Raspberry & Cream Parfaits
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Piled high with fresh raspberries and boozy whipped cream, these raspberry parfaits make a light and elegant dessert.
Raspberry parfaits piled high with fresh fruit and liqueur-infused whipped cream make a light and elegant summer dessert, and they take just 15 minutes to throw together. It’s the jazzed-up whipped cream that makes the parfaits special – cream cheese adds extra body and stabilizes the whipped cream so the dessert holds up longer, and a splash of liqueur elevates the flavor. This is a great make-ahead dessert for a party – and you can make your life easier by assembling the parfaits in disposable plastic wine glasses. Feel free to swap the raspberries for other berries or experiment with different liqueurs. Thanks to my friend Tracy Santoro for sharing the recipe, which is modestly adapted from Fresh Fruit Desserts: Classic and Contemporary by Sheryl and Mel London (Prentice Hall, 1990).
“A fantastic recipe. Few ingredients, so easy to make, and a great hit. My family and friends loved it.”
What You’ll Need To Make Raspberry Parfaits
- Cream Cheese: Adds a rich, creamy texture and slight tanginess to the parfait base.
- Orange- or Almond-Flavored Liqueur: Infuses the cream mixture with a subtle, sophisticated flavor that complements the raspberries.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cream mixture, balancing the tartness of the raspberries and enhancing the overall flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Whipped to add lightness and a smooth, airy texture to the creamy layers.
- Fresh Raspberries: Provide a fresh, juicy, and slightly tart flavor that contrasts beautifully with the creamy mixture.
- Mint Sprigs: Used as a garnish to add a touch of freshness and a visually appealing element to the dessert.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Combine the cream cheese, liqueur, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or hand-held electric mixer.
Beat on medium-high speed until creamy and lump-free, about 2 minutes.
Add the heavy cream.
Start beating on low speed (so it doesn’t splash), then increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency, about 2 minutes.
Distribute half of the raspberries among the bottom of the glasses or dessert cups, then distribute two-thirds of the cream mixture so that it covers the berries in each portion.
Distribute the remaining berries evenly among the glasses or dessert cups, gently placing them on the layer of cream. Spoon equal amounts of the remaining cream on top of each portion.
Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 4 hours. Garnish each serving with a mint sprig and serve.
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Raspberry & Cream Parfaits
Piled high with fresh raspberries and boozy whipped cream, these raspberry parfaits make a light and elegant dessert.
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons orange- or almond-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Amaretto (see note)
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh raspberries
- 4 small sprigs mint, for garnish
Instructions
- Have 4 wineglasses or glass dessert cups at hand.
- Combine the cream cheese, liqueur, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy and lump-free, about 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the heavy cream and start beating on low speed (so it doesn't splash), then increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency, about 2 minutes.
- Distribute half of the raspberries among the bottom of the glasses or dessert cups, then distribute two-thirds of the cream mixture so that it covers the berries in each portion. Distribute the remaining berries evenly among the glasses or dessert cups, gently placing them on the layer of cream. Spoon equal amounts of the remaining cream on top of each portion. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 4 hours. Garnish each serving with a mint sprig and serve.
- Make Ahead: The cream mixture can be made and refrigerated a day in advance. Assemble the parfaits up to 4 hours before serving.
- Note: It's okay to leave out the liqueur if you are avoiding alcohol.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 375
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Sugar: 34 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 117 mg
- Cholesterol: 72 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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This is a wonderful, easy dessert. I used Chambord and my guests raved. The cream is so versatile, I plan to use it as a substitute for plain whipped cream on pumpkin pie using maple liqueur, or vanilla or cinnamon schnapps.
Question: How long will the cream keep in the refrigerator – assuming any is left!
I love the cookbook and have bought a copy for a friend.
So glad you enjoyed this Mary! The cream will keep in the fridge for about a day. And thanks for your support with the cookbook! 🙂
If you’re using the Amaretto liqueur to flavour the cream, you can take this delicious dessert to the next level by substituting fresh cherries for the raspberries. I wanted to make this for a dinner party, but the berries in my market didn’t look great. But there were some fabulous cherries available, so I bought those instead. I love any opportunity to use my adorable bright red cherry pitter! I didn’t chop the cherries, just removed the pits and layered them whole with the Amaretto-spiked cream mixture. The combination of cherries and Amaretto was to-die-for! I think if I’d turned my back, my dinner guests would have licked their dishes.
Love this idea, Davinia!
I forgot to add that I put some sliced almonds in – a few in the first layer, and a little more on top, just for a little crunch, and appeal as I didn’t have mint.
They seemed to go really well with the strawberries and creamy flavor.
These were wonderful. I made them with strawberries for a special Memorial Day weekend dessert. I used Amaro Nonino – an Italian after dinner liqueur.
Simple, elegant, and delicious.
Thank you for adding just the right touch to our evening.
So easy and so yummy! We substituted almond extract for liquor.
Made this tonight for dinner guests. Used amaretto, as recommended, but added blueberries to the raspberries. Followed the directions otherwise and turned out perfectly. I got rave reviews. So easy to make, pretty, and delicious! Definitely a keeper for a light treat after a heavy meal on a late spring evening.
This was a quick and easy dessert. I used strawberries cut to raspberry size as suggested in a comment. Turned out great!
Made this for dessert – following your fish Tacos . Wonderful. Very easy but very refreshing and impressive . Another winner
I was thinking of putting a cake base on a parfait like this (in a big glass serving dish)…would that work? Or would the whipped cream give out too much liquid and make the base soggy?
That’d be fine, Malakins. I’d love to know how it turns out!
These look wonderful. Thing of substituing fresh strawberries. Our farmers market has them now in Loudoun county.
Yes, Strawberries would work here, but I’d suggest dicing them into medium-sized pieces (so they’re similar in size to raspberries). I’d love to hear how they turn out with strawberries!