These rainbow fruit skewers are a colorful, healthy, and delicious treat for your next party! 🌈These vibrant snacks are not only visually appealing but also packed with vitamins and natural sweetness. The easy cheesecake-like dip can be made with powdered sugar or with maple syrup or honey for a naturally-sweetened option.

I got a question about the Rainbow Fruit Platter I posted the other day about how to serve this at a BBQ. You can put out a serving spoon, but these skewers are even more practical!

This recipe is exactly like the other, except that you put everything on skewers. If you read the other post, you don’t need to read this one because they have all the same info, with the exception of how to assemble the skewers.

These rainbow fruit kebabs are especially perfect for kids’ parties (as is this Watermelon Cake!). Serving the fruit on a skewer means there’s much less risk of grubby little hands grabbing at the fruit. 😆

But both kids and adults love these skewers. They’re so festive, and I don’t know about you, but I love healthy options at parties that aren’t salad.

Fruit skewers are usually the first thing to go whenever we make them. It seems as though people want to make sure they get one before it’s too late.

Alternative fruits for each color

I admit that I chose the fruit based on color (I wanted a vivid rainbow!) and what was easiest. Here are some great alternatives for each color.

Red

Orange

I chose goldenberries because they are easy to prepare – just wash and enjoy! They also look fantastic but can be hard to find.

Check out the section below for where to find them. If you can’t locate any, here are some alternatives:

• Mandarin oranges
• Mango
• Cantaloupe

Yellow

I opted for pineapple due to its bright color and how beloved it is, although it can be tricky to cut. Alternatives include:

• Bananas, though their color isn’t very fun
• Yellow peaches
• Starfruit

Green

Green kiwi slices offer a beautiful contrast, but if someone doesn’t like them, consider these options:

• Green grapes
• Honeydew melon

Blue

Blueberries are the easiest choice, but you can also use:

• Blackberries
• Blue varieties of plums
• Concord grapes

Purple

For kids, purple grapes are the best bet. Other options include:

• Figs
• Purple plums

What are goldenberries?

Goldenberries, also known as Physalis peruviana, cape gooseberries, or Inca berries, are small, round fruits encased in an easy-to-remove papery husk. They have a tart, tangy flavor with a hint of sweetness and are rich in vitamins A, C, and antioxidants.

Often used in fruit salads, desserts, jams, and savory dishes, goldenberries can typically be found in larger grocery stores, especially from late spring to early fall.

Where to Find Goldenberries in the US:

• Whole Foods Market – often carries both fresh and dried goldenberries.
• Trader Joe’s – occasionally stocks dried goldenberries.
• Sprouts Farmers Market – requently carries goldenberries, especially in peak season.
• Wegmans – offers a variety of fresh produce, including goldenberries.
• Publix – sometimes stocks goldenberries, mainly in the Southeastern United States.
• Safeway, Kroger, and H-E-B – their larger stores with extensive produce sections may carry goldenberries.
• Specialty stores – stores specializing in Latin American or Asian foods may carry goldenberries, as they are more commonly used in these cuisines.

I live in Germany, and we get ours from Aldi or Lidl.

How to prepare the fruit

To have the prettiest fruit kebabs possible, cut all the fruit into similar-sized chunks, preferably cubes. Keep grapes, blueberries, and blackberries whole.

Strawberries are tricky to cube, but it works. You’ll have a lot of leftover strawberry bits that you can toss into a Strawberry Mango Smoothie or use them to make these Strawberry Preserves!

How to prevent browning

Lemon juice is effective in preventing the browning of apples and bananas and can also slow down the oxidation process in other fruits, keeping them vibrant longer.

• Simply toss the cut fruit in a bowl with a bit of lemon juice. If serving the same day, this step isn’t necessary unless you’re using apples or bananas.
• For apples or bananas, lemon juice is essential if the fruit will sit out for a bit.
• If you’re making these rainbow skewers as a treat for your family and they’re going to eat them right away after they’re prepared, you definitely don’t need to bother with lemon juice.
• For parties where the fruit will sit outside for hours, you’ll probably want to use lemon juice.

How to assemble the skewers

Arrange the skewers on a platter in a fan shape, or place them upright in a vase for a stunning centerpiece. But! Make sure the base is heavy and sturdy enough to support the weight of the fruit kabobs.

My photographer got the white marble lazy susan you see in some of the photos from World Market. It fits a rainbow of 19 skewers.

The lazy susan is 12″ (30.5 cm), and the amounts of fruit given in the recipe are for a rainbow made out of 21 skewers. So you’ll have a little big of wiggle room if using a 12″ platter!

If you make a larger rainbow, you’ll need more fruit. The rainbow on the white piece of parchment paper uses 21 skewers.

If you have skewers leftover, these Bang Bang Chicken Skewers would be a great way to use them, and they’re also perfect for summer parties.

Fruit dip

While a drizzle of honey or a squeeze of lime juice can add some flavor to the skewers, a dip makes the skewers even better. This dip, which is like a lightened-up cream cheese frosting, is easy to make in one bowl.

Someone left a comment on the fruit rainbow platter post saying that they made a double batch of the dip for their party, but they’ll make a quadruple batch next time because people were eating it with a spoon. 😅 It really is delicious!

