July 25, 2024
Review RecipePineapple Delight
Table of Contents
This pineapple delight features a buttery graham cracker crust, a layer of smooth cream cheese filling and a fluffy whipped cream and pineapple topping. The tropical flavors of the dreamy pineapple filling make this such a refreshing dessert. It’s perfect at a potluck or backyard barbecue — or any night of the week.
If you love this pineapple delight cake, try our heaven on Earth cake, Oreo delight, and strawberry delight for other easy recipes.
MORE PINEAPPLE RECIPES:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake | Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
Pineapple Delight Ingredients
You will need:
- 1¾ cups of graham crackers, crushed (plus 1 tablespoon for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon of butter, melted
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, drained
- 8-ounce container of Cool Whip
PRO TIP: If you can’t find crushed graham crackers, you can crush them yourself by placing them into a Ziploc and a rolling pin.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
WHIPPED TOPPING: If you cannot find a container of Cool Whip or prefer to make your own, try our homemade whipped cream recipe.
GRAHAM CRACKERS: If you want a different flavor for the base, try crushed vanilla wafers in place of the graham crumbs.
How To Make This Pineapple Delight Recipe
PRO TIP: It’s highly recommended to make this dessert a day ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. This will allow it to thicken and make it easier to cut into slices.
STEP ONE: In a small bowl, combine the 1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon of melted butter, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
STEP TWO: Lightly spray an 8×8-inch baking pan, metal or glass is fine. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
STEP THREE: Preheat the oven to 325°F and bake for ten minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely.
PRO TIP: Make sure that your crust is completely cool before going on to your second layer. The crust must be cooled so that the following layers set properly on top of it.
STEP FOUR: Using either a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, cream together the ½ cup of softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.
PRO TIP: Make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature so that they blend completely and don’t leave lumps in this layer.
STEP FIVE: Carefully add the powdered sugar half a cup at a time. Mix until the cream cheese mixture is smooth.
STEP SIX: Evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the completely cooled crust.
STEP SEVEN: Using the same bowl as the one used for the filling, gently fold the pineapple into the whipped topping.
STEP EIGHT: Gently spread over the top of the cream cheese layer.
STEP NINE: Add the additional one tablespoon of crushed graham crackers to the top as garnish.
STEP TEN: Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for four hours to ensure the dessert is properly set.
How To Serve
Make this pineapple dream delight for a potluck or a picnic. It is so easy to whip up, you really don’t need any particular reason at all to serve this.
If you want to go all out and add even more decadence, add a scoop of no-churn vanilla ice cream to your plate.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Keep this delightful dessert refrigerated until serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
IN THE FREEZER: This pineapple delight recipe freezes well. You should place your dessert uncovered in the freezer until solid. Then, you can cover it and return it to the freezer for up to a month before defrosting it in the refrigerator.
A creamy, dreamy whipped cream and sweet pineapple topping, a velvety cream cheese center, and a crunchy graham cracker crust, what more could you ask for? This Hawaiian pineapple delight dessert is an excellent choice to whip up anytime.
FAQ
You can freeze this fluffy dessert for up to a month. Cover in plastic wrap before freezing. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
This recipe is ALMOST a no-bake dessert. You just have to bake the crust before adding the other layers.
Yes! This great recipe goes by many names, including pineapple lush, pineapple dream and pineapple lasagna.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Pineapple Delight
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups graham crackers crushed (plus 1 tablespoon for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon of butter melted
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple in heavy syrup drained
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Lightly spray an 8×8-inch baking dish (metal or glass is fine).
- In a small bowl combine the 1¾ cups of crushed graham crackers, ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon of melted butter, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Press the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to completely cool.
- Using either a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, cream together the ½ cup softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Carefully add the powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time. Mix until the cream cheese mixture is smooth.
- Evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the completely cooled crust.
- Using the same bowl as the one used for the filling, gently fold the pineapple into the whipped topping.
- Gently spread the whipped topping over the cream cheese layer.
- Add the additional 1 tablespoon of crushed graham crackers to the top as garnish.
- Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for 4 hours to ensure the dessert is properly set.
- Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
- If you can’t find crushed graham crackers, you can crush them yourself by placing them into a Ziploc and a rolling pin.
- It’s highly recommended to make this dessert a day ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. This will allow it to thicken and make it easier to cut into slices.
- Make sure that your crust is completely cool before going on to your second layer. It’s important that the crust is cooled so that the following layers set properly on top of it.
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature so that they blend completely and don’t leave lumps in this layer.
Comments
marilynn Morris says
I would make it with graham crackers for sure…yummmm
Lois Imel says
This Pineapple Delight recipe sounds Awesome!!! Will make real soon.
Yes, I love pineapple. I will make this recipe with graham cracker crust. No, I will not top it with chocolate, maybe nuts. Really don’t have a favorite lasagna dessert, this one might be it. No, I will not top it the coconut flakes. Hubby nor I like coconut.
Keep sending your Awesome recipes. Can’t wait to try a lot of them real soon.
Sam says
Hello ๐ I have a question regarding the nutritional information: I’m assuming it’s broken down for 8 peices from and 8×8 pan but I wanted to double check.
Thank you and I’m definitely looking forward to making this! It looks really tasty!
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Sam – that’s correct. Enjoy!
Brenda says
Can you use a ready made graham cracker crust? Or does it have to be in 8×8 pan?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Brenda – we haven’t tried it with a premade crust. I think a premade crust would be thinner than what we have here and the dessert might not hold up as good without the thicker crust.
claudia orr says
When only for family I use a graham cracker pie crust works fine.
I sprinkle the top with graham cracker crumbs.
Nancy says
Can you use strawberry for this recipe?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Nancy – we haven’t tried it with strawberry so I’m not sure how it would turn out. You can make our strawberry delight, that’s very yummy. Enjoy!
Ali says
Great dessert! I was hesitant about the cream cheese layer because it seemed like it would be too much, but it turned out fantastically! I just finished my first batch and Iโm already thinking about making another. Thanks for the great recipe!
JETTE MORTENSEN says
Thank you so much for the excellent recipes. Easy, delicious. Yummy
Vielean says
This dessert I made this past weekend. It was absolutely amazing, this is from someone who loves everything about pineapples, cream cheese and cool whip. I also love shredded coconut and I added the coconut as my garnish instead of the graham cracker crumbs. Try it you will enjoy.
Jacqueline Oster says
My mom used to make this when i was a kid, so so good I would eat so much but i had a question before I start today, for the butter, is it salted or unsalted?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Jacqueline! I use salted butter in mine, but some people prefer unsalted. Enjoy!
Martha Durrett says
Can you use fresh pineapple for less sweet dessert?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Martha – we haven’t tested this with fresh so I’m not sure how it would turn out.. please let me know if you try it!