Perfect for a summer gathering, Creamy Grapes Salad with red and green grapes is coated in cheesecake batter and topped with brown sugar and crushed pecans. A delicious dessert which is ready in about 15 minutes!
Creamy Grapes Salad
Summer time, picnics, gatherings, beach time and food!
Cold food to be exact.
What is Creamy Grapes Salad?
- It is a sweet side dish made with grapes.
- The sauce tastes like thick liquid version of my Pressure Cooker New York Cheesecake.
- Crunchy nuts and brown sugar make up the topping.
Creamy Grapes Salad is perfect to bring to summer picnics, Labor Day outings, 4th of July beach days and more.
It is very decadent; cold and creamy and sweet.
Definitely not low carb or keto because of the grapes. However, diabetics can use a sugar substitute and limit the portion of the fruit.
Cast of Ingredients for Creamy Grapes Salad
My recipe is a bit different than most of the ones you will find on line.
My Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar makes a HUGE difference in flavor.
This is your food, so totally do what you like. You don’t need to use Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar, the if you don’t want.
Ingredients for Creamy Grapes Salad
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream or Homemade Greek Yogurt
- White Sugar
- True Lemon or Fresh Lemon Juice
- Vanilla Bean Caviar or Vanilla Bean Extract
- Whole Pecans
- Brown Sugar
- Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar
This is not your regular old Creamy Grapes Salad.
But then again, most of my recipes are not your normal average recipes. If I am going to post a recipe, it needs to stand out from others and be the best ever!
True Lemon Granulated Crystals
I’m not affiliated with this company, I just love True Lemon so much.
The flavor is exactly like fresh lemons off the tree.
In my Elote {Mexican Corn on the Cob} recipe, I use True Lime for the very same reason.
Since, no liquid is added, the sauce in the Creamy Grapes Salad recipe (as well as my Elote recipe) stays thick and does not get watered down!
When the grapes chill in the fridge overnight, they tend to release juice, so I prefer not to add more liquid. 🙂
Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar
The other ingredient that takes this Creamy Grapes Salad up a notch is my Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar.
Seriously, the flavors of cardamom, cloves, star anise add a nice and subtle flavor.
For a stronger flavor, use more of my spiced sugar and reduce the white sugar!
Other names for Creamy Grapes Salad.
Grapes Rockefeller
Grapes Cheesecake Salad
Grape Salad
How to Make Creamy Grapes Salad
Blend Cream Cheese in Food Processor
This is a super quick way to mix up the sauce and to make sure that it is nice and creamy and no lumps.
If you use a food processor, there is no need to worry about letting the ingredients come to room temperature.
In fact, for this type of “cheesecake” recipe, I prefer to start with cold cream cheese. Whereas in my Instant Pot New York Cheesecake, which is the most popular cheesecake recipe around, the cream cheese works better at room temperature. Cheesecake lovers cannot get enough of this cake.
Also, I’m so used to letting my food processor do all the heavy work.
Grate Lemon for Zest
Lemon Zest brightens the flavors in the Creamy Cheesecake Sauce!
A handheld microplane easily does the trick.
Make sure not to get any of the white pitch into the sauce. The pith is rather bitter and can easily ruin this recipe. Eureka lemons will give you the best zest.
Remove Vanilla Bean Caviar
How to Remove Caviar from Vanilla Bean.
- Take a small sharp paring knife.
- With the vanilla bean flat on a cutting board, use the tip of the knife and cut the vanilla bean from end to end.
- Be careful not to cut through the bean.
- Hold one end of the bean.
- Using the dull side of the knife, start at one end of the bean and firmly scrape the little moist seeds (caviar) from the bean.
Don’t throw out the vanilla bean. It still has a lot of life left in it!
Use it to make vanilla sugar or add it to a jar of my Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar recipe.
If you don’t have a vanilla bean in the house, just use vanilla extract. My Pressure Cooker Vanilla Bean Extract (recipe coming soon) is perfect for this task.
