Pineapple Dream Dessert (+Video)
(Almost) No-Bake Pineapple Dream Dessert is a delicious summer dessert! Cream cheese, pineapple, whipped topping and graham crackers – so simple!
A CREAMY (ALMOST NO-BAKE) DESSERT
To celebrate summer, I thought I’d share this old school recipe made with graham crackers, crushed pineapple, cream cheese and Cool Whip It was pretty popular in the 70’s. It’s simple to make but it’s served chilled so it is refreshing and surprisingly does not taste heavy at all. This 8×8-inch dish can be cut into 12-15 pieces so it serves more than you would think. Do yourself a favor and bring back this favorite dessert and make it a 1970’s summer to remember.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
You can use salted or unsalted butter, whatever you have. Just make sure that it is butter and not margarine. Generally I will use unsalted but I’ve made it with salted and it still tastes great.
Yes! This is a great substitution. It would taste very much like an orange creamsicle!
Yes, you can make it with homemade whipped cream but the Cool Whip holds up better in this recipe. Unfortunately, homemade whipped cream doesn’t stay stabilized as long as whipped topping.
I’ve only ever used the canned fruit for this recipe so I can’t say whether it would work with fresh cut fruit.
This dessert needs to be kept covered in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 3 days. Pineapple Dream Dessert can also be frozen. Wrap with plastic wrap then aluminum foil and it will keep for up to 3 months. To defrost, put into the refrigerator overnight.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- graham cracker crumbs – I just crush them up myself but you can buy graham cracker crumbs to save yourself that extra step.
- salted butter – it’s gotta be real butter. Do not try to substitute with margarine or butter substitutes. Also, I prefer salted butter here. It does not make this taste salty. It just adds a nice balance of flavor with all the other sweetness going on.
- cream cheese – it needs to be fully softened to room temperature. If it isn’t, you’ll end up with a very lumpy filling that you won’t be able to smooth out.
- powdered sugar – I really recommend using powdered sugar over granulated here so it will be smooth and not grainy.
- whipped topping (COOL WHIP) – if you’ve never purchased this before, you will find it in the frozen section near the desserts and ice cream. You need to let it thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight) before you can use it.
- crushed pineapple – it’s important that you drain it really well. Too much moisture and the dessert won’t set up properly.
HOW TO MAKE PINEAPPLE DREAM DESSERT:
Preheat oven to 300F degrees. Crush the graham crackers. I just put them in a Ziploc bag and pound them. You can also just buy graham cracker crumbs too. Whatever works for you. I just happened to have these graham crackers for s’mores.
Also, at this point, go ahead and get your pineapple drained. I just throw it in a strainer and let it drain while I get to work on everything else.
Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter in the microwave using a medium, microwave-safe bowl.
Add 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs to the melted butter and stir until combined.
Measure out 2 CUPS of the crumb mixture and press it firmly into the bottom of an 8×8 or 9×9 square baking dish.
It helps to use the bottom of a flat measuring cup or glass to press the mixture down.
Bake crumb mixture for about 8-10 minutes and then allow to cool completely.
You’ll have some crumb mixture left over. Just hang onto it because you’ll need it for the topping. Measure 4 ounces (1/2 block) softened cream cheese. Most cream cheese is sold in blocks of 8 ounces and have these handy dandy little markings on them to help you measure it out easily.
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy.
It helps to use an electric mixer or a stand mixer for this.
If using a stand mixer, turn it down to low and add the powdered sugar slowly until it is all incorporated and smooth.
Now add in a big ole heaping tablespoon of the drained pineapple and give it a good stir.
Next, spread the cream cheese mixture over the baked and cooled graham cracker crust.
In a separate bowl, combine the whipped topping with the remaining drained crushed pineapple.
Stir well. It will get thick and clumpy. Spread whipped topping mixture over the cream cheese layer. I just drop it by the blob-full all over and then gently spread it using the back of my spoon.
Now, sprinkle the rest of the graham cracker crumb mixture on the top.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This is a great dessert to make the night before you actually need to serve it.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Pineapple Dream Dessert (+Video)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs,
For the filling:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block), softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 ounce container frozen whipped topping (COOL WHIP), thawed
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple (drained really well)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F.
For the crust:
- Crush graham crackers. Also, drain 20 ounce can crushed pineapple.
- Melt 1/2 cup salted butter in the microwave in a medium, microwave-safe bowl.
- Add 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, to the melted butter and stir until combined.
- Measure out 2 CUPS of the crumb mixture and press it firmly into the bottom of an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch square baking dish (whichever you have)
- Bake crumb mixture for about 8-10 minutes and then allow to cool completely.
- You’ll have some crumb mixture (1/2 cup) left over. Just hang onto it because you’ll need it for the topping.
For the filling:
- In a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer), beat 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block), softened to room temperature and 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature until creamy.
- If using a stand mixer, turn it down to low and add 2 cups powdered sugar slowly until it is all incorporated and smooth.
- Now add in a heaping tablespoon of the drained crushed pineapple and give it a good stir.
- Next, spread the cream cheese mixture over the baked and cooled graham cracker crust.
