These darling fruit skewers are the ultimate EASY way to serve festive fruit for every occasion!
Perfectly bite-sized and oh-so-charming, you’ll have guests oohing and aahing over your clever display of fruit kabobs.
We’ve got a holiday inspired fruit skewer display, a patriotic version, and inspiration for skewers you can serve all year long!
Fruit is one of my favorite foods to serve for every occasion! It’s the perfect appetizer that doubles as a dessert for showers, birthdays, barbecues, game day and so much more!
Whether you offer a creative fruit platter, fruit salad or fruit skewers, they will be loved by kids and adults alike! They make one of the best picnic food ideas, too – so refreshing!
I like serving everything on a stick, truthfully. It just makes every food and event even more fun!
Fruit Skewers
Skewering foods together is a traditional way to serve hors d’oeuvres that is beautiful and easy to eat, which makes them perfect for entertaining a crowd.
Why You’ll Love It
Ingredients and Substitutions
See printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.
Just about any fruit works well.
- Berries – Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Blueberries
- Grapes – Green, Red or Black Seedless (slice in half if serving small children.)
- Melons – Honeydew, Cantaloupe, Watermelon. Use a melon baller to make them round.
- Bananas – If soaked in citrus and serving same day. Bananas are a delicious addition, but they brown quickly. To use bananas, chill with the peel, then peel, and cut into chunks and thread just before serving.
- Apples – Any variety, if soaked in citrus and serving same day.
- Pears – Any variety, if soaked in citrus and serving same day.
- Peaches – Great for grilling, only use if soaked in citrus and serving same day to prevent browning.
- Pineapple – Also great for grilling and holds up so well to slicing and dicing.
- Mandarin Oranges – loved by kids and adults alike, holds up beautifully when served this way.
- Kiwi – best if served the same day but I find that it holds up well for a a couple days after slicing.
- Mango – Mango slices are great for grilling and they also hold well when sliced.
- Dragon Fruit – so cute when cubed! It’s a gorgeous white or red color with tiny black seeds. Holds up well to slicing.
- Starfruit – A beautiful yellow color, this tropical fruit is gorgeous when sliced into the signature star shape. Holds up well to slicing but best eaten same day.
Variations
- Add Herbs – Herbs like mint or basil go incredibly well with fruit and are not only a delicious addition, but so beautiful, too!
- Add Cheese – Mozzarella or Burrata is a delicious addition. Add on sliced or use a melon baller. Cheddar cubes also work well. You can also cut cheeses into shapes!
- Drizzle with Chocolate – Melt chocolate chips or melting wafers and use a spoon to drizzle over a platter of kabobs! White chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet or dark chocolate all work well.
- Grill – Fruits like peaches, watermelon and pineapple grill beautifully, releasing their juices and flavor with every bite!
- Make them Boozy – Soak them in vodka for 1+ hour. Dry and freeze.
- Freeze Them – It makes them the perfect summer treat to cool off!
To Make
- Prep – Wash your fruit thoroughly.
- Slice and Dice – Slice and dice your fruits into consistent cubes.
- Soak – Soak apples, pears and bananas in citrus juice.
- Thread – One by one thread your fruits onto skewers leaving room to hold them.
How to Grill Fruit Kabobs
- Thread – Thread clean, cubed fruit onto skewers.
- Prep – Soak wooden skewers 15+ minutes to prevent burning. Preheat grill to medium-low. Brush grate with melted butter.
- Grill – Grill each side 2-3 minutes until you achieve grill marks. Watch closely so you don’t burn the fruit.
- Drizzle – Drizzle with a touch of honey. Optional garnish thyme, mint or basil.
How to Display Fruit Skewers
On a Platter
- Stack – Simply stack on a platter. Perfect for summertime gatherings and one of the best Baby Shower Recipes!
- Stagger – I like to stagger them for a little visual interest. If you’re mixing up types of fruit on each skewer make sure they’re mixed up on the platter so that guests can select the skewer they would like to enjoy.
Create an Arrangement
- Find a Vessel – Any vase, large glass, basket, solid fruit (pineapples and melons cut in half work well).
- Fill with Foam (unless using fruit) – Floral foam or repurposed styrofoam a shipping package work well. Cut to the size of your vessel and insert so it’s tight.
- Add Skewers – To make it look the fruit skewers like fireworks for the 4th of July I inserted them in different directions from a central area.
- Optional: Cover – Wrap a linen napkin (checkered would be darling for a barbecue) around your skewers to conceal.
Displayed Out of Whole Fruit
- Half a Fruit – Solid fruit like pineapples and melons cut in half or whole work well. Pineapples are darling because they’re green top sticks out the top!
- Add Skewers – Insert them consistently to fill the entire fruit.
Upright
- Use Squares of Fruit – Thread large squares of fruit like watermelon at the base of the skewer.
- Position – Place upright on a platter in rows tightly to prevent tipping.
Tips
- Oxidation – Bananas, apples and pears oxidize. Soak them in citrus juice (lemon, orange or lime juice) prior to threading on your skewers.
- Use a variety of shapes and styles of fruit! This gives guests an opportunity to choose what fits them best and it makes your display so festive and fun!
- Be sure to cut your fruit thick enough that it stays on the skewer.
