Description
This Caramel Crunch Cheesecake Fruit Salad is a delightful and creamy dessert salad combining fresh fruits with a rich cheesecake-flavored dressing, accented by luscious caramel sauce and crunchy toffee bits. Perfect for gatherings, it offers a harmonious mix of textures and flavors, delivering a sweet, fruity treat that’s both refreshing and indulgent.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 container (8 oz) whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
Fruit
- 2 cups diced strawberries
- 2 cups diced apples
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 1 cup seedless grapes, halved
Toppings
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce, divided
- 1 cup toffee bits or crushed caramel candies (like Heath bits)
Instructions
- Make the Cream Cheese Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until the mixture is smooth and creamy, creating the base of your cheesecake dressing.
- Fold in Whipped Topping: Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until fully incorporated and fluffy, ensuring the mixture has a light, airy texture.
- Add Fresh Fruits: Carefully fold in the diced strawberries, diced apples, sliced bananas, and halved seedless grapes to coat them evenly with the creamy cheesecake mixture without mashing the fruit.
- Incorporate Caramel Sauce: Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the salad and gently fold it in to distribute the rich flavor throughout the mixture.
- Add Toffee Bits: Sprinkle half of the toffee bits into the salad, folding gently to blend in some crunchy texture evenly without breaking them down too much.
- Assemble and Garnish: Transfer the fruit salad to a serving bowl, then top with the remaining caramel sauce and toffee bits for an eye-catching caramel drizzle and added crunch on top.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and to achieve the best flavor and texture before serving.
Notes
- For best texture, add bananas last as they tend to brown quickly.
- Use fresh and ripe fruits for optimal taste and appearance.
- To reduce sweetness, adjust the amount of powdered sugar or caramel sauce according to preference.
- This salad is best served chilled and consumed within 24 hours for freshness.
- Can be prepared a few hours in advance and refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
