I've been giving pumpkin a lot of love these last few weeks. Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts. Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole. But to be honest, I've been kinda feeling like a poser... trying to be a part of the cool kids club.
Everyone seems to go gaga over pumpkin, like teenage girls at an N'Sync One Direction concert. I'm sorry to say, but even though I enjoy pumpkin and will happily eat it, I'm never like.... aaaahhhh I need pumpkin everything in my life right this second.
But apple? That's a different story. I'm all about fall apple desserts. I'll go all Bubba Gump on apple. Apple Pie. Apple Crisp. Apple Crisp Ice Cream. Apple Cheesecake. Caramel Apples.
And now... this No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifle.
I'm not sure if I can really call this no bake. I mean, you do have to cook the apples on the stovetop. But you can do that way ahead of time (like, days and days ahead) and then just assemble when you're ready to let your guest devour this creative apple dessert goodness.
So I'm going with the no bake thing. Even if it is maybe sorta a stretch.
Guys... this trifle. So perfect for parties. Hello easy entertaining! I'm making it for my annual Halloween party. You can go ahead and make every layer before guests even think about arriving. The no bake cheesecake. The cinnamon whipped cream. The crushed up biscoff cookies. You get the idea.
Tell me you don't want to dive head first into that trifle?! No really, please tell me. That way I get to eat yours too 🙂
After photographing these, I might have had one two three too many. I couldn't/wouldn't/didn't stop myself. Oops.
But can you blame a guy?
Print
No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifle
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 12 1x
Ingredients
for the Apple layer
- 4 apples (I used Granny Smith and McIntosh), finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
for the Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- Cinnamon
for the Cheesecake layer
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup whipped cream
for assembly of Trifle
- Biscoff cookies (or Nilla Wafers/Graham Crackers), crushed
- Good-quality caramel sauce topping (or make your own!)
- Sea salt
Instructions
for the Apple layer
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and stir until well combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes, until the apples are tender and the brown sugar creates a thick glaze.
for the Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric hand mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium/medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Reserve ¾ cup of whipped cream for cheesecake layer. With rest of whipped cream, gently fold in ½ teaspoon cinnamon and taste. Add more cinnamon if desired.
for the Cheesecake layer
- In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the whipped cream by hand.
When Ready to Assemble the Trifle:
- Remove apples from fridge and let come closer to room temperature (I gave them a quick zap in the microwave to speed up that process). Stir in some sea salt into caramel to give it desired salted caramel flavor.
- Alternate layers of crushed biscoff cookies, cheesecake layer, apples, cinnamon whipped cream, and salted caramel. Devour immediately.
Notes
It's important to cut the apples into a very fine dice, as bigger chunks of apple will take a lot longer to cook. Instead of using the stovetop, you could cook in a 375°F oven, stirring once or twice, until apples are tender.
I choose to serve my trifles in little mini serving cups. Yield of recipe depends upon size of those serving cups. You could also make it in one big dish for a family style dessert.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
Dannii
I am totally with you - I much prefer apple to pumpkin and I can't get enough of apple desserts at the moment. This sounds incredible too!
Chris
Glad to know you are a fellow apple lover!!!
Kristine
These combine my favorite things - apples, cheesecake, and caramel! I love how you used mascarpone and cream cheese in the cheesecake layer!
Chris
Thanks Kristine!
Tina
These trifles have basically all of my favorite things in them. DROOLING, big time!
Chris
Hahahaha thanks Tina!
marcie
Thats the perks of the photographer, you get to eat as many of the "props" as you want, and you won't gain any weight (that's what I tell myself, anyway)! 🙂 These would be my downfall -- I love my pumpkin, but apples are right up there. And I won't even start about the caramel -- amazing! Pinned. 🙂
Chris
Hahahah, exactly Marcie! It's a perk of being the photographer... unfortunately I've been enjoying too many perks lately hahaha
Beth
Chris, I am totally right there with you on apples. I haven't even made anything pumpkin yet. And I won't need to if there are things like no bake caramel apple cheesecake trifles in the world! These look wonderful. 🙂
Chris
Thanks so much Beth!
Zainab
I'm the first to admit I'm not all crazy about pumpkin but just get into the craze. But apples? Now that's my jam!! And these are just freaking amazing! Caramel apples and cheesecake? Darn!!!
Chris
Yes! Apple lovers unite!
