Food and Recipes Recipes Creamy Overnight Fruit Salad Recipe 4.6 (5) 5 Reviews Fruit salad is a fresh addition to any Saturday brunch; there's something about a crystal bowl filled with bright, colorful fruit that perfectly complements any Southern cook's menu plans. One downfall to a fresh fruit salad, however, is that it's hard to keep your bananas, apples, or other cut fruit from turning brown without a hefty squeeze of sour lemon juice when you're prepping in advance. This creamy overnight fruit salad is a nostalgic recipe that solves all these issues, and tastes wonderful doing it. With a base of canned fruit for convenience and a creamy, whipped "dressing" reminiscent of the flavors of lemon curd, this recipe is a hidden weapon in any church hostess' arsenal. It only takes 30 minutes to prep your dressing and ingredients, and it's an easy make-ahead dish when you know you'll be pressed for time on the day of your event. The "overnight" part is key, as well – the flavors of the pineapple, grapes, bananas, cherries, and oranges start to blend with and sweeten the dressing once your salad has been in the fridge long enough. If you need any other reason to make this fluffy, sweet fruit salad – the recipe makes enough to serve a crowd and is easily modified based on your tastes. It's a must-try for any Easter brunch menu or ladies' luncheon; guests can't get enough! By Abigail Wilt Abigail Wilt Abigail Wilt has produced articles and videos about Southern culture, food, travel, and experiences for nearly a decade. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on March 22, 2018 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Abigail Wilt Hands On Time: 30 mins Refrigerate Time: 6 hrs Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins Servings: 15 Ingredients 3 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup sugar 1 lemon 2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups whipping cream 1 cup green grapes, halved 1 (20-oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained 1 (11-oz.) can mandarin orange segments, drained 1 (13.5-oz.) jar pitted dark cherries, drained (stems removed) 2 firm bananas, sliced 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows Directions In a small saucepan, combine beaten eggs, sugar, and juice of 1 lemon. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until boiling; adjust to medium-low heat and continue whisking until mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat, and stir in butter. Cool completely. In a chilled mixing bowl, beat whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Once the egg-sugar mixture has cooled, fold into whipped cream and set aside. In a large bowl, add halved grapes, pineapple chunks, orange segments, halved cherries, and bananas. Stir fruit together until combined. Add mini marshmallows, and mix until incorporated. Toss fruit salad with whipped cream-egg mixture, stirring to coat the fruit evenly and completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator overnight (at least 6 hours) to let the flavors marry. Serve cold. Rate it Print