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Cheesecake fruit salad is made by whipping cream cheese with sugar, yogurt, and whipped topping and then tossing it with fresh fruit. It’s an easy, creamy side dish that doubles as a no-bake dessert!
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With a juicy mix of berries and bananas, this creamy cheesecake fruit salad is bright and refreshing, perfect for summer! I serve it as a starter, side dish, or light dessert after a backyard feast of smoked ribs and corn on the cob. It’s also great to bring out at holidays, especially Memorial Day or the 4th of July, but even at Christmas. The sweet-tangy cheesecake flavors and fresh fruit are delicious any time of the year. Plus, it’s easy to customize with just about any fruit that’s in season.
Why I Love This Cheesecake Fruit Salad
- Creamy cheesecake flavors. The combination of tangy cream cheese, strawberry yogurt, and whipped cream tastes just like the filling for a creamy no-bake cheesecake.
- Ready in minutes. This cheesecake fruit salad comes together in 10 minutes or less. There’s no chilling needed, and you can even prepare the fruit and filling ahead of time.
- Choose your favorite fruit. Whether I make this fruit salad with fresh summer berries or a mix of canned and fresh fruit, it’s easy to make all year round.
Recipe Ingredients
You need only 4 ingredients, plus fruit. I’ve included some quick notes below. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.
- Ripe Fruit – Choose your favorite ripe fruit (either fresh or canned) or anything that’s in season. Get a good mix of color and flavor, see below.
- Cream Cheese – Take the cream cheese out of the fridge ahead of time to let it soften. It’ll be easier to whip.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar, light brown sugar, or another type of sweetener, like honey or maple syrup.
- Yogurt – I like to use strawberry yogurt for a strawberry cheesecake-like flavor. Feel free to use any flavor of regular or Greek yogurt you’d like, even plain.
- Whipped Topping – This can be a tub of Cool Whip or you can make homemade stabilized whipped cream. Note that regular whipped cream is not the same thing.
What Kind of Fruit Should I Use for Fruit Salad?
I make this cheesecake fruit salad with blueberries, raspberries, fresh quartered strawberries, and bananas. It’s easy to change up the fruit depending on what’s in season! Add grapes, apples, honeydew, cantaloupe, or any of the ideas below. The rule of thumb I follow when it comes to choosing the fruit for a fruit salad is to avoid watery options, like watermelon.
- Hawaiian. Make a Hawaiian cheesecake fruit salad with chopped pineapple, strawberries, mango, and mandarin oranges. Add diced kiwi and shaved coconut for a tropical twist.
- Patriotic. Looking for an easy dessert for the 4th of July or Memorial Day? Leave out the bananas and make another red, white, and blue version of this fruit salad with pitted cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
- Holidays. For a fun Christmas fruit salad, use red berries, red apples, and green grapes.
How to Make a Cheesecake Salad
Wash, dry, and chop the fruit. Afterward, take out a big bowl and whip the cream cheese and sugar, then add yogurt and fold in the whipped cream. Once that’s ready, add your fruit and give everything a good stir to coat.
Can I Make This Cheesecake Fruit Salad in Advance?
Sure! This creamy cheesecake fruit salad is a great dish to make 2-3 hours in advance and keep in the fridge. Just remember to give it a good stir before serving.
Alternatively, if you’d like to get a headstart on your cheesecake salad the day before, you can chop the fruit, prepare the cream cheese filling, and store them separately. When you’re ready, simply fold the fruit into the filling and enjoy. See below for more storage tips.
Recipe Notes
- Chop the fruit the day before. This is an easy way to get ahead on this cheesecake fruit salad. Cut up the fruit and store it in an airtight container. To keep the cut fruit from browning, toss it with a little lemon juice.
- Drain canned fruit. If you use canned fruits like mandarins, pineapple, peaches, etc., make sure to drain the fruit very well beforehand. The same goes for any frozen fruit– be sure to thaw the fruit completely and drain off the liquid/pat the fruit dry.
- Add nuts. For an extra layer of texture in this creamy fruit salad, fold in chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almonds. You can also try dried fruit like cranberries, raisins, or apricots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once your cheesecake salad filling and fruit are combined, this dish is best served right away. After a day or two, the fruit juices start to water down the cheesecake filling. To avoid a soggy fruit salad, only mix the ingredients right before serving.
A handy trick for keeping the bananas in this salad, and other fruits, like apples, from browning is to toss the slices with a little lemon juice or orange juice. The acidity helps preserve the color.
How Long Does Fruit Salad Last?
I mentioned it earlier, but this no-bake cheesecake fruit salad is best enjoyed right away. However, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just stir the ingredients well before serving. I don’t recommend freezing creamy fruit salads as they don’t thaw well.
More Fruit Salad Recipes
Cheesecake Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries, quartered
- 6 ounces raspberries
- 1 pint blueberries
- 1 banana, sliced
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 ounces strawberry yogurt
- 8 ounces whipped topping, (Cool Whip or homemade stabilized whipped cream)
Instructions
- Wash fruit, slice and let it dry.
- In a bowl beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in yogurt and mix until well combined. Added whipped cream and mix until everything is well blended.
- Add fruit and mix together to evenly coat all of the fruit.
Notes
- Mix up the fruits: add blackberries, grapes, apples, etc.
- Add nuts for more texture.
- Best served right away, but lasts about 2 days in the fridge. Store leftovers airtight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks for this recipe! The combination of cheesecake and fruit is so delicious.
Never tried this before and it was an absolute hit! Thank you so much for sharing!
Made this for a potluck over the weekend and everyone loved it! It was really good!
I made the Cheesecake Fruit Salad for a potluck, and everyone loved it! The creamy cheesecake mixture with fresh fruit was a delicious and refreshing combination. It was gone in minutes!
My kids and I LOVE this recipe. It’s so sweet and creamy, absolutely delicious.
This offers a refreshing and delicious option for any occasion. Love that it is ready in just 10 minutes
I love the extra richness and tang that the cream cheese gives to this fruit salad. It’s perfect with the natural sweetness of the fruit.