Creamy Winter Fruit Salad - Perfect for the Holidays! (2024)

How to Make Winter Fruit Salad

Here is a quick overview of what you’ll need and how to assemble it. The full amounts and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Fruit Salad Ingredients

Wash your fruit and prep each one as instructed, then toss them all into a bowl.

• Apples – use your favorite variety based on how sweet or tart you like them. I usually use Gala or Fuji apples. You can peel them or leave the peels on for more color, or peel them. Cut them into chunks.
• Grapes – I like to mix red and green grapes for the colors, but you can just use one type. If they are very large, you can cut them in half.
• Oranges – cut off the peel and the white pith and cut the orange into segments. Then, once you have cut the orange from the membranes, squeeze the extra juice into a bowl to use in the yogurt dressing.
• Bananas – you’ll want them to be ripe but not too soft. Cut them into thick slices or chunks.
• Walnuts – not a fruit, but they do add a nice crunch. I recommend lightly toasting them in a skillet first. You can also substitute pecans, or even try Honey Glazed Walnuts. For a more festive color and nut-free option, try substituting pomegranate seeds.

Yogurt Dressing Ingredients

You only need three simple ingredients for a sweet, creamy, and delicious yogurt dressing. Stir these together, pour over the fruit, and toss until coated.

• Yogurt – plain Greek yogurt is recommended, but you can use regular or non-dairy yogurt too, though the dressing will be a bit thinner. If you use vanilla or another sweetened yogurt, omit or reduce the honey.
• Orange juice – reserved from segmenting the oranges.
• Honey – you can also use maple syrup.

What are the best fruits for fruit salad?

Typically you’ll want to choose fruits that are in season so that they taste the best. Summer fruit salad often contains berries and watermelon and other fruits that grow in the warm weather. This can be more challenging in the winter. But there are some types of fruit that still taste fresh, sweet, and delicious even around Christmas. When you make your fruit salad with yogurt dressing, it brightens up the flavors even in the colder months.

How do I keep fruit salad from turning brown?

Once peeled and cut, fruits like apples and bananas can start to turn brow. Generally, the way to prevent this is by tossing the fruit in acid such as lemon juice, or, for a less tart option, pineapple juice.
In this creamy fruit salad recipe, the yogurt is acidic, and it is mixed with orange juice. That is why making a fruit salad with yogurt dressing will prevent the fruit from turning brown rapidly. I still recommend eating it within a couple of days.

Can I make it the night before?

Yes, you can make this Waldorf fruit salad the night before, or save any leftovers for the next day. If you are making it in advance, I recommend leaving the nuts on the side and mixing them in or just sprinkling them on top right before serving.
I’ll make it up the day before (leaving the walnuts on the side so that they don’t get mushy overnight), and then for those that just want a light breakfast, they can grab a bowl, and for those that want to pick on some cookies or pastries that we undoubtedly have around, this is a nice, healthy breakfast “side dish”.

Serving Suggestions

This winter fruit salad completes your Christmas breakfast or a brunch any time of the year. You can pair it with so many of your favorite morning dishes.

• Start your brunch with muffins like Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins or Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins.
• Eggs are always great for brunch, especially Turkey Swiss Quiche or Feta Spinach Frittata, but don’t forget the bacon and sausage.
• Treat yourself to Gluten Free Eggnog Coffee Cake or Gluten Free Honey Buns.
• Sprinkle some Gluten Free Granola or Eggnog Granola on top.

Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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