepare the chocolate layer, whisk together the pudding, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Refrigerate. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold into the chocolate pudding mixture until well-combined and then refrigerate until ready to use.
- To prepare the cream cheese layer, use an electric mixer to whip the cream cheese until it’s light and fluffy. Add the thawed Cool Whip and whip until light and fluffy and well-combined.
- Layer the ingredients in trifle dishes. If using individual dishes, it’s easiest to do a layer of pudding, cookies, strawberries, Cool Whip/cream cheese, and end with berries. If using one large trifle dish, repeat the layers until you run out of ingredients (or space).
Notes
- If desired, Cool Whip can be replaced with 16 ounces of heavy cream whipped with 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
- Yes, this is a recipe for Chocolate Berry Trifle, but this same method works for other flavor combinations. You could switch out the chocolate pudding for vanilla and/or change the berries for a different flavor profile. Banana pudding, Nutter Butters, and bananas would be a yummy combo, especially if you snuck a spoonful of peanut butter into the topping!
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 224mg, Potassium: 345mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 40g, Vitamin A: 700IU, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 167mg, Iron: 3mg
Calories: 428kcal
Cost: $15
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Questions & Reviews
I served these at a large gathering yesterday and they were a huge hit! Made them in little punch cups, using the chocolate mixture (oh my Yum!), strawberries, cool whip and instead of Oreos I used cut up brownies . They turned out so flavorful with lots of texture. Wonderful!!
I had to post and say I made this today for our Christmas dessert and everyone loved it! The only thing I changed was using whipping cream instead of cool whip. It was fantastic and I am sure I will be asked to bring it again.
I love chocolate trifle! I make a chocolate brownie trifle all the time for parties and get togethers and it is always gone before anyone can say it’s time for dessert!
I was on the hunt for something with fresh summer berries and chocolate (couldnt agree more with all the berry, white cake and cream trifles out there- not that they atent delicious but uou need to mix it up a little and my husband specifically asked for chocolaye. I just couldn’t deny him ). Made this yesterday for the fourth and it was a HUGE hit, with both men and women. And the cool whip ( extra creamy) was specifically mentioned as really tasty! I did substitute ghiardelli brownies for the Oreos just for something different. Will definitely make again!
This was amazing. I didn’t have any cool whip on hand, and aren’t a big fan of it, but I just substituted heavy whipping cream whipped up with some powdered sugar and it worked perfectly. Might be a new favorite recipe actually. LOVE IT!
This was a HUGE hit today! I work at a machine shop and held a BBQ for the boys and a couple of them actually asked for the recipe.
Shame on you Amy for being so grumpy. Without these pictures, I would have had a tough time finding things like sweetened condensed milk which is an ingredient that is not in my vocabulary. And coolwhip for us young folks is a win-win.
I’m with you, Joycelyn, I like tifle any way it comes. (And no, I’m not British!)
As for replacing Cool Whip, I’ve read on the web that adding a stabilizer like unflavored gelatin to whipped cream is a good idea. (Especially if you’re making it ahead.) Just Google “Cool Whip substitute.”
How interesting!I’ve never tried making trifle with pudding mix, but it does look tempting, and, a lot easier! For chocolate trifle, I make my own chocolate pudding & the layer of chocolate sponge that’s needed. I’ve never thought of using chocolate cookies instead of the sponge, but I’m sure that idea would go over quite well with my 8 grandchildren!
Being Brit born, trifle has always been a family favorite. Be it, traditional trifle layered with fresh custard, white sponge, sherry, berries, fresh whipped cream, & toasted nuts & angelica for decor served at Christmas & one of my grandchildrens BDs, as it’s her favorite dessert.
Or.. Chocolate trifle with layers of chocolate pudding, chocolate sponge, chocolate liquor, chocolate syrup, berries, fresh whipped cream & a sprinkle of shaved chocolate,served on most any other occassions.
In my world, whatever way it is made, Trifle is a wonderful dessert!