Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe

If you’re looking for a fun, festive treat that’s as healthy as it is adorable, you’ve got to try this Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe. I absolutely love how simple yet impressive this little snack turns out—perfect for holiday parties, kid-friendly snacks, or just a quick way to put a smile on anyone’s face. You’ll find that making these healthy strawberry Santas is not only quick but also a fantastic way to get a bit of fruit and protein in without any fuss. Stick with me, and I’ll share everything you need to know to make these little guys perfect every time!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Super Easy & Quick: You’ll have these festive Santas ready in just 7 minutes with minimal ingredients.
  • Healthy Ingredients: Made with fresh fruit and creamy goodness, making snack time guilt-free and nourishing.
  • Kid-Approved Fun: My family goes crazy for these, and they’re a fantastic way to encourage kids to eat more fruit.
  • Versatile & Customizable: You can easily swap out ingredients like ricotta for cream cheese or coconut yoghurt depending on what you have or prefer.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients here work so well together because they balance sweetness, creaminess, and a bit of fresh texture. When I first tried this, I discovered that ripe, juicy strawberries paired with the creamy middle layer really make these Santas stand out. Keep an eye out for fresh, firm strawberries—they’ll make assembly much easier!

Flat lay of a dozen bright red strawberries with fresh green leaves, a ripe yellow banana sliced into round discs, a small white ceramic bowl filled with creamy white ricotta cheese, all arranged symmetrically on a clean white ceramic plate, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997 - Healthy Strawberry Santas, festive healthy snacks, quick holiday treats, kid-friendly fruit snacks, easy Christmas party desserts
  • Strawberries: Choose medium to large, ripe berries with bright red color for the best-looking hats and bodies.
  • Banana: Firm bananas work best to slice neatly without squashing.
  • Ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese, cream cheese, coconut yoghurt): I use ricotta because it’s creamy but still light—you can easily swap depending on your taste or dietary needs.
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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I’ve had fun experimenting with this Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe by switching up the creamy layer or adding little decorations. Feel free to customize it to suit your family’s taste or your pantry stash—there’s no wrong way to do it!

  • Use Greek yoghurt instead of ricotta: If you prefer tangier and lower-fat, Greek yoghurt gives a nice creamy texture and a little protein boost.
  • Decorate with mini chocolate chips for eyes: For a little extra cute factor, try mini chocolate chips or even tiny raisins for the eyes instead of the gel icing pen.
  • Make vegan-friendly: Use coconut yoghurt or almond-based soft cheese alternatives perfectly to keep it dairy-free.

How to Make Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe

Step 1: Prepare Your Strawberries

Start by washing your strawberries gently and pat them dry with a paper towel—wet berries can be slippery to work with. Then, carefully remove the leafy tops by slicing off just enough to create a flat base. Next, slice a thin piece off the top of each strawberry; this will become Santa’s hat brim. I find using a small, sharp knife helps me get neat cuts without squashing the berries, which keeps the Santas looking clean and festive.

Step 2: Slice the Banana and Add the Creamy ‘Beard’

Slice your banana into even discs about a quarter-inch thick. Spread one side of each banana slice generously with ricotta cheese (or your chosen creamy alternative). This creamy layer acts as Santa’s fluffy beard, so don’t be shy here—thicker spreads tend to hold the design better and taste richer. When I first tried this, I underestimated the amount of ricotta, and the Santas looked a bit flat, so thicker works best!

Step 3: Assemble Your Santas

On your serving plate, lay down the thin strawberry slice (the brim of the hat). Place the banana slice with the ricotta side down on top of it. Use a gel icing pen or tiny food-safe marker to dot two eyes on the banana slice—it adds so much charm. Finally, cap it all off by placing the remaining large strawberry piece vertically as Santa’s hat. Repeat for each Strawberry Santa and watch how quickly this festive scene comes together!

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Pro Tips for Making Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe

  • Pick the Right Strawberries: Firmer strawberries hold their shape better, so your Santas look neat and last longer on the plate.
  • Use a Small Knife or Toothpick: It helps to cut clean edges and easily spread the ricotta without making a mess.
  • Dot Eyes Last: Add eyes with the gel icing pen or mini chocolate chips just before serving to prevent smudging or melting.
  • Avoid Overripe Fruit: Overripe bananas and strawberries tend to be mushy and won’t stand up well for assembly; fresher fruit works much better.

How to Serve Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe

The image shows small fruit snacks shaped like little gnomes placed on a wooden round board with a rough bark edge. Each gnome has three layers: the bottom layer is a red strawberry slice, the middle layer is a thick pale banana slice, and the top layer is a red strawberry cone with visible seeds. On the banana layer, there are two small black dots acting as eyes, giving the gnome a cute face. The background is a white marbled texture with soft focus, and some more gnome snacks are blurred in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Healthy Strawberry Santas, festive healthy snacks, quick holiday treats, kid-friendly fruit snacks, easy Christmas party desserts

Garnishes

When I serve these Healthy Strawberry Santas, I love adding a little fresh mint leaf alongside for a pop of green and a hint of freshness. A light dusting of powdered sugar can also add a magical snow effect if it’s a special occasion. You could even drizzle a tiny bit of honey or maple syrup around the plate for a glisten effect that’s both pretty and tasty.

