Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad (Printable)

Creamy cheesecake mixture meets tropical fruits for a refreshing chilled dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Cheesecake Mixture

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - ½ cup heavy cream
03 - ½ cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Fruits

05 - 1½ cups pineapple chunks, drained
06 - 1½ cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
07 - 1 cup mandarin orange segments, drained
08 - 1 cup green grapes, halved
09 - 1 medium banana, sliced
10 - 1 cup miniature marshmallows (optional)

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - 2 tbsp shredded coconut, toasted
12 - Fresh mint leaves

# Directions:

01 - Place softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat until completely smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Add heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Beat mixture until fluffy, light, and thoroughly combined.
03 - Gently fold pineapple chunks, quartered strawberries, mandarin orange segments, halved grapes, and sliced banana into the cheesecake mixture using a spatula, taking care not to crush the fruits.
04 - If using, fold miniature marshmallows into the salad for additional sweetness and texture variation.
05 - Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and mixture to set properly.
06 - Just before serving, sprinkle toasted shredded coconut over the top and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes flat but tastes like something from a fancy restaurant dessert menu
  • The creamy cheesecake mixture perfectly balances all that bright juicy fruit without being too heavy or sweet
  • You can customize the fruit based on whatever looks good at the grocery store that week
02 -
  • The banana will start to brown after about an hour so slice and add it just before serving if you are prepping this ahead
  • Refrigerating for the full hour is non negotiable, I once skipped it and the fruit flavors had not married yet
  • This is best consumed the same day since the fruit starts releasing liquid and the texture gets slightly watery overnight
03 -
  • Toast the coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden, it only takes about two minutes
  • If your cream cheese is not softening fast enough, cut it into cubes and let it sit for fifteen minutes instead of microwaving which can make it greasy

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