Stir in Lemon Zest, Adjust Sugar
It is a good idea to start out with the lower amount of white sugar and Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar.
Sometimes the grapes are super sweet and less sugar is needed.
After blending all the ingredients, just do a taste test and adjust lemon zest and sugar(s) as needed.
Mix Cheesecake Mixture with Grapes
Can I Make Creamy Grapes Salad in Advance?
- Yes, absolutely. It is actually recommended that you make the salad the day before you need to serve Creamy Grapes Salad.
- The cheesecake sauce will firm up a bit with an overnight chill in the refrigerator.
That being said, you certainly can enjoy Creamy Grapes Salad right away.
But, it is better after it is cooled, so that the sauce adheres to the grapes.
As I am a sourdough bread baker and use these food storage containers for proofing bread, I just used the tub to mix the sauce into the grapes.
It’s easily transportable and I can pour the grapes into a nice glass bowl (pictured in the final photo) and then add the topping before serving
Chopped Pecans
Why Use Whole Pecans?
- First of all, it is cheaper.
- Whole Pecans will stay fresher if kept whole.
- They are easy to chop with a good Santoku knife.
- I prefer using food less processed, as who knows how well the chopping machines are cleaned.
- I have OCD re cleanliness…. 😉
Well, maybe not an doctor diagnosis of OCD. It might be a control issue.
Since I can’t seem to control my weight (especially since blogging and cooking all the time) and I’m fat again, being clean is something I CAN control.
Pecan Brown Sugar Topping
When Do I Add the Pecan Topping?
- Get to where you are going and then top the Creamy Grapes Salad with the Pecan Brown Sugar Topping.
- The pecans and brown sugar will add a nice crunch.
If you add the topping in early, the brown sugar will turn a bit liquidy, which is delicious as well.
What Can Replace the Nuts if I have a Nut Allergy?
- I love to add some Grapenuts Nuggets too, for more crunch.
- So, the nuts are easily replaced for those with nut allergies!
Another recipe where Grapenuts are used in place of nuts is my Slow Cooker Autumn’s Best Apple Crisp recipe. It is a fabulous recipe and I have replaced the walnuts for Grapenut Nuggets. We really love the topping with the Grapenuts.
Grapes Rockefeller
I use my Bormioli Rocco Viva Salad Bowl for a beautiful presentation.
Knowing you will enjoy my version of Creamy Grapes Rockefeller, I suggest you also try my Red White and Blue Fresh Berry Cheesecake Salad. It is another perfect recipe to bring to picnics and gatherings.
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Culina Stackable (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Sonder LA End Grain Teak Cutting Board, Juice Grooves & Compartments
- Microplane Stainless Steel Zester
- KitchenAid 11 Cup Food Processor
- Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar
- True Lemon
- Vanilla Bean
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Here is your handy printable recipe:
Creamy Grapes Salad
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 8 ounces Sour Cream or Yogurt
- 1/4 cup White Sugar or more
- 1/8 cup Cardamom Spiced Vanilla Sugar (or all white sugar)
- 1 Vanilla Bean (or vanilla extract)
- OR
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon True Lemon (or lemon juice)
- OR
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
- 4 pounds Green and/or Red Grapes stems removed, washed/dried
Topping
- 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup Whole Pecans chopped
- OR
- 3/4 cup Grapenuts Nuggets
Recommended Products
Instructions
- In a food processor, add cream cheese, sour cream, sugars and vanilla (caviar or extract) and process until smooth.
- Remove blade from processor, add lemon zest and mix through.
- Taste and adjust sweetness, as necessary.
- Pour over grapes and mix through. Refrigerate over night, or until chilled.
- Mix together topping and sprinkle over grape salad.
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this Creamy Grapes Salad recipe!
Creamy Grapes Salad
Originally published July 22, 2018. Republished to add more information on May 19, 2019.
Can you use some cardamom dry spice in with the sugar and how much would you use? I’m going to use the vanilla extract and either sugar or Splenda. Looks great and refreshing.