Powdered sugar gives the dip a traditional taste, but maple syrup adds a surprisingly delicious flavor without making the dip too thin.

I’ve also tested it with honey. It then tasted like a honey dip! We much preferred it with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Make in advance

To prepare the fruit ahead of time, you can wash, peel, and chop the fruit, then refrigerate it in airtight containers for up to one day before serving. This reduces prep time on the day of your event.

Remember the lemon juice tip to prevent browning.

If you’re really pressed for time, consider buying pre-sliced fruit from the grocery store, though it might be more expensive.

You can also assemble the skewers and the rainbow shape (if making) the day before. Cover the plate tightly with plastic wrap to keep the fruit fresh.

Avoid preparing the platter more than a day in advance. For fruits like apple or banana, even with lemon juice, it’s always best to cut and add them just before serving.

What to do with leftovers

Refrigerate any leftover fruit in an airtight container for up to three days. This helps prevent air exposure, minimizes browning, and maintains their juiciness.

Leftover fruit can be repurposed in several ways. I doubt that after making these fruit skewers, you’ll have another special event the next day, but if you do, these Fruit Tartlets are ideal as they call for cut-up fruit.

• Fruit salad – combine leftovers for a fresh Fruit Cocktail. This is my favorite way to repurpose the leftovers because you’ve already gone to the trouble of cutting it up nicely.
• Smoothie – just make sure the fruit you’re throwing in the blender makes sense together. Maybe it’d taste like a delicious fruit punch. Or perhaps it’d be terrible. 😆🤷‍♀️ One thing I’m not sure about is the goldenberries. I’ve never used them in a smoothie.
• Freeze – if you’ve just had enough fruit already, you can freeze it and save it for baking, ice cream, or as a topping for cereal and yogurt.

Allergies

When serving guests, it’s important to check for any fruit allergies. Kiwi allergies are relatively common.

If someone has a kiwi allergy, for example, they won’t be able to eat anything on the platter if kiwi is present, even if they avoid it directly.

For adults, missing out on these rainbow fruit sticks is fine, but for kids, I think they’d be pretty disappointed!

Luckily, there are plenty of fruit options to ensure that all the kids can enjoy the fun of the fruit rainbow.

Get the kids involved!

Get the kids involved by using small cookie cutters to shape the fruit into stars, hearts, and other fun shapes. I can tell you that kids seem to love star-shaped fruit!

This works well with pineapple, large strawberries, watermelon, and other melons. While these shapes might not fit perfectly in the rainbow, they can be placed nearby or used for leftover fruit.

I hope you’ll enjoy these rainbow fruit skewers! I’d love to hear how it turns out if you give them a try. 🙂

5 from 12 votes

Rainbow Fruit Skewers

Author Erin Dooner

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 21 people

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

• ▢ 21 wooden skewers
• ▢ 2 cups (284 grams / 10 oz strawberries) strawberries - cut into halves or quarters
• ▢ 21 goldenberries or 2-3 clementines
• ▢ 1 small pineapple - cut into bite-sized cubes
• ▢ 21 kiwi chunks, cut the same size as the pineapple - or 21 (53 grams or 1/3 cup) green grapes 2 kiwi should be enough
• ▢ 42 blueberries
• ▢ 21 purple grapes

For the dip:

• ▢ 4 ounces (112 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
• ▢ 6 tablespoons (75 grams) powdered sugar or 3 tablespoons (60 grams) honey or maple syrup
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/16 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold heavy cream

Instructions

• Note: you can get the smallest container of each fruit. The exact amount you’ll need depends on how big your rainbow is. The amounts above are what was needed for 21 skewers. If using a 12" (30.5 cm) platter, you can fit in 19 skewers. If possible, place your hand or stand mixer beaters and bowl in the fridge for 1 hour before making the dip.

Make the dip:

• In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sweetener, vanilla and salt at medium speed until totally combined.
• While still mixing, now on low, gradually add the heavy cream.
• Once it’s well incorporated, turn the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form - about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Cover and place in the fridge until it's time to serve. This yields about 1 cup + 3 tablespoons. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Make the skewers:

• Wash, rinse, and pat dry all of the fruit with paper towels.
• Cut the fruit as instructed. If serving today, there's no need to use lemon juice unless you're using apple or bananas. If serving tomorrow, you might want to toss the fruit in some lemon juice.
• If using the fruit I used, it doesn’t matter which side of the skewer you start with (strawberries or purple grapes) because there aren’t any really fragile fruit you have to worry about. If using blackberries, raspberries or other fragile fruit, you'll want to put those on the skewer last.
• Put the fruit on skewers in rainbow order (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). I used one piece of fruit for every color, with the exception of blueberries (I used 2 of those).
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Arrange the skewers on a platter in a fan shape to create a rainbow or place them upright in a vase for a stunning centerpiece. But make sure the base is heavy and sturdy enough to support the weight of the fruit kabobs.
• If you have leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

• To prepare the fruit ahead of time, you can wash, peel, and chop the fruit, then refrigerate it in airtight containers for up to one day before serving.
• You can also assemble the skewers and the rainbow shape (if making) the day before. Cover the plate tightly with plastic wrap to keep the fruit fresh.

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