CakePants
These look totally drool-worthy (*wipes off keyboard*)! I'm fond of pumpkin too, but would take an apple dessert over a pumpkin one in a heartbeat - there's just something so irresistible about apples and cinnamon, and this dessert is no exception!
Chris
Hahahaha I'm wiping off my keyboard all the time. #foodbloggerproblems
Lisa
OMG! Seriously? I am right there with you on the pumpkin thing -- I like it in small doses, but apples, pears and cranberries? That's where it's AT!
Chris
Heck to the yes!
Oriana
Ohh boy!!! These looks delicious. We went apple picking and I have like 234 apples sitting in my kitchen. Pinned =)
Chris
That's a lot of apples! Better start peeling! hahahaha
Ashley
Totally with you - apples I do 100% go gaga over and cannot get enough. Pumpkin I like, but it's not something I'm dying to cook with. And these .... they look awesomeeeee. So many delicious components! Care to send me one for breakfast? Happy Friday!
Chris
Good, glad to know we are both on the apple side of things Ashley!
Annie
I. Must. Make. These! This is an awesome recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Chris
Thanks Annie!
David
Did I see Biscoff cookies in there? Sold! These trifles look delicious, Chris. If I lived closer, I'd come over and steal one from your kitchen. I'd probably blame it on Mike, though. So don't come looking my direction when these trifles start to mysteriously disappear. Just sayin'. #WolfpackEats
Chris
Hahahaha yes indeed! Biscoff is freaking amazing. I'd blame it on Mike too... he's the type of guy who would do that sort of thing. #bully
Jess
These cheesecake trifles look amazing! You've combined my two favourite desserts, so good.
Chris
Thanks Jess!
Medha
Yum! I love cheesecake and I loooove the caramel + apple combo. Some serious fall dessert goodness here 🙂
Chris
Thanks so much Medha!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
I'm kind of over the pumpkin as this point too. Love that you used apple, and that they're super simple to put together. Beautiful!
Chris
Yup, most of it is do-ahead so it's great for entertaining!
Shashi
Duuude - I definitely wanna dive head first into that trifle!!! In fact - if I dove into one trifle I might get a concoction so lets combine two - you don't mind sacrificing yours right?
These sounds ah-mazing - I might have to swap out the cheesecake for cheese-less cake and use coconut whipped cream - but still incredibly dive friendly!
Thanks for sharing this one!
Chris
Mmmm coconut whipped cream is a great idea!
Danae
I would seriously have no self control if I made these. There would be nothing left for the party because it all would have landed in my mouth before making it to the parfait stage! Pinned!
Chris
I definitely had no self control. Story of my life hahaha
Bianca
This is definitely a no bake recipe! I also prefer apple over pumpkin, and I prefer cheesecake over most other things.
Chris
Thanks for approving the no-bake 🙂 I was worried I was cheating lol
Alice
Chris!! I love these!! I absolutely want to dive head first into these trifles!!! They look so good!!! and yes, I'm with you. . I'm a little over pumpkin for the moment (which is sad because it's only mid-October) but bring on the apples!! love this!
Chris
Hahahah yes... bring on the apples!
Kiran
Totally in love with no-bake cheesecake trifles! This looks heavenly, Chris 🙂
Chris
Thanks so much Kiran! Much appreciated!
Pamela
It's bed time and I shouldn't have looked at this post because now I'm hungry! Maybe I'll have happy dreams of it.. 🙂
Chris
Bed time is always a dangerous time to blog surf 😉
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
Gosh this looks absolutely fantastic!!
Chris
Thanks so much Jocelyn!
Sarah
Duuuuuude. Yes. I need three of these too (who am I kidding, I'm not sharing these with guests - I'm selfish!)
I mean, I love pumpkin as much as the next girl, but I'd be totally pleased if Trader Joes went all Bubba Gump on apples the way it does to pumpkin, amiright?
Chris
Hahahahah you are SO right. Screw pumpkin. Give me apple everything! Come on TJs, are you listening?!
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen
wow, Chris!!! These look fantastic, tasty, sophisticate and chic. And the best part is it is no bake. Love this recipe 😉
Chris
Thanks so much Olivia!
Francie
How far in advance can you make the whip cream? Love the make ahead desserts!
Nicole
I can't.even.handle.this.
Hahaha I love your pumpkin-loving confession! Pumpkin is awesome, it needs to be embraced fully :p Once the season is over, all the haters will be secretly be suffering from pumpkin denial :p
This recipe is seriously amazing!
Chris
Hahaha pumpkin denial... maybe 😉