Individual Christmas Trifles — with Strawberry Santa Topper

This Individual Christmas Trifles recipe is the perfect festive treat, with layers of creamy Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and fluffy cake. Topped with adorable Strawberry Santa hats, it's as fun to make as it is to eat! Plus, you can customize it with different fruits. Whether you're hosting a holiday party or simply looking for a healthy, individual treat-this recipe has you covered.

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Why you'll love it

These Individual Christmas Trifles aren't just adorable-they're also a breeze to make! With colorful layers of fresh fruit, creamy yogurt, fluffy cake, and topped with cute strawberry Santas, they're a guaranteed showstopper.

• Kid-friendly fun: The Strawberry Santas add a playful touch, making these trifles an interactive, family-friendly project that little ones will love helping with!
• Versatile: You can easily swap out the red and green fruits to use up what you have on hand or use your favorites.
• Great for make-ahead prep: Save time during the busy holiday season by preparing the layers ahead of time and assembling the trifles just before serving. A stress-free, crowd pleasing dessert!

Why is it healthy?

Not only are these Individual Christmas Trifles fun to make, but they also offer some great nutritional benefits. Here's why they're a win for both your taste buds and your health:

• Greek yogurt: This creamy layer is high in protein, which supports muscle repair and growth. It's also a great source of probiotics which are fantastic for supporting gut health 
• Fresh fruit: Strawberries and kiwis are loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants, which help support a healthy immune system-especially handy during flu season .
• Portion control: Since these trifles are served in small, individual glasses, it's easier to stick to a reasonable serving size without overindulging.

Ingredients you'll need

Here's everything you'll need to whip up these Individual Christmas Trifles:

• Greek yogurt: Opt for plain Greek yogurt to keep the sugar content lower.
• Sugar-free vanilla pudding mix: This adds a subtle sweetness and helps thicken the yogurt mixture, creating a smooth texture. If you're not a fan of sugar-free pudding, feel free to use regular.
• Vanilla protein powder: Boosts the protein content and adds a great vanilla flavor.
• Strawberries or red fruit of your choice: For the photos, we chose strawberries but feel free to use another red fruit. If you do use strawberries, they'll match the strawberry Santa topper!
• Kiwis or green fruit of your choice: Again for the photos, we chose kiwis but feel free to use another green fruit. If you are using kiwis, be sure to get them in advance and store them on the counter so they have a few days to ripen.
• Yellow cake cubes: We love using Bob's Red Mill Yellow Cake Baking Mix that's so quick to whip up and bake. Bob's Red Mill has all kinds of options in their new Signature Baking Mixes line, which are filled with really high-quality ingredients and help cut down the baking prep time. 
• Black sesame seeds and red candy: These tiny details bring your Strawberry Santas to life and make the trifles even more festive for Christmas or the holidays!

How to make it

Creating these trifles is easy and fun! Follow these simple steps:

Prepare the yogurt layer 

Mix the Greek yogurt with the sugar-free vanilla pudding mix and protein powder until smooth and creamy.

Layer the trifles 

In small glasses, add a layer of yogurt, followed by diced strawberries, diced kiwis, and yellow cake cubes. Here's how it will break down:

1. Pipe ~¼ cup yogurt mixture in the bottom of the glass
2. Add 2 tablespoons diced red fruit
3. Add 2 tablespoons diced green fruit
4. Sprinkle over ½ cup yellow cake cubes
5. Pipe another ~¼ cup yogurt mixture on top

Make the Strawberry Santa's 

Slice the tops off large strawberries to create a flat base, and trim off the tips to form Santa's hats. Pipe the Greek yogurt mixture or store-bought whipped cream onto the flat base to create the beard, then use black sesame seeds for the eyes and red sprinkles for the nose. Sometimes it helps to use tweezers to add the eyes and nose on. Full breakdown in the recipe card!

Assemble 

Place a completed Strawberry Santa on top of each trifle and serve immediately for the cutest holiday dessert ever!

Greek Yogurt Icing Troubleshooting

I've found that the icing can sometimes have a different consistency depending on the yogurt and protein powder used. I tend to use a Costco brand Greek yogurt that is quite thick. If you're icing is looking too thin, you can always add some extra pudding mix or a spoonful of powdered sugar to thicken it up. Also, be sure you are using Greek yogurt, and not regular yogurt, as regular yogurt will be too thin.

Recipe tips and tricks

• Serving tips: These Individual Christmas Trifles pair perfectly with a cozy cup of hot cocoa or spiced tea. For an extra festive touch, serve them on a decorative tray.
• Troubleshooting: If the yogurt mixture is too soft to pipe neatly, try chilling it for a few minutes in the fridge to firm it up, to make piping easier. 
• Scaling: This recipe is super easy to double or triple if you're hosting a larger crowd. Just make sure you have plenty of fruit and cake on hand to make multiple mini trifles.

Customize it your way

Like all of my recipes, these Individual Christmas Trifles are completely customizable. You get to choose what ingredients you want to use. Here are a few fun ideas:

• Red fruit of your choice: Use strawberries or mix things up with raspberries, apples, or another favorite.
• Green fruit of your choice: Use kiwis or mix things up with honeydew melon, green grapes, or another favorite.
• Feel free to switch up the yogurt: You can try a vanilla Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt, or a dairy-free alternative to suit your needs.
• Feel free to switch up the cake: We love using yellow cake, but you could also use a vanilla cake or angel food cake.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Absolutely! To save time on the big day, prepare all the components-the yogurt mixture, diced fruits, and cake cubes-a day in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Then, simply assemble the trifles and decorate with the Strawberry Santas just before serving to keep everything fresh and visually stunning.

How do I store leftovers?

These trifles are best enjoyed right away. However, if you end up with extra, you can store these Individual Christmas Trifles with plastic wrap on top in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. To prevent the Strawberry Santas from becoming soggy, keep them separate from the rest of the trifle until you're ready to serve. Unfortunately, these trifles don't freeze well due to the fresh fruit and whipped cream, so it's best to enjoy them immediately or within a couple of days.

Need more help with recipes for your busy schedule?

In my coaching + cooking program, I help busy people with beginner cooking knowledge become confident in the kitchen so that they can enjoy nourishing foods they love and stress less about mealtime. Click here to learn more about this virtual program led by a dietitian.

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