Blueberry Cheesecake Fruit Salad

Name: Blueberry Cheesecake Fruit Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature; ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; ⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine salt; 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy whipping cream, straight from the fridge; 3 cups (435 g) fresh blueberries, rinsed, thoroughly dried, and any stems removed; 3 cups (450 g) fresh strawberries, hulled, dried, and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 4 sheets (60 g) graham cracker sheets (full rectangles), crushed into coarse crumbs (about ½ cup / 60 g); 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy blueberries and strawberries are folded into a fluffy, tangy cheesecake cream and topped with buttery graham cracker crumbs. It's a no-cook dessert salad that tastes like cheesecake and comes together in 20 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: About 8 cups (8 servings of 1 cup each)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

8 servings

For the cheesecake cream
8 oz (225 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
⅛ tsp (0.7 g) fine salt
1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy whipping cream, straight from the fridge
For the fruit
3 cups (435 g) fresh blueberries, rinsed, thoroughly dried, and any stems removed
3 cups (450 g) fresh strawberries, hulled, dried, and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
For the topping
4 sheets (60 g) graham cracker sheets (full rectangles), crushed into coarse crumbs (about ½ cup / 60 g)
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Equipment (7)

Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L)
Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle
Rubber spatula
Zip-top bag and rolling pin, or food processor
Cutting board and paring knife
Small bowl (for crumbs)
Salad spinner or clean kitchen towels

Steps

Before you start

Set the cream cheese out for 45–60 minutes so it is fully soft. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps.
Wash the berries and dry them very well on towels. Wet fruit thins the cream.
Use block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind in a tub.
Plan for at least 1 hour of chilling before serving.

1
Prepare the fruit
- Rinse the blueberries and strawberries in a colander.
- Spread them on clean kitchen towels and pat very dry, or spin gently in a salad spinner.
- Remove any blueberry stems.
- Hull the strawberries and cut them into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
- Set both fruits aside in separate bowls.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Berries look dry on the surface with no pooled water in the bowl.
Tip: Dry fruit is the key to thick cream. Water makes the dressing runny.
2
Beat the cream cheese
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl once.
- The cream cheese should look smooth and creamy with no lumps.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Completely smooth, with no visible lumps.
Tip: If lumps remain, the cream cheese was too cold. Beat a minute longer rather than adding liquid.
3
Flavor the base
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt.
- Beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine, then on medium for 1 minute until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and slightly tangy.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No sugar specks remain and the mixture looks glossy.
Tip: Start on low so the powdered sugar doesn't puff over the counter.
4
Whip in the cream
- With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the cold heavy cream.
- Once it is incorporated, raise the speed to medium-high and beat 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed, until the mixture is thick, fluffy, and holds soft peaks when the beaters are lifted.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Soft peaks that hold their shape but the tips curl slightly.
Tip: Stop as soon as it holds soft peaks. Overbeating turns it grainy and buttery.
5
Fold in the fruit
- Add the blueberries and strawberries to the cheesecake cream.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold gently, scooping from the bottom and turning over, about 10 to 12 turns, until every piece of fruit is coated.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Fruit is evenly coated and the cream shows only light pink streaks.
Tip: Fold gently. Stirring hard bursts the strawberries and turns the cream pink and watery.
6
Chill the salad
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- This lets the flavors meld and the cream set so it clings to the fruit.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Salad is cold and the cream is thick and spoonable.
7
Make the crumb topping
- While the salad chills, place the graham crackers in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin into coarse crumbs, about ½ cup (60 g).
- Transfer to a small bowl, pour in the melted butter, and stir with a fork until the crumbs look like damp sand and clump slightly when pinched.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Crumbs are evenly moistened and clump when pinched.
Tip: Leave some pea-size pieces for crunch rather than grinding to a powder.
8
Top and serve
- Just before serving, give the salad one gentle stir.
- Sprinkle the buttery graham crumbs over the top and spoon into bowls, about 1 cup (roughly 150 g) per serving.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Crumbs are scattered evenly over a cold, creamy salad.
Tip: Add the crumbs right before serving so they stay crisp instead of going soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the fruit very dry. It is the most important step for thick, creamy results.
For a tangier cheesecake flavor, add an extra 1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
Taste the cream before adding fruit. Very tart berries may need 1 to 2 extra tablespoons powdered sugar.
Serve in clear glasses for a layered look: alternate salad and crumbs.

Make ahead

"Make the cheesecake cream (steps 2–4) up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate covered. Fold in the fruit up to 4 hours before serving. Store the crumb topping separately at room temperature for up to 1 day."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 1 hour while serving. Refrigerator: store covered without the crumbs up to 2 days. The fruit will release juice and the cream will loosen over time, so stir gently before serving. Freezer: not recommended because the fruit turns mushy. Serve cold; do not reheat."

Substitutions

fresh strawberries → raspberries, sliced peaches, or diced mango. Use the same total weight. Raspberries are fragile, so fold in very gently.
cold heavy whipping cream → thawed whipped topping (8 oz / 225 g). Fold it into the sweetened cream cheese instead of whipping. The result is slightly sweeter and more stable.
graham cracker sheets (full rectangles) → crushed vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies. Use the same weight and the same amount of butter.
full-fat block cream cheese → mascarpone. Gives a milder, richer, less tangy result. Keep the lemon juice.