Description

This Cheesecake Fruit Salad is a delightful and creamy dessert combining fresh, vibrant fruits with a luscious cheesecake-flavored filling. With a smooth cream cheese and whipped cream mixture drizzled generously with caramel sauce, it offers a perfect balance of sweetness and tang. It’s easy to prepare and perfect for refreshing summer gatherings, potlucks, or as a light dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruit

2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 cups green apples, chopped
1 cup grapes (red or green), halved
1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned), drained
1 cup bananas, sliced

Cheesecake Filling

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream (chilled)

Extras

1/2 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)

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Instructions

Prepare the Fruit: Wash and prepare all the fruits by hulling and slicing the strawberries, chopping the green apples, halving the grapes, draining the pineapple chunks, and slicing the bananas, ensuring all pieces are bite-sized.
Combine the Fruits: Place all the prepared fruits into a large mixing bowl and gently toss them together to evenly distribute.
Make the Cheesecake Filling: In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy, free of lumps.
Whip the Cream: Using chilled heavy whipping cream, whip it in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form, indicating it holds shape firmly.
Fold Cream into Cheese Mixture: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture carefully, preserving the light and fluffy texture without deflating the whipped cream.
Assemble the Salad: Pour the prepared cheesecake filling over the mixed fruits in the large bowl.
Coat the Fruit: Gently fold the filling and fruit together to coat all pieces evenly without breaking the fruit.
Add Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle the caramel sauce generously over the salad or optionally serve it alongside for individual portions.
Chill the Salad: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and filling to set slightly.
Serve: Serve the cheesecake fruit salad chilled, optionally garnished with extra caramel drizzle or crushed graham crackers for added texture.

Notes

Use fresh fruits for the best flavor and texture, but canned pineapple is acceptable if well-drained.
Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to avoid lumps in the filling.
Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form to maintain a light and fluffy texture in the filling.
Bananas brown quickly; add them just before serving if you prefer to keep the salad fresh-looking.
You can substitute caramel sauce with honey or chocolate syrup based on preference.
For added texture, sprinkle crushed graham crackers or nuts on top before serving.
This salad is best served within 24 hours of preparation for optimal freshness.