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Cheesecake Fruit Salad

Sophia
Part creamy dessert, part refreshing side dish, this no-bake Cheesecake Fruit Salad combines a silky cream cheese filling with juicy strawberries, pineapple, grapes, mandarin oranges, and peaches over a buttery graham cracker base.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

Cheesecake Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream whipped to stiff peaks
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Fruit

  • 2 cups strawberries chopped
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks drained
  • 1 cup green grapes halved
  • 1 cup mandarin oranges drained
  • 2 medium peaches or mangoes diced

Crust and Topping

  • 1.5 cups crushed graham crackers or vanilla cookies
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut lightly toasted

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the crust. In a bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers with melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. Spread about half of this mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Press gently with the back of a spoon or a flat measuring cup. There is no need to bake it.
  • Mix the filling. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed. Keep beating until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream, then mix again until silky.
  • Whip the cream. Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a clean bowl. Whip it on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. This means the cream holds its shape firmly when you lift the beaters.
  • Fold the mixtures together. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula. Use broad, sweeping motions so you do not deflate the air you just incorporated. The filling should become light and mousse-like.
  • Add the fruits. Fold in the chopped strawberries, pineapple chunks, halved grapes, mandarin oranges, and diced peaches or mangoes. Stir slowly to keep the fruit from breaking down too much.
  • Spread the filling. Pour the creamy fruit mixture into the casserole dish over the crust. Use a spatula to spread it evenly from corner to corner.
  • Layer the toppings. Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker crumbs over the top. Add a few reserved pieces of fruit if you like, then finish with a generous sprinkle of lightly toasted coconut.
  • Chill. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours, preferably overnight. This rest helps the crust soften slightly and allows all the flavors to meld.

Notes

Use room-temperature cream cheese for the smoothest filling. For the crust, vanilla cookies make a slightly sweeter alternative to graham crackers. If you prefer extra crunch, reserve some of the buttered crumbs for the top rather than pressing them all into the dish. Fresh pineapple works too, but drained canned pineapple keeps the salad from becoming watery. Optional substitutions include swapping sour cream with full-fat Greek yogurt. You can use frozen whipped topping if you need a shortcut, although freshly whipped cream gives the most luxurious texture. For a nutty note, add a handful of chopped pecans with the coconut.