Make this simple, fresh and pretty dessert for Independence Day! These red, white, and blue fruit fools are little mason jars of layered fruit and cream.
Fools... is that title referring to us? It's true that very soon at parades and fireworks we will deck ourselves out in red, white and blue and get ready to relax, to party, and celebrate.
And because we are some sweets-loving fools, we love us some 4th of July desserts! Like this easy fruit fool that is refreshing and wearing the perfect colors for the holiday: red watermelon stars, fresh, whipped cream and juicy blue blueberries.
A sweet, vanilla, crunchy cookie on top completes this fruity fool.
Why you'll love it
You will love the fresh, lightly sweetened whipped cream, which is so easy and quick to make and tastes AMAZING.
This fruit fool is also fun to make! The fruit and cream are layered into small mason jars making them easy to serve. A vanilla wafer on top cookie on top provides a satisfying crunch as you delve into the layers.
If you want to have your kids or grand-kids help, this is a great recipe to make with them! They can help cut out watermelon stars and layer in the ingredients.
🔪 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Slice up a watermelon.
Cut the watermelon into slices about 1-½ to 2 inches thick.
Step 2: Cut out stars
Use a cookie cutter to cut stars out of the watermelon. Then use a knife to slice the stars into thinner stars, which will make them easier to layer in the jars.
Step 3: Make the whipped cream
Make the whipped cream using a chilled bowl and beater, heavy cream and sugar.
Step 4: Assemble the fools
Make the layers in the mason jars: whipped cream alternating with blueberries, and the watermelon slid in on the sides so you can see the star shapes through the glass. The cookie goes on the very top!
Tips
- Get the freshest watermelon and blueberries you can find since they are the stars of these Fools! A ripe watermelon should feel heavy for its size, have a hollow sound when you knock on it, and have one yellow spot from where it was laying on the ground. Check the blueberries for stems and discard any shriveled ones.
- The star cut-outs of watermelon for this recipe total 4 ounces, but in all likelihood you'll end up with a watermelon larger than 4 ounces! Just use what you need for this recipe, then slice up the rest to serve to your guests. Or stick the extra slices wrapped in the fridge for your family to snack on.
- Before slicing the watermelon, take a little slice off the bottom of it so that it sits flat while you make the larger cuts.
- If you don't want to use glass jars clear plastic cups would work, too. Make sure they're clear enough to see the watermelon stars through the sides.
FAQs
What is a fruit fool?
The origin of the name is unclear but it's an English dessert that dates back to the 16th century. A fool is similar to a trifle, except that trifles typically include layers of cake or cookies soaked in liqueur, whereas a fool is just fruit folded into (or in this case layered with) cream.
Can this dessert be made in advance?
Yes! You can layer the fruit and cream into the jars, cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to serve them - up to 8 hours in advance. Add the cookies to the top just before serving.
Can spray whipped cream be substituted for fresh?
This dessert will work just fine with spray whipped cream — but you should really try making your own fresh batch! It's easy, quick, and really delicious.
The recipe is below! If you're looking for more red, white and blue desserts here are some to consider:
💬 How do you like these fruity fools? Leave a comment below and tell me!
Red, White and Blue Fools
Ingredients
- 1 small watermelon
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 6 ounces fresh blueberries, washed and dried
- 4 vanilla wafer cookies (like Nilla Wafers brand)
- 4 small mason jars, or other glasses or clear plastic cups
Instructions
- Place the bowl and whisk attachment from a stand mixer into the freezer to chill.
Prepare the fruit:
- Meanwhile, slice one or two 1-inch thick slices from the watermelon. Use a small star-shaped cookie cutter (mine is 2¾ inch) to cut out watermelon stars from the slices.
- On a cutting board, use a sharp knife to carefully slice each star into 4 or 5 thinner stars - the thinner they are the more flexible they will be when placing them in the jars.
Make the cream:
- Get the mixing bowl and whisk attachment from the freezer and assemble them on your stand mixer. Pour the whipping cream into the bowl and whip the cream on high speed. After the cream has been mixing for 3 minutes, turn it off and add in the confectioner's sugar and the vanilla.
- Turn the mixer back on and beat the cream on high speed for another 2-3 minutes. Watch the cream carefully towards the last 2 minutes or so: you want the whipped cream to be stiff but if you overbeat it you will end up with vanilla-flavored butter!
Assemble the fools:
- Place ¼ cup of whipped cream into the bottom of the mason jar or cup (a ¼-cup spring-loaded ice cream scoop works really for this.) Tap the jar a few times on the table to settle the whipped cream.
- Hold the jar at an angle and place a watermelon star against the side of the glass. Still holding the jar at an angle, drop in 10-12 blueberries so that they layer against the watermelon slice. Then, place another watermelon star in the jar above the blueberries.
- Hold the top watermelon slice against the glass with your finger and spoon or scoop in another ¼ cup of whipped cream: the cream should go over the blueberries and between the watermelon stars, so that the stars are visible from the outside of the jar. Tap the jar on the table a few times to settle the whipped cream.
- Drop in 10-12 more blueberries on top of the cream. Top off the jar with one more watermelon star and one vanilla wafer cookie.
- Serve immediately. (If you are preparing these in advance, hold off on the cookies. Cover the jars loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate them. Top each with a cookie just before you serve them.)Makes 4 servings.
Notes
- Get the freshest watermelon and blueberries you can find since they are the stars of these Fools! A ripe watermelon should feel heavy for its size, have a hollow sound when you knock on it, and have one yellow spot from where it was laying on the ground. Check the blueberries for stems and discard any shriveled ones.
- The star cut-outs of watermelon for this recipe total 4 ounces, but in all likelihood you'll end up with a watermelon larger than 4 ounces! Just use what you need for this recipe, then slice up the rest to serve to your guests. Or stick the extra slices wrapped in the fridge for your family to snack on.
- Before slicing the watermelon, take a little slice off the bottom of it so that it sits flat while you make the larger cuts.
- If you don't want to use glass jars clear plastic cups would work, too. Make sure they're clear enough to see the watermelon stars through the sides.
- To make these in advance layer the fruit and cream into the jars, cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to serve them - up to 8 hours in advance. Add the cookies to the top just before serving.
- This dessert will work just fine with spray whipped cream if you need to substitute it - but you should really try making your own fresh batch! It's easy, quick, and really delicious.
Nutrition
Recipe and post updated July 2020.
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