Frozen Berry Fruit Salad

This easy Frozen Berry Fruit Salad is a classic Southern make-ahead treat made with mixed berries and toasted pecans. Cool, creamy, and delicious, it’s perfect for holidays, potlucks, family gatherings, or a refreshing dessert any time of year.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword frozen-berry-fruit-salad, frozen-berry-recipes, frozen-fruit-salad

Prep Time 10

Freeze time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings servings

Calories 371kcal

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup chopped pecans toasted and divided
1 8 oz block cream cheese softened, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
2 cups heavy cream
1 16 oz bag frozen mixed berries i.e. strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries
Optional garnishes sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip, maraschino cherries or fresh strawberries, fresh mint

Instructions

Toast Pecans: Spread pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a preheated 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes. Cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract until fluffy.
To the bowl, gradually add heavy cream beating on medium-high for 3-5 minutes or until fluffy and stiff peaks form.
Fold frozen berries and 1 cup pecans into the cream cheese mixture by hand.
Spread into a 8x8-inch dish. Sprinkle with remaining pecans.
Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight or several hours until fully frozen.
Rest on counter for 25-30 minutes to allow the frozen fruit salad to soften. Run a knife around the edge to loosen, then cut into desired size pieces.
Serve immediately garnished as desired.

Notes

Frozen Fruit Salad Options - For this recipe, I use a 16 ounce bag of frozen mixed berries that includes strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. You can use any blend of berries that you enjoy.
Fresh Fruit - You could use a combination of fresh berries. When doing so, toss them with a small amount of granulated sugar and allow them to macerate for a few minutes to release some of the liquid. This will naturally tint the color of the fruit salad mixture.
Heavy Cream - This dessert has so few ingredients, I highly recommend that you go for the gold and use full fat heavy cream. Life is short, eat dessert first.
Food Coloring - When mixing the berries into the cream filling, the juice from the berries gives it a pretty pink hue. If you like, you can add a few drops of food coloring but, it's not necessary to do so.
Nuts - You can swap pecans using walnuts or almonds.
Pan Option - You could use a large loaf pan for this frozen fruit salad. When doing so, warm the pan slightly and flip it upside down onto a serving platter and slice to serve.
Mix-Ins - You could adapt this fruity dessert using peaches, pineapple chunks, frozen mango, sweetened flaked coconut and mandarin oranges.

Nutrition