- In a separate bowl, combine 8 ounce container frozen whipped topping (COOL WHIP), thawed with the remaining drained crushed pineapple.
- Stir well. It will get thick and clumpy.
- Spread whipped topping mixture over the cream cheese layer. I just drop it by the blob-full all over and then gently spread it using the back of my spoon.
- Now, sprinkle the rest of the graham cracker crumb mixture on the top.
- Cover the whole dish with plastic wrap. Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: June 2015
Updated & republished: May 2020
Recipe credit: Amanda’s Cookin
Very easy and not to sweet.B
i miss read the recipie and added the cream cheese pineapple, butter, into the whipped cream……..lol see how it works out……..lol
I tried it and turned out amazing , my husband absolutely loved it.
Can I freeze this?
This sounds amazing and I will be saving this for something to put on the holiday dessert table, but I have to ask you one question… Is it OK if I use the back of “my” spoon instead of yours? LOL! Sorry, but that typo made me giggle. My thought was “Wow! It virtually has almost no work if Brandie spreads it out for us!” HAHAHA! It sounds delish and thank you for the recipe!
Bahahaha! That wasn’t exactly worded the way I intended it to come out. LOL!
Today I decided to step it up. Added teaspoon of coconut extract and coconut. We call it pina colada dream.
A girl I work with tried this with pineapple and LOVED it! I’m using fresh strawberries… how can it not be good?!
The is so good but very rich. I would cut into 16 pieces.
This is delicious. I made it on Memorial Day, and they are already asking for it again. Easy to make, cool and refreshing for summer. This one is definitely a keeper !!!!
Brandie—you mentioned making this with Mandarin oranges. Would I mush them or put them thru the chopper and proceed as with the pineapple? Please help. My husband loves creamsicles and I would like to surprise him for Father’s Day.
Hi Dolores! I wouldn’t mush them or anything. They tend to break up pretty easy as you stir so you shouldn’t need to do anything different. I hope that helps! 🙂
I made this today. It was very easy to do. However, I think it was way too sweet for my taste. Of course my friend loved it. Guys eat anything. He did say it was good and to make it again.
I will make again cutting down to 1 cup of the sugar and just crushing up the graham crackers and spreading on the bottom and not baking in the oven. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It really has my creative juices flowing (am wondering what it will taste like with different fruits….maybe peach)
This just got added to my summer dessert list. I love pineapple. This not only sounds delicious but it looks so easy! I wish we weren’t under the semi quarantine so I could make this for Memorial Day. We are planning a family get together in a couple weeks so I’m bringing this.
I made it & we loved it. But I don’t like Graham Cracker Crust as I think it’s too sweet. So I always substitute Cornflake Crumbs for Graham Cracker Crumbs & it is DELICIOUS. If you can’t find Cornflake Crumbs, just get a box of Cornflake Cereal & crush them up like you would graham crackers. Just add a little sugar or Splenda to the Cornflakes. Cornflake Crumbs are just a tad sweetened. .
Didn’t say when to put the powered sugar in if using an electric mixer
Hi June! Put it in the same time as it says in the instructions when using a stand mixer. 🙂
I made this and it’s really good! Could you use any other fruit instead of pineapple? Also if you wanted to use sugar in the Graham cracker crust how much would you use
Hi Dianne! Yay!! So happy you loved it! I don’t see why you couldn’t use other types of fruit. Mandarin oranges might be good. I suppose you could add sugar to the graham cracker crust. Maybe about 1/4 cup??
Can I use lemon instead of pineapple?
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not!
Do you use the pineapple in heavy syrup, or in the unsweetened juice? Thanks!
It might be hard to see in the ingredient picture above but I use crushed pineapple in 100% juice. 🙂
How important is it to use the butter with the cream cheese mixture?
Hi Tami, pretty important. Is there an issue or a substitution you are thinking of? 🙂
Can you use a ready made graham cracker shell instead of crushing, mixing and pressing one yourself?
I suppose you could but you’d need a few of them for this amount of filling. Also, the way this is made, it leaves the crust just slightly crumbly and crunchy and you wouldn’t really get that texture with a ready made graham cracker shell. Hope that helps!
Wonder if real whipped heavy cream could be used instead of cool whip?
I haven’t tried it Donna. I think the only concern is making sure the homemade whipped cream was stable. It tends to breakdown after a short period of time.
I haven’t made this yet I was wondering if you made it a day or two in advance would the bottom get soggy??
Could you use coconut instead of pineapple ?
I see how much butter to add to the graham cracker mixture, but. How much butter do you add to the cream cheese?
Made it with pinneaple per the recipe. It tasted a lot like banana cream pie, except pineappley. Since my wife’s favorite desert is banana cream pie, I’ve now got a banana version cooling in the fridge. Initial taste tests say it’s awesome!
Thank you for this amazing recipe, all my guests loved it.
I wss thinking of making it in mini dessert cups next time for individual serving but off course I can’t bake those since they are plastic, so do you think I can make it without baking the graham crackers? Or should I bake it in a different pan and then transfer to individual cups?