Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad Recipe | Easy Dessert Recipes!
I’ve always been a big fan of cheesecake, but it’s not something I can eat very often. This Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad is the perfect compromise, it’s got all the creamy goodness of cheesecake with none of the guilt!
The recipe uses sour cream and cream cheese, which gives it that signature cheesecake tanginess. Then we add sweetened condensed milk for even more richness and sweetness, plus tons of fruit for texture and flavor. It takes a little bit of time to prepare but is well worth it if you love cheesemaking as much as I do!
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
Sour cream is a dairy product that has been cultured with the bacteria Lactobacillus. You can find it in most grocery stores, or make your own at home by combining 1% milk with either crème fraîche or Greek yogurt. The resulting mixture should be thick and tangy. Keep any unused portion refrigerated until ready to use again!
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups crushed pineapple, drained well
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes and cooled. You could also use dried unsweetened coconut flakes instead of fresh or dried unsweetened shredded coconut.
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
To make this recipe, you’ll need to know what sweetened condensed milk is. Sweetened condensed milk is a canned product that contains sugar and other ingredients. It has a thick texture and will thicken or set when it cools down. You can use it in many different ways: as an ingredient in recipes like cheesecake or ice cream, on its own with coffee, mixed with water to make milkshakes…the list goes on!
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
For this recipe, the key ingredient is crushed pineapple. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use fresh pineapple and a blender instead. If you want to get fancy with it, feel free to add some of these optional ingredients:
- chocolate shavings
- sliced almonds
- shredded coconut
1 cup flaked coconut
- To toast coconut, spread it in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned.
- You can find coconut flakes in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
- When buying coconut flakes, make sure the label says “unsweetened” to avoid getting sugar, sweetened versions.
- Store your coconut flakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months or refrigerate them for up to 12 months if you prefer them cold (they will become hard as they cool).
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup miniature marshmallows, divided
This salad can be assembled and refrigerated up to one day before serving it.
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Toasting the pecans is a simple process. You can toast them in an oven, toaster oven, or microwave.
If you want to use an oven, spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 8–10 minutes, until they’re lightly browned and fragrant. If you want to use your toaster oven (or regular oven), spread out the nuts on a pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 8–10 minutes. If you want to use your microwave (this will only work with pecans!), spread out the nuts in one layer on a microwavable plate and cook for about 1 minute 30 seconds until fragrant.
4 bananas, sliced
- Slice each banana halfway down its length, then lay each slice flat on the cutting board and slice again at a 45, degree angle to make thin strips of banana.
- Use ripe bananas only, as they’ll provide the best flavor and texture in this recipe. Bananas can be stored at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container; however, there are ways you can keep them from browning even longer:
- Try wrapping them individually in plastic wrap before putting them in storage containers—this will prevent them from drying out too much while being stored at room temperature (or any other place where light exposure isn’t limited).
This salad is super easy to make and tastes amazing
This salad is super easy to make and tastes amazing. It’s a great way to use up leftover pineapple from your last trip to Hawaii. If you haven’t had enough time for a tropical vacation this summer, this recipe will have you feeling like you’re on vacation with every bite! This recipe is also great for potlucks and parties because it doesn’t require any baking or cooking skills, simply prepare the ingredients and toss them together in a bowl.
This Hawaiian cheesecake salad will be sure to impress wherever you take it! This Hawaiian cheesecake salad recipe is super easy to make and tastes amazing. It makes an excellent dessert for any occasion!
