Gingerbread Apple Cookie Trifle
I’m back again with another delicious and simple semi-homemade dessert that’s made with nourishing ingredients. this gingerbread apple cookie trifle contains all of those nostalgic flavors of warm spiced gingerbread, with chewy tart fruits and a creamy and rich cream cheese filling. it’s a cinch to make- you mainly just need time to chill it! I hope you try it this holiday season.
the inspiration:
this trifle was inspired by ina garten’s Mocha Chocolate Icebox Pie recipe wherein she uses chocolate chip cookies as her cake layers. I remember thinking it was such a smart idea years ago. I selected a grain-free and delicious pecan cookie with a shortbread like texture, and layered it with a convenient jarred apple butter, a creamy cream cheese filling and dried fruits soaked in a decadent orange liquor. ’tis the season!
gingerbread apple trifle ingredients:
- simple mills pecan cookies: these delicious cookies are made with nourishing ingredients such as nuts, coconut sugar, pecans and coconut oil.
- dried fruits: use what you love the most! I used a combination of chopped dates, dried apricots, currants and cherries.
- apple butter: try to find a jarred version made with only apples and apple cider. I found this one at Whole Foods.
- cream cheese: I love the flavor combination of cream cheese with the decadent apple butter and cookies.
- heavy cream: lightens the cream cheese in the filling. you can sub coconut cream for dairy free.
- fresh nutmeg: enhances all of the flavors and adds that gingerbread nostalgia.
- orange liquor: I love tossing the dried fruits in a bit of grand marnier for flavor dimension. You could also sub orange juice for kiddos.
how to make this:
this trifle is very simple to make. you’ll begin by whipping together the cream cheese filling with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. next, prepare your additional trifle components: the cookies, chopped and soaked dried fruits, and the apple butter. Next, in a glass pie plate, begin layering your trifle beginning with cookies in a single layer, followed by the whipped cream cheese filling, apple butter, then dried fruits. Finish the trifle with the remaining cream cheese filling, dried fruits and crumbled cookies as a garnish. Chill until very cold- at least 4-5 hours so flavors can meld and cookies can begin to soften. serve and enjoy!
Gingerbread Apple Cookie Trifle
Ingredients
- 2 boxes of Simple Mills Grain-Free Pecan Cookies (about 30 cookies)
- 1 cup jarred apple butter
- 1 cup dried fruits diced small (I used a combination of dried apricots, currants, dates and cherries)
- Splash of Grand Marnier (optional)
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 3 cream cheese blocks room temperature (8oz each)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon mineral salt
Instructions
- Begin by making the cream cheese filling. In a large bowl, add softened cream cheese, cream, nutmeg, maple, vanilla and salt. With a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, beat the mixture until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add chopped dried fruits to a small bowl with a splash of Grand Marnier. Divide your cookies in half, first reserving five cookies to crumble as a final garnish.
- To layer trifle, set out your whipped cream cheese, dried fruits, cookies and apple butter. Begin by layering the first ½ of cookies in a single layer lining the entire bottom of the pie plate.
- Next, add ½ of the whipped cream cheese, smoothing evenly. Next, add the apple butter, smoothing evenly, and a uniform sprinkling of ½ the soaked dried fruit.
- You’ll then add the second single layer of cookies and the remaining cream cheese filling, smoothing in a decorative way. Crumble the reserved cookies until fine and sprinkle all across the pie.
- Finish with remaining dried fruit. Chill until very cold and cookies are able to soften into a cake texture- at least 6 hours. If you don’t allow enough chilling time, the cookies will remain crunchy. Serve ice cold and enjoy!
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