This pineapple dream dessert is one of my family’s favorites. You know those desserts that seem to be at all the family gatherings? Those recipes that your grandma has been making for years? Like Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Ambrosia and Watergate Salad. This is one of those desserts.
This light and fluffy pineapple cream cheese dessert can be easily transported, hence it appearing at all those family functions, and rarely has leftovers.
PSSST – Yes! You are in the right place! Our photos have been updated, but the recipe is the same. This photo look familiar??
I’ve had similar reactions to this Chocolate Lasagna recipe, everyone seems to love it. So the only thing you’ll take home is a dish that needs washing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Back in the late 60’s Cool Whip entered the marketplace. It only took two years for this convenience item to become the company’s best-selling item. Cool Whip has come under fire many times and the current version now contains milk and cream.
If you prefer, you can substitute freshly made whipped cream for the Cool Whip in this recipe. To substitute fresh whipping cream for the 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip, 1 cup of fresh whipping cream whipped is the proper substitution.
HOWEVER Cool Whip has stabilizers in it that help hold its shape while fresh whipping cream does not. There you can try this recipe for homemade stabilized whipped cream to replace the Cool Whip.
If you love the idea of this pineapple dream dessert, you’ll love the strawberry version too- Strawberry Dream Dessert. You’re basically replacing the pineapples for strawberries and you have yourself another ultra-delicious one-pan dessert!
Yes, you can use fresh pineapple for this recipe. However, the juices that canned pineapple come in help soften the fruit, which is ideal for this recipe. Fresh pineapple that has been cut and stored in plastic containers found at the store are a good in-between as they typically contain juices at the bottom. Either way, fresh pineapple is fine to use but may be a little tougher than the canned variety.
Just like this Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad, this is a great recipe for taking to a party, holiday gathering, or a potluck. It’s best to have a place to keep this delicious pineapple whipped cream dessert refrigerated until ready to serve.
Expert Tip
You can purchase graham cracker crumbs, or smash them in a sealed bag with a rolling pin. We like to run them through our food processor!
Ingredients you will need:
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
- 2 1/2 cups graham crumbs (2 sleeves)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (for crust)
- 2 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 8 oz container Cool Whip
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained well
NO BAKE VERSION: If it’s too hot to turn on the oven, you can make the crust without baking it. Simply follow the instructions in the recipe, then instead of baking the crust, place it in the refrigerator. Let the crust chill for about 20 minutes. The butter will solidify and hold the crust together. The crust may not hold together as well, especially after sitting out for a while. But it still tastes just as good!
How to Make Pineapple Dream
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 300 F. Melt 1/2 cup butter in the microwave and let it cool. Combine the crumbs and butter, then press 2 cups of the crumb mixture firmly into a 9×9 square pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool.
- Beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter together until creamy. Turn the mixer down to low and add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until incorporated. Turn up and beat well for a minute or so.
- Add a heaping tablespoon of the drained crushed pineapple and stir in with a rubber spatula.
- Spread the cream cheese and pineapple mixture over the crust.
- Fold the remaining pineapple into the Cool Whip and spread on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining graham cracker crumb mixture on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Does your family have a version of this dessert?
How do you make it and what do you call it? These are some of the names I’ve heard:
- Pineapple Cool Whip Dessert
- Pineapple Delight
- Pineapple Dream Squares
- Pineapple Surprise Dessert
- Pineapple Graham Cracker Dessert
- Pineapple Cream Dessert
Whatever you call it, it’s amazing and there are never any leftovers. It’s always a favorite and someone will inevitably ask you for the recipe! So be sure to print a couple extra copies. :)
More one-pan potluck dessert ideas
- If you liked this Pineapple Dream Dessert, you’ll probably like my Cream Puff Chocolate Eclair Cake too. It’s another one of those potluck recipes that everyone wants a slice of! Not only is it creamy and delicious, it’s pretty too. So next time you’re heading to a friend or relatives and need to bring a dessert, try this eclair cake!
- Not everyone approves of the name of this next recipe, so over the years, it has taken on a few different titles. Here it’s called Sex in a Pan, but you may also know it as Chocolate Dream, Robert Redford Dessert or Better Than Anything Dessert. All I know is that three layers including cream cheese, pudding and whipping cream make for a party in your mouth!
