Pina Colada Dip

(I’ve been on a kabob recipes kick lately - both sweet and savoury kebabs - and I’ll be sharing some of my favorite recipes across my 3 food blogs today!)

These delicious skewers are a relatively healthy dessert, but still absolutely satisfy my feral sweet tooth.

The pina colada cheesecake dip whips up in just minutes, with very little cleanup involved. It’s a delicious way to eat a LOT more fruit - and possibly the perfect snack!

These dessert kabobs - and the delicious dip to accompany them are a relatively healthy snack, and the perfect appetizer to serve at any number of social gatherings.

The tropical flavours make it the perfect summer treat for a pool party, Fourth of July, father’s day BBQ, or Memorial Day, or just a random hot day.

Thinking fancier, they’d be a huge hit at a baby shower, bridal showers, or a great addition to a dessert buffet at a beach themed wedding.

Ingredients

This recipe uses simple ingredients that can be found in pretty much any grocery store.

I like to look at this in two parts: the cream cheese dip, and the tropical fruit kebabs.

Pina Colada Dip

To make the dip, you will need:

Cream cheese
Crushed pineapple
Coconut flakes
Sweetener
Heavy whipping cream / Heavy cream
Rum Extract or Rum (1 teaspoon if extract, 1-3 tablespoon if actual rum)
Salt

To make this dip keto friendly, use an Erythritol / Monkfruit Blend Sweetener.

Powdered sugar can be used, but you’ll want to use about 50% more - go by taste.

Maple sugar or brown sugar can be used 1:1 in place of all or some of the sugar, but either one will impart extra flavours on the dip.

Tropical Fruit Skewers

As-is, I used the following tropical fruits for making my fruity kabobs:

Bananas
Papaya
Pineapple
Mangos
Kiwi
Star fruit - I used it for garnish, but it can also be skewered!

Don’t let my listed choices prevent you from using your favorite fruits for making these skewers. Other non-tropical fruits work really well with tropical fruits, and can bring amazing flavor to your colorful fruit skewers.

Consider honeydew melon, for instance. As a larger fruit, you’ll need to cut it down into bite sized pieces, or use a melon baller to scoop smaller portions from it.

Green grapes or red grapes also work well, and the red ones provide a nice colour contrast.

Equipment

In addition to the dip ingredients and a variety of fruits, there are a few pieces of equipment that help out with this dessert recipe:

Mini Food Processor

I use a mini food processor to blend the pineapple and cream cheese together.

You can use a stick blender, electric mixer, or stand mixer if you prefer, but the pineapple may not end up quite as well incorporated.

Bamboo Skewers

I like to use wooden skewers / wooden sticks, rather than metal skewers for fresh fruit skewers. They look better and are more comfortable, IMHO.

As pictured, I used 4.75" Bamboo Skewers with Knot

Depending on the size of the sticks, the sizing of the fruit pieces, and how many fruit pieces you want on each of the fruity kabobs, lollipop sticks could be used in a pinch.

The lack of a pointed end makes threading them for difficult, though!

How to Make Pina Colada Dip

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through.

Strain the crushed pineapple, discard the juice or reserve it for another use.

In a mini food processor, blend the softened cream cheese together with the sugar and salt until smooth.

Add pineapple and rum extract, blitz once more to combine.

Add pineapple cream cheese mixture and the coconut flakes to the bowl, fold until well combined.

Cover with plastic wrap - or transfer to an airtight container - and chill until use.

Tropical Fruit Skewers

Peel bananas, cut into thick slices, and place in a small bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice over the bananas, gently stir to fully coat them. Set aside.

Using a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off the pineapple, then cut the rind / skin off. Cut into strips or slices, then into chunks.

Using a paring knife, cut the skin off the kiwi fruit, then cut into thick slices. You can cut each slice in half, if you prefer.

If you’re using a star fruit for garnish - or even on the skewers - slice it into thin stars.

If you need to make these ahead, it’s best to skip the bananas, which will change in texture after a few hours.

Any fruit left over after making the skewers can be tossed in a bowl as a fruit salad.

More Gluten Free Skewer Recipes!

Looking for more excuses to serve gluten-free food on a stick? Here are some fun ideas for you!

Antipasto Skewers
Berry Skewers with Keto Mojito Cheesecake Dip
Fajita Chicken Kebabs
Gluten Free Chicken Satay
Greek Chicken Souvlaki
Greek Salad Skewers
Hawaiian Pizza Skewers
Heart Fruit Skewers with Raspberry Cheesecake Dip
Hop Marinated Chicken Skewers
Jambalaya Skewers
Muffaletta Skewers
Rainbow Fruit Skewers with Mimosa Cheesecake Dip

Share the Love!

Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork for social media! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @BeyondFlourBlog - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!

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Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment, or sharing the link on social media!