Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad (Printer-friendly)

Creamy cheesecake mixture blended with fresh tropical fruits for a refreshing chilled dessert.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cheesecake Mixture

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Fruits

05 - 1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks, drained
06 - 1 1/2 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

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Guide:

01 - Beat the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth and free of lumps.
02 - Add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Beat until fluffy and well-combined with a smooth, creamy consistency.
03 - Gently fold in pineapple chunks, strawberries, mandarin oranges, grapes, and banana using a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the creamy mixture.
04 - Fold in miniature marshmallows for added sweetness and texture variation.
05 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and the mixture to set properly.
06 - Remove from refrigeration and garnish with toasted coconut and fresh mint leaves before serving chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat but tastes like you spent hours planning something elaborate
  • The combination of tart fruit and sweet creamy filling hits every single craving at once
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that adding bananas too early turns the whole bowl an unappetizing brown color that nobody wants to eat
  • Using an electric mixer makes this infinitely easier than trying to cream cheese by hand unless you want an arm workout
03 -
  • Drain your canned fruit really thoroughly, even patting it dry with paper towels if you want the salad to stay creamy instead of watery
  • The flavors develop so much better after that hour in the fridge, so don't rush this step even if you're tempted

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