Hamantaschen Trifle: A Delicious Twist on a Purim Classic

Purim is a time for celebration, joy, and of course, food! Every year bloggers and influencers try to come up with a new take on the traditional hamantaschen cookie. I love this challenge, but don’t necessarily go seeking an idea. If it comes great! If not, maybe next year! Well, this hamantaschen trifle idea has been something I’ve been wanting to create for years, but never got around to it as life keeps getting busier. I decided to create it and take pictures, and voila! It’s a crowd-pleasing dessert that combines all the best flavors of Purim in a fun, layered dessert that is easy to prepare, visually stunning, and absolutely delicious.

Now, I’m all for a stunning dessert, but I’m also pressed for time so, the only thing that is homemade in this trifle are the hamantaschen. Everything is store-bought (except the hamantaschen which I had on hand). Feel free to do the same or make homemade whipped cream and pudding too!

Tips for Making the Perfect Hamantaschen Trifle

• Piping Bags for Straight Lines:
• For even, neat layers, use a piping bag or plastic zip-top storage bag and pipe each layer starting by going around the inner rim of the trifle bowl. 
• Choose Your Hamantaschen Wisely:
  Since hamantaschen are a key part of this dessert, I highly recommend making them from scratch. Pick flavors that complement the layers. Raspberry is a classic, but apricot, prune, or chocolate hamantaschen would work beautifully too. If you have a variety, it will make the trifle even more exciting!
• Height is Your Friend
• Make each layer big and tall enough (about 2 inches), for a stunning bold look and ease. The smaller the layers, the more rustic it will look.
• Dry Your Fruit Well
• If adding in fresh fruit like I did, make sure to wash and dry the fruit very well so there’s no added water in your trifle. 
• Quality Ingredients Matter:
• Use the best quality ingredients you can find. I used Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves here because of the fresh, and high quality taste. 
• Size Matters:
• Choose your trifle bowl wisely because if you have an extremely large trifle bowl, you’re going to need a whole bunch of ingredients to fill it. I used this one.
• I decided to go with mini hamantaschen for this, but feel free to use any size you like!

Hamantaschen Trifle Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 jars of Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves
• 8-10 cups store-bought vanilla pudding 
• 8-12 hamantaschen, depending on their size
• 2 cups whipped cream 
• 25-30 oz fresh raspberries, washed and thoroughly dried (reserve 3-5 for garnish)
• 2-3 hamantaschen for garnish 

Directions:

1. Gather your Ingredients

Place some of your raspberry preserves and pudding, in separate piping or storage bags (just enough to pipe the paremeter of the trifle bowl for neat lines). Place each bag in a tall glass until ready to use. If you’re making homemade vanilla pudding, make sure it is fully cooled before using. Set aside the rest of your ingredients so you have them ready for assembling.

2. Assemble the Trifle

• Cut about an inch off the tip of your piping bag filled with preserves. Pipe the preserves along the rim for a neat look. Place your piping bag back in a tall glass to contain the mess. Fill in the center of the layer with more preserves using a spoon and smoothing the top.
• Next, add a layer of vanilla pudding on top of the preserves. Use the same method, starting with the piping bag for a neat look, and filling the center with more pudding, spreading evenly.

• Carefully place your hamantaschen along the rim facing outwards. You can face them forward just a drop to prevent them from falling back. 

• Fill in the back of the hamantaschen with fresh raspberries until they cover the tops of the hamantaschen by about 1 inch. Push the raspberries down very slightly, especially the ones above the hamantaschen to make them a bit sung. This helps prevent the next layer of pudding from dripping through too much (a little is fine). 

• Add another layer of pudding.
• Finish the top with a generous layer of whipped cream. Garnish with hamantaschen and raspberries.

3. Serve

You can either serve this at room temperature, or chill first. Either way, I recommend you serve it the same day. 

This hamantaschen trifle takes the beloved Purim treat and transforms it into a show-stopping dish that is guaranteed to impress. It’s not only visually stunning but also packed with all the flavors we love—creamy pudding, fruity preserves, soft and hamantaschen, and fluffy whipped cream. It’s easy to make, feeds a crowd, and provides a delicious twist on the classic. Whether you’re hosting a Purim party or simply looking for a fun and festive treat, this hamantaschen trifle will be the star of the dessert table!