No-Bake Pineapple Cream Dessert
Pineapple Cream Dessert, a creamy easy no-bake dessert. Made with crushed pineapple and cream with a graham cracker or cookie crust. Also known as Pineapple Dream Dessert, this is the perfect after dinner dessert.
Whenever it’s the Italian’s birthday his choice of dessert is either this one or any kind of Tiramisu!
This was one of my Mom’s amazing recipes. Anytime she asked what dessert we would like her to make for family gatherings or just because. This is the one dessert that came up time and time again.
This easy no-bake dessert is perfect anytime especially during the hot summer months when turning on the oven is not great idea.
Recipe Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs – or cookie crumbs
- Butter – melted
- Butter – softened
- Powdered sugar – also known as Icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla – vanilla extract
- Cream – whole/heavy or whipping cream with at least 30% fat content
- Pineapple – crushed drained very well
How to make Pineapple Dream Dessert
Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter, press down firmly in a square pan. Place in fridge and continue with the filling.
In a medium bowl cream softened butter and powdered sugar, cream well, add the egg and beat until smooth then add vanilla. Spread over the crumbs.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream until thick peaks form, then fold in the well-drained pineapple, spread over the cream filling.
Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of crumbs. Place in fridge for at least 5 hours or over night.
What to substitute for raw eggs
For the replacement of raw eggs, you can try using a product called Egg Replacer or there are now pasteurized egg products and pasteurized eggs available.
I usually make it the night before and let it sit all night in the freezer. I take it out of the freezer an hour or so before serving to let it thaw and become all nice and creamy. Nothing easier than that.
How to store the Pineapple Cream Dessert
Also know as Pineapple Delight or Pineapple Dream Dessert, it should be stored covered with plastic wrap in the fridge, it will keep for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 6 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
What is the best base to use?
I like to use digestive cookies crumbs, although my Mom always used graham cracker crumbs. You can always use your favourite cookies and just grind them to make crumbs.
So next time you are looking for a delicious and east No Bake Summer or anytime fruity dessert this Pineapple Cream Dessert could be a perfect choice. The perfect Easy Summer Dessert Recipe. Enjoy!
No-Bake Pineapple Cream Dessert
Ingredients
COOKIE BASE
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs* (divided)
- ¼ cup butter (melted) (53 grams
* You can also use your favourite cookie crumbs or my favourite digestive cookie crumbs.
CREAM FILLING
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ½ cup powdered / icing sugar
- 1 large egg*
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
*For the replacement of raw eggs, you can try using a product called Egg Replacer or there are now pasteurized eggs available.
TOPPING
- 2 cups whipping or whole cream
- 1 can crushed pineapple (drained very well wring out the excess liquid with your clean hands)**
**15 or 20 ounces (425 / 567 grams) I usually use the 15 ounce can, but 20 ounces would probably be better.
Instructions
COOKIE BASE
- In an 8 inch (20 cm) square or round freezer safe baking dish combine crumbs and melted butter, press down firmly in the pan. Place the pan in fridge and continue with the filling.
CREAM FILLING
- In a medium bowl cream well the softened butter and powdered sugar. Add the egg* and beat until smooth then add vanilla. Spread over the crumbs as evenly as possible.
- In a medium bowl, whip the cream until thick peaks form, then fold in the well-drained pineapple (medium or large can depending on how much pineapple you prefer) and then spread over the cream filling. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the cookie crumbs. Place the dessert in the fridge for at least 5 hours or better still over night. Enjoy!
*For the replacement of raw eggs, you can try using a product called Egg Replacer or there are now pasteurized egg products and pasteurized eggs available.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from May 29, 2017.
Hi Rose
Thanks for the nice recipe. How do you take this dessert out of the pan? Do you overturn the pan?
Hi Annie, no I leave it in and slice it from the pan. Hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Thank you so much Rose! I used to make this dessert growing up in Canada and then lost the recipe. I have been searching years for this. It was always my favourite dessert to make.
Hi Sandy, so glad you found it, my family loves this dessert. Have a great weekend.
No bake desserts are always so great to have on hand – especially in the summer. This looks awesome!
Hi Ashley, thanks so much and yes I have to love no bake desserts. Have a great week.
what is whole cream,,its not milk,right ?
Hi Anna, whole cream is either heavy cream or whipping cream. And correct not milk. 🙂
This sounds interesting. Love pineapple will definitely try this one.
Thanks Srividhya, hope you enjoy it.
Hi Rosemary! This dessert sounds fabulous to make during the summer months! I was reading through the comments about what the difference is between whipping cream and heavy cream. That confused me a bit because I have always written heavy cream in my recipes. I googled it and Cookinglight.com mentioned that they are basicly the same thing. Heavy cream has a little more content fat and holds its shape better than whipping cream. In Germany, I use Schlagsahne with 32% fat but I have always refered to it as heavy cream in English.Well, either way, your mom’s dessert sounds delicious! Happy belated birthday to your husband!
Hi Rosa, thanks for clarifying that, here in Italy there is only whole cream and that’s it, when I go to Canada there is such a huge choice of creams can make it a little confusing. Have a wonderful Sunday.
