Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad (Printer-friendly)
Creamy cheesecake mixture blended with tropical fruits for a refreshing chilled dessert.
# What you'll 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 - 1 ½ cups pineapple chunks, drained
06 - 1 ½ 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
11 - 2 tbsp shredded coconut, toasted
12 - Fresh mint leaves
# Method:
01 - Beat the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Pour in heavy cream, add sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat mixture until fluffy and thoroughly combined.
03 - Gently fold pineapple chunks, strawberries, mandarin oranges, grapes, and banana slices into the cheesecake mixture until evenly distributed.
04 - Fold in miniature marshmallows if desired for added sweetness and texture variation.
05 - Cover bowl and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour to allow flavors to meld together properly.
06 - Top with toasted coconut flakes and fresh mint leaves immediately before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You get all the indulgence of cheesecake without turning on your oven or waiting hours for it to chill
- The combination of tart and sweet fruits creates this incredible balance that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
02 -
- I learned the hard way that watery fruit will ruin this, so drain your canned fruit really well or you will end up with cheesecake soup
- The marshmallows get weirdly soggy after a few hours, so add them right before serving if you are prepping ahead
03 -
- A splash of lemon juice in the cream cheese mixture cuts through all that richness and makes the fruit sing
- If you want it lighter, swap half the cream cheese for Greek yogurt and no one will suspect a thing