Looking for a Thanksgiving dessert that’s easy and impressive? Try these mini pumpkin praline cheesecake trifles. Shortcut pumpkin cake, candied pecans, and creamy cheesecake in every bite.

A wine tumbler filled with pumpkin praline cheesecake trifle dessert.

Meet Your New Holiday Dessert Crush

Are you looking for a dessert that’ll make you the talk of the holiday party circuit? Well, step aside, pumpkin pie – there’s a new kid in town – mini pumpkin praline cheesecake trifles!

These little beauties are like the cool, laid-back cousin of traditional Thanksgiving desserts…layers of shortcut pumpkin cake (yeah, we’re totally using box mix – no judgment here), crunchy candied pecans, and creamy cheesecake goodness, all stacked up in cute little glasses.

The best part? You can whip these up ahead of time, leaving you free to focus on other important things – like deciding which stretchy pants to wear to dinner. Plus, they’re perfect for parties and mingling. No more awkwardly trying to eat pie while standing around chatting. These trifles are here to save your social life and your sweet tooth.

Shake things up this holiday season and give the pumpkin spice lovers in your life something to really be thankful for!

Raw ingredients for pumpkin praline cheesecake trifle.

Gather Your Ingredients

The cake layer – We’re using one of my favorite hacks: store-bought baking mix + pumpkin puree = no-fuss dessert! However, I’ve added one egg to give the batter a little lift for a fluffier texture.

A can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
A box of spice cake mix (make sure it’s the 15.25 ounce size, like Duncan Hines)
One large egg
A pinch of kosher salt

For the praline layer – This praline is not like the southern-style pecan candy clusters. It’s more like candied pecans, or the French confection that gets ground up to use in pastries or candies…only we’re leaving it chunky.

Pecans (halves or pieces)
Unsalted butter
Light brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
Vanilla extract

For the cheesecake layer – If you’ve ever made a no-bake cheesecake (like, Key Lime or Cherry Cheesecake), you’ll be familiar with this group of ingredients. I use a little more whipping cream to create an airier texture that’s easier to pipe.

Heavy whipping cream
Softened cream cheese
Sour cream
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract

Three wine tumblers filled with layers of pumpkin cake, candied pecans and cheesecake filling.

Let’s Get Cooking

The active time for making this dessert is about an hour. However, you’ll need to allow time for the cake and praline to cool.

Bake the cake – In a mixing bow, whisk together the egg and pumpkin puree. Mix in the spice cake mix and pinch of kosher salt until just combined; the batter will be thick. Transfer the batter to a buttered 9×13-inch pan and level it out with the spatula. Bake for about 25 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven. Set aside to cool completely, then cut into cubes.

Pumpkin spice cake cut into cubes on a cutting board.

Make the praline – Cover a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until the sugar granules melt completely and the mixture turns syrupy, stirring often. Add the pecans; continue stirring for another minute until the pecans are well coated. Transfer the praline to the prepared baking sheet and cool completely. Once cool enough to handle, crush the praline with a rolling pin, the flat side of a small pan or chop up with a knife.

A small tray with cooling pecan praline candy.

Make the cheesecake layer – Whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-high until medium peaks form (not too soft, not too stiff). In another bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. By hand, fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well incorporated. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. If you wish, transfer the mixture to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off.

Combining whipped cream with cream cheese mixture using a spatula.

Assemble the mini trifles – Start with a layer of cake, spoon or pipe on a layer of cheesecake mixture, then sprinkle on some praline. Repeat the layers once more, or to fill your container.

A collage of three images showing how to layer a trifle.

Helpful Recipe Tips

Make it nut free – Swap out pecans for pumpkin seeds!
Skip the ‘cheesecake’ – Not a fan of cheesecake? Omit the sour cream and cream cheese and increase the whipping cream to 3-3/4 cups total. Whip the cream until soft peaks form, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, then whip until stiff peaks form (for structure in the trifle).
Make it big – Assemble your dessert in a trifle bowl for one big dessert.
How to soften cream cheese – softened cream cheese is vital to having a super smooth cheesecake layer. My preferred method is to unwrap the cream cheese and allow it to sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours (you can cube it into smaller chunks to accelerate the process). You can also soften it in the microwave at 50% power, in 10-15 second increments…or use the ‘soften’ function, if your microwave has that.
Choosing containers (+ serving sizes) – The wine tumblers in these photos are 15 ounces…that’s a generous sized dessert, and why I didn’t fill them to the top. I can make about 12 of this size with this recipe. You can use smaller glasses, short mason jars or cute little bowls to make smaller servings and more of them…perfect for dessert bars, cocktail parties, or to feed a crowd.
Cool the cake faster – Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

About Making Praline

This step is essentially caramelizing sugar, which can be scary…even for someone who cooks all the time! (Ahem, me!) But, it’s easier than you might think if you follow these tips:

Don’t walk away! You need to stir often so the sugar doesn’t burn.
Be patient! We want the sugar to dissolve, and allowing it to do so slowly over medium heat gives us more control. It may become clumpy and dry looking (like it’s seizing up) before it melts completely. Just keep stirring, don’t mess with the burner and have patience. It will melt into a syrupy goodness. This process can take 10 to 15 minutes.
Make a swap! If you’re still not convinced about making praline from scratch, buy some caramelized pecans and chop them up.

Making Ahead + Storing Trifles

Being able to make things ahead of time, especially during the busy holiday season, is always a bonus! Each of these trifle components can be made in advance.

Cake – Bake, cool, cube and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days ahead.
Praline – Cook, cool, crush and store in an airtight container in a dry place at room temperature up to 1 week ahead.
Cheesecake layer – Mix and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 day ahead.
Assembled trifles – Assemble up to 1 day ahead, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve chilled.
Storing leftover trifles – Keep chilled until serving; enjoy within 3 days.

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