The recipe fails to say what size can of Pineapple to purchase for the recipe for Creamy Pineapple Squares. Pls let me know. Thanks.
Hi Alma, sorry about that, in Italy there is only one size available, I always forget other places you have a lot more variety. Anyway I would say 20 oz can but if you prefer more cream and less pineapple than the 15 oz would work also. Happy Easter.
Love this recipe, and it’s really good too. I was looking over some of the other comments and thought I would add this… Here in the US we have not only varying degree of milk (low-fat, 1%, 2%, skim and whole) we also have different creams. The half and half is not really half cream/half milk… it refers to the 8 – 12% butterfat content. And it doesn’t work for whipping. Heavy cream has around 30% butterfat, and works well for whipping. And heavy whipping cream has about 36% butterfat, and works excellent for whipping. As for the lemon jello addition, it works much like a parfait. Once the jello is soft set (usually after about 20 minutes in refrigerator, you fold the whipping cream and pineapple into it mixing well. I also add 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut. Makes for a quick dinner addition when the grandkids visit, and they never leave any.
Hi Bruce, thanks so much for the great info. Whenever I go home I am always amazed at the huge selection of milks and creams. The lemon jello sounds very good and interesting. Have a great week! 🙂
Hey Rose, yes my mother made almost this recipe. I have looked through numerous cookbooks, Goggled , pinned, you name it looking for “her recipe” to no avail. Yours however is the closest.
The difference is in addition to your recipe, hers called for a box of lemon jello in addition to the pineapple.
I unsure how to incorporate the jello. Add the pineapple juice to the jello powder?
Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you for time reading my long winded request.
Hi Nancy, sounds very interesting, but I don’t quite understand how it is incorporated into the pineapple cream dessert, is the lemon jello a separate level? If it is what level is it and doesn’t it have to go in the fridge to firm up? As far as making the jello I would probably use a portion of the pineapple juice for liquid and the rest water, to try it out, if you like it and want a stronger flavour then the next time I would add more juice to water. Let me know, I am really curious.
I made the mistake once of buying heavy cream which doesn’t whip. it has to say “whipping” cream. never notice the difference until this year.
Hi Maude, that is really strange, because here in Italy there is only whole cream, no half and half, or whipping cream here. So I always use heavy cream, maybe there is a different percentage in the cream. Thanks for the info.
Hi, this looks yummy but I can’t eat eggs, would it be okay to skip the egg or does it affect the structure?
Hi Sunita, I think you could try it without the eggs, or is there an egg substitute that you usually use? It’s just that the egg cream mixture is a nice taste. But try it and let me know. Have a great day!
Hi! I’ve always been told not to eat raw eggs…the eggs in this recipe are raw …correct?
Thanks!
Melody
Hi Melody, Yes you are right, but I wrote a note saying that you could you use pasteurized eggs and egg products available. Hope that helps you. Thanks.
Hi, just happened across your blog via Pinterest. Your life seems to be the Canadian-Italian version of my American-Spanish one! Funny thing is, my mother has also made this same exact dessert for as long as I can remember (I don’t particularly like it, but it seems to go over well with Spaniards!).
¡Saludos desde España!
Hi Karen, funny how things turn out (at the beginning it wasn’t so funny). The Italians love that dessert too. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend.
I am so confused I bought heavy whipping cream but it’s just milk, so I thought I bought the wrong thing so I added the crushed pineapples to cool whip! What do I not know? Lol Help!
Hi Pam, well you could try it with the cool whip and see out it tastes. I have never made it with cool whip so let me know how it is. Or buy another can of crushed pineapple and try again, the heavy whipping cream you bought sounds like it was the right thing to buy in the first place right? Let me know, good luck.
So was I suppose to just put the drained cr. pineapples in the heavy cream and the liquid would freeze up and look like yours?
Hi Pam, first you have to whip the cream and then add the really well drained pineapple (wring it with your hands) and then yes it should look like mine. Let me know.
Sorry for so many comments, but I used my mixer and was mixing it for about 3 or 4 minutes then I stopped because I didn’t think it was doing anything. Should I of kept going?
Hi Pam, no problem, I think you should probably go longer, you want stiff peaks, so to check for stiff peaks, pull the beaters straight up out of the whipped cream and the peaks should hold its shape and stick tightly to the beaters, that’s when you know you have whipped it enough. Have fun.
Thank-you!
Your welcome! Have a great weekend!
what do u do with half and half whipping just whip it for topping or is this also heavy cream?
Hi Paula, I just use heavy cream and then I fold in the pineapple. I don’t use half and half cream because we can’t get it here in Italy unfortunately, but you can try using it instead of whole cream if you like. I hope I answered your question.
Buon Compleanno al tuo marito!This sounds like my peach dessert that my husband always asked for. My daughter groaned at the thought of it. I wrote about it — sometimes the simplest desserts are the best. I will definitely make this when our family gets together again. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Marisa, I will be checking out your peach dessert for sure. I love peaches.