Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Pineapple Delight Ingredients
- Substitutions and Additions
- How to Make This Pineapple Delight Recipe
- How to Serve
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Jump to Recipe
Dreamy Pineapple Delight is an easy, almost no-bake dessert that combines tangy pineapple, smooth cream cheese, fluffy whipped topping, and a buttery graham cracker crust. It’s rich, refreshing, and ideal for gatherings or a simple weeknight treat.
Pineapple Delight Ingredients
You will need:
- 1 ¾ cups graham crackers, crushed (plus 1 tablespoon for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 9 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
- 8-ounce container whipped topping
- 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, drained
Substitutions and Additions
Whipped topping: If you prefer homemade whipped cream, use stabilized whipped cream made from heavy cream and a bit of sugar and vanilla.
Graham crackers: For a different base flavor, swap crushed vanilla wafers for the graham crumbs.
How to Make This Pineapple Delight
Pro tip: Make the dessert a day ahead and refrigerate overnight so it firms up and slices cleanly.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Step 2: Lightly spray an 8×8 baking dish (metal or glass).
Step 3: In a small bowl combine 1 ¾ cups crushed graham crackers, 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon melted butter (or the total melted amount called for), and 1 tablespoon sugar. If you don’t have pre-crushed crackers, place them in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Step 4: Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form an even crust.
Step 5: Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool completely before adding the next layers.
Step 6: In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, cream together the softened butter, softened cream cheese, and vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, until the filling is smooth and well combined.
Step 7: Evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the cooled graham cracker crust.
Step 8: In the same mixing bowl, gently fold the drained crushed pineapple into the whipped topping until combined.
Step 9: Carefully spread the pineapple-whipped topping mixture over the cream cheese layer.
Step 10: Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon of crushed graham crackers on top as a garnish.
Step 11: Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, so it sets properly.
Step 12: Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
How to Serve
This Pineapple Delight is perfect for potlucks, picnics, or casual desserts at home. Serve chilled in squares. For an extra indulgent touch, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or garnish with fresh pineapple slices or a sprig of mint.
Storage
In the fridge: Store covered in an airtight container for up to several days. Keep it chilled until serving.
In the freezer: This dessert freezes well. Place uncovered in the freezer until solid, then wrap or cover and store for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Pineapple Delight features a buttery graham crust, a velvety cream cheese layer, and a light whipped pineapple topping—an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that delivers bright tropical flavor with minimal effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze pineapple delight?
Yes. Freeze for up to a month, wrapped well, and thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Do you have to bake this recipe?
Only the crust is baked. The rest of the dessert is assembled cold, making it an almost no-bake treat.
Is this recipe the same as Pineapple Lush or Pineapple Lasagna?
Yes. This layered dessert is often called pineapple lush, pineapple dream, or pineapple lasagna.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Cherry Danish
- Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls
- Cherry Cheesecake Tacos
- Apple Pie Bites
Pineapple Delight
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups graham crackers, crushed (plus 1 tablespoon for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 9 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
- 8 ounces whipped topping
- 20 ounce crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, drained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Lightly spray an 8×8 baking dish.
- Combine the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish to form the crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes and allow the crust to cool completely.
- Cream together softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar gradually until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled crust.
- Fold the drained pineapple into the whipped topping.
- Spread the pineapple-whipped topping over the cream cheese layer.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of crushed graham crackers on top as garnish.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to set.
- Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
- For best results, prepare this dessert a day ahead and chill overnight so it firms up and slices cleanly.
- If you don’t have pre-crushed graham crackers, place them in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Make sure the crust is completely cool before adding the cream cheese layer so the layers set properly.