Reese Witherspoon’s Diner-Inspired Dessert Starts With a Boxed Mix

In my opinion, there’s nothing better than enjoying a meal and ending with something sweet. Dessert is one of life’s great pleasures, and—the best part—it doesn’t have to be fancy or fussy, it just has to be delicious. I’m a big baker, but I do love a quick and easy dessert that doesn’t require much time or effort. It’s why I love the simplicity of a bowl of ice cream, a cookie, or any treat that’s easy to assemble—like Reese Witherspoon’s Mississippi Mud Trifle, which starts with a boxed cake mix. 

How to Make Reese Witherspoon’s Mississippi Mud Trifle

I found the Mississippi Mud Triple in Witherspoon’s cookbook, “Whiskey in a Teacup.” It begins with a few simple prep steps, such as baking a chocolate cake using your favorite boxed cake mix. While the cake is baking, gather the ingredients to make a box of chocolate pudding. Once those desserts have both cooled and chilled, it’s time to assemble. The layering of the trifle is up to you, but Witherspoon begins hers with a base of crumbled chocolate cake followed by a layer of pudding, Oreo cookie crumbs, and finally, a dollop of whipped cream. Repeat those steps until you layer the toppings to the brim of your trifle dish. After a finishing sprinkle of Oreo cookies, it’s ready to serve.

My Thoughts on Reese Witherspoon’s Mississippi Mud Trifle

Even though the steps are simple, Witherspoon’s Mississippi Mud Trifle recipe does take some time to create. After all, there’s a cake to bake and pudding to mix, and you’ll also have to crush up some Oreos. So if you’re thinking of serving this after tonight’s dinner, I suggest you plan accordingly. Prep time aside, assembling the dessert is surprisingly easy and fun for the whole family to get in on—my 12-year-old daughter attests to this.

As for its taste. Well, it’s pretty delicious and enjoyable to eat. It’s very sweet and chocolate-forward, but I didn’t receive any complaints from my family about it being too rich. I enjoyed making it too, and I’ll definitely whip it up again—but with a few small tweaks, which I share below.

Tips on Making Reese Witherspoon’s Mississippi Mud Trifle

• Do prep work ahead of time: If you have the time, I suggest making the cake and pudding at least one day in advance. This will make assembly quick and easy.
• Add more texture: The crunchy cookie topping was good, but there was an overall lack of crunch throughout the mud trifle to properly balance the softness of the cake and pudding. Next time, I plan to add more texture with chopped nuts, like peanuts or pecans.
• Scatter salt: I appreciated the ease of making the components from box mixes, but store-bought versions often lack the big flavor you get from their homemade counterparts. That’s why I suggest adding a little flaky sea salt to the top of your trifle just before serving to make the flavors burst on your palate with every bite.
• Test new flavors: Chocolate is the prominent flavor here, but I think it would be fun to experiment with supporting flavors and add a swirl of salted caramel or even peanut butter to break things up a bit. You can also try adding a layer of fruit, such as raspberries or sliced strawberries, for a bit of freshness and acidity.