- For the Christmas tree effect shown in the green and red skewers, cut three triangles for the top of your kabobs.
Serving Suggestions
You can have so much fun with fruit skewers, too! Whip them up using fruit you have on hand or get creative in arranging them. Make rainbows (perfect for St. Patty’s Day) or creating a theme using cookie cutters like 4th of July Fruit Skewers, Christmas Fruit Skewers or Valentine’s Fruit Skewers!
You can use smaller metal, wood or bamboo sticks that are known as cocktail sticks or olive picks (you’ll often find them hanging in aisles of your grocer and near the liquor section) or larger skewers located in the grilling section of your grocer.
Of course they’re also darling nestled into Jarcuterie! Take them over the top by adding a chocolate drizzle or serving them with fruit dip, peanut butter fruit dip, raspberry sauce, strawberry sauce or chocolate sauce!
You can also dip into yogurt, whipped cream, fondue!
Frequently Asked Questions
Fruit skewers are pieces of fresh cut fruit threaded on a stick.
Most fruits will keep well up to 12 hours. Refrigerate before serving so they’re chilled. Avoid fruits like bananas that brown and soak fruits like apples in lemon juice to prevent browning. You can also place skewers in an airtight container filled with cold water to maintain freshness.
If you’re grilling your fruit kabobs using wooden skewers, soak them 15 minutes to prevent burning. This works especially well with pineapple and peaches!
Metal or wooden sticks or appetizer picks. Any size will do!
One large skewer or two cocktail picks.
How to Store
- Refrigerate – Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 24 hours.
- Freeze – Only freeze if you plan to enjoy frozen. Otherwise the moisture content in fruit makes them mushy when they defrost. Freeze in an airtight container up to 30 days.
If you’re making this as a Red White and Blue Dessert for the Fourth of July, don’t forget to check out my Fourth of July Recipe Guide! You’ll get 65+ of the BEST summertime party recipes, and the best Summer Cocktails, too!
More Fruit Inspiration
Fresh Fruit Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries sliced
- 1 cup grapes
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup watermelon sliced
- 1 cup blackberries
Instructions
- Wash your fruit thoroughly.
- Slice and dice your fruits into consistent cubes.
- Soak apples, pears and bananas in citrus juice.
- One by one thread your fruits onto skewers leaving room to hold them.
Julie’s Tips
Best Fruit for Kabobs
- Berries – Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Blueberries
- Grapes – Green, Red or Black Seedless (slice in half if serving small children.)
- Melons – Honeydew, Cantaloupe, Watermelon. Use a melon baller to make them round.
- Bananas – If soaked in citrus and serving same day. Bananas are a delicious addition, but they brown quickly. To use bananas, chill with the peel, then peel, and cut into chunks and thread just before serving.
- Apples – Any variety, if soaked in citrus and serving same day.
- Pears – Any variety, if soaked in citrus and serving same day.
- Peaches – Great for grilling, only use if soaked in citrus and serving same day to prevent browning.
- Pineapple – Also great for grilling and holds up so well to slicing and dicing.
- Mandarin Oranges – loved by kids and adults alike, holds up beautifully when served this way.
- Kiwi – best if served the same day but I find that it holds up well for a a couple days after slicing.
- Mango – Mango slices are great for grilling and they also hold well when sliced.
- Dragon Fruit – so cute when cubed! It’s a gorgeous white or red color with tiny black seeds. Holds up well to slicing.
- Starfruit – A beautiful yellow color, this tropical fruit is gorgeous when sliced into the signature star shape. Holds up well to slicing but best eaten same day.
Variations
- Add Herbs – Herbs like mint or basil go incredibly well with fruit and are not only a delicious addition, but so beautiful, too!
- Add Cheese – Mozzarella or Burrata is a delicious addition. Add on sliced or use a melon baller. Cheddar cubes also work well.
- Drizzle with Chocolate – Melt chocolate chips or melting wafers and use a spoon to drizzle over a platter of kabobs! White chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet or dark chocolate all work well.
- Grill – Fruits like peaches, watermelon and pineapple grill beautifully, releasing their juices and flavor with every bite!
- Make them Boozy – Soak them in vodka for 1+ hour. Dry and freeze.
- Freeze Them – It makes them the perfect summer treat to cool off!
Tips
- Oxidation – Bananas, apples and pears oxidize. Soak them in citrus juice (lemon, orange or lime juice) prior to threading on your skewers.
- Use a variety of shapes and styles of fruit! This gives guests an opportunity to choose what fits them best and it makes your display so festive and fun!
- Be sure to cut your fruit thick enough that it stays on the skewer.
- For the Christmas tree effect shown in the green and red skewers, cut three triangles for the top of your kabobs.
How to Store Fruit Kabobs
- Refrigerate – Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 24 hours.
- Freeze – Only freeze if you plan to enjoy frozen. Otherwise the moisture content in fruit makes them mushy when they defrost. Freeze in an airtight container up to 30 days.
Grilling Instructions
- Thread clean, cubed fruit onto skewers.
- Soak wooden skewers 15+ minutes to prevent burning. Preheat grill to medium-low. Brush grate with melted butter.
- Grill each side 2-3 minutes until you achieve grill marks. Watch closely so you don’t burn the fruit.
- Drizzle with a touch of honey. Optional garnish thyme, mint or basil.
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