- Speaking of potluck favorites, this Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad is always a big hit! There are some families that absolutely insist it is served at every holiday.
- If you are a banana lover have I got a dessert for you! Make this delicious banana pudding poke cake and I promise you will not be disappointed.
- Though it’s not necessarily a “one-pan” dessert, it’s definitely a potluck favorite! This Ambrosia Salad is a vintage classic. Combining maraschino cherries, mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, fruit cocktail and marshmallows this ambrosia salad recipe is one to be reckoned with.
- Try this fabulous looking Lemon Delight from Happy Hooligans, the kids can help make Chessmen Banana Pudding from Kids Activities Blog, and who could resist Chocolate Banana Twinkie Cake from Today’s Creative Life?
- This just added – Pineapple Yogurt Dessert – thank you to Cathy for sharing it with us.
- This irresistible no-bake Eclair Cake is the dessert of your dreams. Your guests will be asking for seconds and thirds!
- This Orange Pineapple Cake is stuffed with sweet mandarin oranges and topped with a fruity pineapple frosting that’s hard to resist.
Watch our quick video showing the simple process of this delicious dessert!
Pineapple Dream Dessert
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
Crust:
- 2 ½ cups graham crumbs 2 sleeves
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Layers:
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 8 oz Cool Whip fat-free
- 20 oz crushed pineapple drained well
Before You Begin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F. (See no-bake option above in "Before You Begin")
- Melt butter in the microwave and allow to cool. Combine the crumbs and butter and toss together until incorporated. Press 2 cups of the graham cracker crumb mixture firmly into an 9×9 square pan and bake for 8-10 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Turn the mixer down to low and add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until incorporated. Turn up and beat well for a minute or so. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the drained pineapple and stir in with a rubber spatula. Spread the cream cheese and pineapple mixture over the crust.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 4 oz cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar
- Fold the remaining drained pineapple into the Cool Whip and spread on top of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the graham cracker crumb mixture on top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.8 oz Cool Whip
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This recipe was originally published here on July 9, 2013.
Amanda Davis
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Peter Miks says
This recipe sounds a lot like the Woolworth Cheesecake Recipe, except with the twist of putting crushed pineapple in it. My late mom made this recipe when i was a child. I’m 71 now and I still make it with the recipe handed down from my mom.
Bob says
can you use vanilla wafers
Amanda Davis says
Yes that’s fine :)
Elaine Taillefer says
can this desert be frozen?
Amanda Davis says
Yes!
Suzanne says
Ca n I add banana in it?
Amanda Davis says
Hi Suzanne. While we personally haven’t tried it, there have been some readers that left comments saying they have. One mentioned that she “put a layer of spiced bananas on the bottom crust” and another said she “added sliced bananas between the cream cheese and whipped cream layers” and they both say it’s wonderful!
AS says
I made this because we had a can of crushed pineapple and we didn’t want to eat as was. I bought unsalted butter, but didn’t buy Cool Whip and crust. Instead I used heavy cream and added some sugar and whipped. It turned out good and sweet enough. Also I didn’t add whole amount of sugar, but it was sweet and very good. My husband wanted to eat the whole cake at once!
Neka says
This recipe is a lovely, different way of making a cheese cake! Love it with pineapple but equally delicious with raspberries.
Would love it if the recipes came with the weights in grams too.
Amanda Davis says
Hi Neka. We are actually transitioning all of our recipes to weights (including grams). We have over 2,000 recipe so it’s taking a while Glad you love the recipe!
CJ says
I wanted to make a pineapple dessert and this Pineapple Dream dessert came up over and over so I thought I’d try it. Luckily I didn’t put all the sugar in, only about 1 1/4 cup and it was fine – the Cool Whip is also very sweet. I didn’t really like the taste of the cream cheese layer because it tasted too strong of butter and kind of reminded me of cream cheese frosting. So I added a little more cream cheese and some plain yogurt to lighted it up. My guests seemed to like it and all had a small serving. I think the Cool Whip layer would be good over a no-bake cheese cake.
Amanda Davis says
This dessert is meant to be eaten with all the layers in one bite. Tasting the cream cheese layer or the cool whip layer on their own will not represent this dessert. I’m glad your guests liked it.
Fran Williams says
It’s so easy to make and so delicious.