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–+ servings
a mandarin orange cranberry trifle on a table with berries and fruit

No-Bake Mandarin Orange Cranberry Trifle (video)

1 hour prep + 0 minutes cook + 1 hour 30 minutes Setting Time
20 cups
The most beautiful Christmas trifle! No-bake orange cranberry trifle with ladyfinger cookies, cranberry sauce, orange whipped cream, and a j-ello layer!

Ingredients 
US Customary - Metric

For J-ello Layer:

  • 6 oz package raspberry-flavored Jello
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup cranberry juice, can be a juice cocktail
  • 1/2 cup ice
  • 1/2 cup mandarins, chopped
  • 1/2 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

For Filling:

For Whipped Cream Filling:

  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp; two, 8-oz packages
  • zest from 2 large oranges
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream, well-chilled
  • 3 cups chopped mandarins

For Cookie Layer:

  • 24 ladyfinger cookies
  • 1 1/2 cups orange juice
  • 1/4 cup orange liqueur

For Topping:

  • 1 cup chopped mandarins
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
  • 3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

Preparing the Mandarins:

  • For this cranberry trifle, you’ll need chopped and sliced mandarins. Peel and chop about 7 to 8 small mandarins to make ½ cup for the jello, 3 cups for the filling, plus an additional 1 cup for the topping.
  • Peel about 5 additional mandarins to create the mandarin ring inside the trifle and for garnishing. Cut each mandarin into thin rings; I usually get 3 to 4 rings from each one. Use the ends for the filling.

Making the Jello Layer:

  • Start with the jello layer. Add the raspberry gelatin powder into a large mixing bowl and pour in 1 ½ cups boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Next, add in the cranberry juice and ½ cup ice and stir until the ice dissolves.
  • Pour the prepared jello mixture into the bottom of a large trifle bowl/dish. Add ½ cup of mandarin segments and about ½ cup of fresh or frozen raspberries.
  • Place the trifle bowl into the refrigerator and allow the gelatin to set completely, for about 1 to 1 ½ hours. This step can be completed a day before.

Making Cranberry Sauce:

  • While the gelatin layer is setting, it’s a great time to make a batch of my Homemade Cranberry Sauce. You can also make the sauce ahead of time and keep it stored in the refrigerator.
  • You can also use store-bought, whole berry cranberry sauce. Simply remove it from the can and use a spoon to blend it together, to get rid of larger pieces.

Making the Whipped Cream filling:

  • For the whipped cream filling, start with the cream cheese. Place the softened cream cheese into a large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the cheese for 4 to 5 minutes, until it’s smooth and creamy.
  • Add the zest of 2 large oranges or 4 mandarins to the cheese, along with the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Slowly bea tthe sugar and zest into the cheese, for about a minute until smooth.
  • Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream at a time, mixing well after each addition. Switch the mixer attachment to a whisk. Whisk the cream on high speed for 4 to 6 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
  • Place the filling into the refrigerator to chill until you’re ready to use it. If the filling falls flat or loses its volume, whisk it again before using.

Preparing the Cookies & Dip:

  • Break the crispy ladyfinger cookies in half or into thirds and place into a large bowl.
  • Into a separate bowl or small casserole dish, pour in the orange juice and orange liqueur. You can skip the liqueur for an alcohol-free version. Keep extra juice on hand in case you need more; the cookies can soak up quite a bit of juice!

Assembling the Trifle:

  • Once the gelatin has set, you can assemble the trifle. First, divide the whipped cream filling, placing 2 cups into a separate bowl for the topping. Add 3 cups of chopped mandarins into the remaining filling and fold in with a spatula.
  • Add a small amount of the whipped cream filling over the gelatin layer. Next, place the mandarin slices around the edges of the trifle bowl, creating a ring. The filling should help them stay in place.
  • Add half of the whipped cream filling to the trifle bowl. Next, top the filling with ½ cup of cranberry sauce spread gently over the top.
  • Soak 4 to 6 pieces of the ladyfinger cookies at a time in the orange juice and place into the trifle. Work quickly so the cookies don’t get too soggy! Layer the cookies over each other, creating a thick layer of cookies.
  • Add the second layer of whipped cream filling over the cookies. Spoon the remaining ½ cup cranberry sauce over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of chopped mandarins over the top.

Garnishing the Trifle:

  • Remove the reserve whipped cream filling from the refrigerator. Whisk it again for a few minutes until stiff peaks form. Transfer the cream into a pastry bag tipped with a star tip; I used Ateco tip 847.
  • Pipe dollops of whipped cream right over the cranberry sauce and mandarins. Garnish the top with more mandarin rings, raspberries, cranberries, pomegranate arils, and sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Serving & Storing:

  • If you’re not serving the trifle right away, keep it stored in the refrigerator. Loosely cover the trifle with plastic wrap before refrigerating. The trifle will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • For serving, use a large spoon to scoop from the bottom of the trifle bowl, getting a little bit of everything in each serving!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 1255IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 1mg