Fruit Salad with Whipped Cream is the perfect side dish or dessert! It's made with grapes, bananas and apples and homemade whipped cream, sweetened with a bit of honey, so this dish is perfect for the whole family. Serve with your holiday dinners or as a part of your regular weeknight dinner menu.

Every holiday season there is one dish that I look forward to most: Fruit Salad with Whipped Cream.
I'm not sure where the tradition in our family came from, but fruit salad has always been my favorite part of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.
No matter how much turkey, sausage stuffing and mashed potatoes I eat, there is always room for fruit salad on my plate.
Recipe for Fruit Salad with Whipped Cream
I actually usually have a separate bowl for it because I don't mess around with having enough room for this fruit salad on my plate.
Each year we have this, I'm reminded of how simple it is. It is a core part of my Thanksgiving traditions and memories.
One of the best parts about this creamy fruit salad is it's a very low-maintenance side dish. When you're making a bunch of recipes for a brunch or holiday dinner, low-maintenance recipes are necessary!
This dish can be the last thing you make, while the turkey is resting or being carved because it's that quick to make!
For the non-holiday times, this is the perfect side dish for so many different family dinners and can be the perfect way to use up any ripe fruit.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fruit salad is always a hit at any family gathering. My family always makes it for Christmas!
- You can customize it with your favorite fruits.
- Feel free to use store-bought whipped cream, but the best is making it from scratch!
Come on in, and I'll show you how I make the perfect whipped cream fruit salad every time!
Tools Needed
- A cutting board and a sharp knife for cutting the fruit up.
- If you're making homemade whipped cream, you'll need either a stand mixer or a hand mixer (we have this one).
- You'll also need a mixing bowl to combine the ingredients as well as a serving bowl, because your mixing bowl will get a bit messy while tossing the salad!
Ingredients
You can use most fruits in homemade fruit salad, but here are my go-tos:
- apples
- bananas
- grapes
- pitted dates
See the section below called Fruits for Fruit Salad for some more ideas!
For the whipped cream, you will need to stock up on the following:
- heavy whipping cream
- honey, maple syrup or brown sugar
Fruits for Fruit Salad
This recipe calls for apples, grapes and bananas as the base for this fruit salad, but feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking. Aim for a mixture of soft, chewy and crunchy textures.
Here is a list of all the fruits you can use in fruit salad and how to prepare them. The combinations are endless!
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Orange slices
- Pears
- Raspberries
- Melon cubes
- Pomegranate arils
Non-fruit Fruit Salad Toppings
Some people like to add some nonfruit items to their whipped cream fruit salad. The sky's the limit on what you can include. If it sounds good, give it a shot!
In the past, we've experimented with:
- mini marshmallows
- nuts like pecans or walnuts
- Snickers bars
- dried cranberries or raisins
- chopped, pitted dates
- crumbled bacon (for a sweet-and-salty crunch)
Whipped Cream vs. Cool Whip
Growing up, my family always ate Cool Whip Fruit Salad at the holidays. But as I've gotten older, I've learned to love making things from scratch, and homemade whipped cream has become a homemade staple in our house.
However, you can definitely make this fruit salad with Cool Whip instead of homemade whipped cream.
A few years ago, I wanted to make a version of this creamy fruit salad that was refined sugar-free so I decided to give it a try by making my own honey-sweetened whipped cream.
You can also use maple syrup, agave nectar, brown sugar or stevia to sweeten your whipped cream.
Do whatever is easiest for your family, whether that's using Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream for this salad.
What to Serve with Whipped Cream Fruit Salad
If you're making this whipped cream fruit salad for the holidays, you can serve it with:
- Stovetop Sausage Stuffing
- Garlic Brown Butter Green Beans
- Rosemary Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits
- Shredded Cheesy Potatoes
The rest of the year, we like to eat it at breakfast and brunch. Here is one of my favorite menus:
More Fruit Salad Recipes
Check out my Creamy Christmas Fruit Salad for a twist on this recipe with red and green fruits (that is still perfect any time of year!)
You also might love my Thanksgiving fruit salad, which you can make with or without cinnamon whipped cream.
If you're looking for a dairy-free fruit salad, you could make your own coconut whipped cream or make this Fresh Fruit Salad with Orange Juice Dressing.
A great one for summertime, this melon fruit salad is made with different types of melon.
Ready to tackle your own batch of this fruit salad with whipped cream? Here is the printable recipe!
Whipped Cream Fruit Salad
Whipped cream fruit salad is the perfect holiday side dish or dessert! It's made with fresh fruit like grapes, bananas and apples and homemade whipped cream, sweetened with a bit of honey, so this dish is perfect for the whole family. Serve with your turkey holiday dinners or as a part of your regular weeknight dinner menu.
Ingredients
Fruit Salad
- 3 apples, cores removed and chopped into chunks
- 2 bananas, sliced into 1 inch thick pieces
- 1 cup of grapes, sliced horizontally
- ½ cup of pitted dates, diced (optional)
Homemade Honey Sweetened Whipped Cream
- 1 cup of whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Peel and chop fruit and dates and set them aside in a large mixing bowl. (Note: NOT your serving bowl.)
- In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, whip whipping cream on high speed until peaks begin to form.
- Once the cream is whipped, add in honey and mix for another minute. Taste test and add more honey if you prefer it to be sweeter.
- Add whipped cream to your fruit and stir to coat fruit.
- Then transfer to a serving bowl. Refrigerate if not serving right away.
Notes
You can substitute Cool Whip for homemade whipped cream if desired.
You can substitute maple syrup or sugar for honey in this recipe if desired.
Homemade Whipped Cream can be made ahead of time, but may separate a bit. It's helpful to re-whip right before tossing over your fruit salad (even if just with a hand whisk or fork).
This salad tastes even better the next day!
Nutrition information is for homemade whipped cream.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: ½ cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 10mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 2g
Erin Skinner says
I love, love, love that you've made this fruit salad with homemade, naturally sweetened whipped cream! What a lovely and delicious treat!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
YUM! I adore all kinds of fruit, too, and my kid would eat the entire bowl of this goodness. She's allllll about the fruit, too! What a delicious and fun side or dessert for the holiday table.
LeAndra says
I love this idea, Madison. It's always fun to hear about other family's traditions.
Abby @ WinsteadWandering says
I love fruit salad with homemade whipped cream! There's something so fun about eating a recipe that's both delicious and (fairly) healthy.
Jenna @ A Savory Feast says
Wow this sounds amazing! I love how simple it is, which makes it perfect to throw together to bring to a holiday party. There is just something so yummy about whipped cream and fruit together.
Elizabeth Mayberry says
Oh girl! I am with you on the fruit! Berries and whipped cream is one of my all time favorite desserts!