Fall Fruit Salad (With Apples, Pears and Cranberries)

Made with crispy apples, sweet pears, and topped with a maple-lemon syrup, this Fall Fruit Salad has all the flavors you crave when the temperature starts to drop. Begin your mornings in a healthy way with this 5 minutes fall perfection!

I love to start my Mondays with recipes full of goodness. This fruit salad is packed with vitamins, is gluten and processed sugar free, and keeps me satiated until lunch. It’s a great way to get all the good stuff you need, specially during the cold months, and so easy to put together you can do it easily in less than 10 minutes!

Ingredients and substitutions

Apple. Use your favorite apple! I love using Pink Lady apples, Honey Crisps, and Granny Smiths for this fruit salad.

Pear. Again, use your favorite pear variety. I used Bartlett for this recipe.

Cranberry. Use dried cranberries for a delicious, sweet and sour flavor.

Pecans. I love adding nuts to everything, and pecans match perfectly with all the flavors in this fruit salad! You can omit the ingredient, or substitute for hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds.

Maple Syrup. I love how maple syrup screams fall! You can substitute for honey, but to keep this fruit salad vegan, do it with maple syrup.

Lemon juice. It helps to keep the fruit salad fresh! You can substitute for lime juice. Fresh is always best, but bottled will work too.

Cinnamon. Adds spiciness that’s perfect for any fall recipe!

Should you peel apples for fruit salad?

Although the majority may prefer peeled apples for fruit salad, you don’t need to peel them if that’s what you like.

Just make sure you wash apples thoroughly under running water. Then remove any stems and core them before slicing.

Does lemon juice keep fruit salad fresh?

Lemon juice gives a tremendous help for keeping fruit salads fresh! Citrus fruit juices, lime and lemon particularly, contain high amounts of citric acid, which protects fruit already sliced from oxidization.

When fruits are cut and its interior is exposed to fresh air, a process called oxidizations starts to occur. Oxidizations makes fruits get a discolored, many times brownish color, and that doesn’t make your fruit salad look appealing.

Lemon and lime juice can also enhance the taste of all fruits used in this fall fruit salad, so bonus points! Don’t skip this ingredient.

How to make it

It couldn’t be easier!

1. Slice fruits. After washing and coring apples and pears, slice them into cubes. Peeling them is optional! I never do.
2. Mix it. In a large mixing bowl, combine both fruits, then add dried cranberries and pecans.
3. Make the syrup. In a small bowl, mix maple syrup, lemon juice and cinnamon, and mix until all ingredients are combined.
4. Pour citrus syrup over fruit salad. Drizzle the citrus dressing over the fruits and pecans, tossing gently to mix evenly.

You can serve it right away, or cover and store inside your fridge for later!

Tips for making a perfect fruit salad

Fruit salads are simple to make, specially this one! But even the most basic recipes have a few things that can help you to get the best result.

• Don’t skip the citrus if you’re making it ahead. The lemon juice helps the apples and pears not to brown while in the fridge.

• Make sure the syrup covers all fruits. Same reason as above! Use a spoon to toss gently the fruit salad after adding the maple lemon mixture.

• Remove seeds. You don’t want to bite an apple seed while eating your fruit salad, trust me!

• Don’t forget to wash well the fruits you’ll use. That’s even more important if you’re not peeling them.

What to serve with this recipe

This fruit salad is delicious by itself. But if you’re looking for options to improve this recipe, here are some ideas:

• Serve it on top of your favorite yogurt,
• Add some pumpkin spice granola for even more fall flavors,
• Have it with a ball of ice cream for those days you just need an indulgent breakfast,
• Try it with these sourdough applesauce pancakes: delicious!

Storing and freezing

You can serve this recipe as soon as you make it, or you can make it ahead and have a delicious fruit salad during all week. Thanks to the citrus juice, this fall fruit salad keeps crisp and pretty, even after a day in the refrigerator.

To keep them fresh even when refrigerated, store fruit salad in an airtight container. That way, the fruits won’t dry out or get any off-flavor. It will keep for about 3 to 5 days.

Always keep your fruit salad refrigerated. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. Freezing fruit alters the texture: when thawed, apples lose their crispiness.

More Fall Recipes

Apple Cinnamon Bread
Pumpkin Pancakes
Blood Orange Lemonade