Side Dishes

I like pairing these adorable Santas with other simple snacks like carrot sticks, cucumber ribbons, or a small bowl of mixed nuts. For a holiday party, add a cheese platter and some crackers nearby—this recipe serves wonderfully as a light, healthy dessert or finger food option.

Creative Ways to Present

One year, I arranged a whole platter of these Healthy Strawberry Santas around a mini Christmas tree centerpiece—everyone loved the festive vibe! Another fun idea is to serve them on small wooden boards with edible glitter or alongside hot cocoa cups for a cozy snack time setup. Get creative and you’ll find these little Santas steal the show.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge—ideally on a single layer to prevent squishing. I usually keep them fresh for up to one day; after that, the bananas can start browning and the strawberries get watery. Eating them the same day is best to enjoy their crunch and freshness.

Freezing

I don’t recommend freezing the assembled Strawberry Santas because the texture changes—strawberries become mushy, and the creaminess separates. However, you can freeze the banana slices and strawberries separately if you want to prep ahead, but I’d suggest assembling fresh to keep the best presentation and flavor.

Reheating

Because this recipe is served fresh and cold, reheating isn’t really necessary or recommended. If you want to serve the creamy layer warmed, try gently warming ricotta or cream cheese separately before spreading—but keep everything else fresh and chilled for the best texture contrast.

FAQs

  1. Can I use other fruits instead of strawberries in this Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe?

    While strawberries are classic for these Santas because of their color and shape, you can experiment with other red fruits like raspberries or sliced cherries. Just keep in mind that strawberries have a firm texture that helps with assembly, so softer fruits might not hold up as well.

  2. What can I use instead of the gel icing pen for Santa’s eyes?

    If you don’t have a gel icing pen, mini chocolate chips, tiny raisins, or even a small dab of melted dark chocolate on a toothpick work beautifully to create Santa’s eyes. These alternatives are great especially if you want to keep things natural and allergen-friendly.

  3. Is this recipe suitable for kids?

    Absolutely! In fact, kids love helping assemble these Healthy Strawberry Santas because it’s simple and feels like crafting. Plus, they’re getting a healthy snack full of fruit and protein with no added sugar.

  4. Can I prepare these in advance for a party?

    Yes, but I recommend assembling them no more than a couple of hours before serving to keep the fresh look and texture. You can pre-slice the fruit and store separately, then quickly put them together right before guests arrive.

Final Thoughts

This Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe has become one of my go-to festive snacks because it’s cute, quick, and packed with wholesome goodness. I love sharing this one around the holidays—it always sparks smiles and even gets the picky eaters reaching for fruit. Try these little Santas yourself; they’re perfect for holiday cheer, everyday snacking, or anytime you want to make snacking on fruit just a bit more fun. Trust me, once you’ve made them, they’ll become a favorite in your kitchen too!

Print
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Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe

Healthy Strawberry Santas Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 58 reviews
  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 7 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 7 minutes
  • Yield: 12 Santas 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: Western
  • Diet: Low Fat

Description

Healthy Strawberry Santas are a festive and nutritious snack made by assembling fresh strawberries, banana slices, and creamy ricotta cheese to create adorable Santa-shaped treats. Perfect for holiday celebrations or a fun, healthy dessert, these delightful bites combine natural sweetness and creamy texture without added sugars or processed ingredients.


Ingredients

Scale

Fruits

  • 12 fresh strawberries
  • 1 banana

Dairy

  • ¼ cup ricotta cheese (alternatively cottage cheese, cream cheese, or coconut yoghurt)


Instructions

  1. Prepare Strawberries: Remove the leafy top portion from each strawberry. Then slice off an additional thin slice from the top to serve as the Santa hat.
  2. Slice Banana: Cut the banana into discs about ½ inch thick, ensuring they are uniform in size for assembling the Santas.
  3. Apply Cheese: Spread a relatively thick layer of ricotta cheese (or your chosen creamy alternative) on one side of each banana slice. This creamy part represents Santa’s beard.
  4. Assemble Base: Place the banana slice, cheese side down, on a serving plate, then add the thin strawberry slice (hat) on top.
  5. Add Eyes: Using a black gel icing pen, carefully add two small dots on the edge of the banana slice to represent Santa’s eyes.
  6. Complete Santa: Place the remaining portion of the strawberry (the body) on top of the banana slice to complete the Santa figure.
  7. Repeat: Repeat steps for as many Santas as you wish to create, arranging them neatly on your plate for a festive presentation.

Notes

  • A black gel icing pen is recommended to create the eyes for a clear and festive look.
  • You can substitute ricotta cheese with cottage cheese, cream cheese, or coconut yoghurt depending on your dietary preferences and availability.
  • Ensure the cheese or yoghurt is spread thickly enough on the banana slice to visibly resemble Santa’s beard.
  • These treats are best served fresh to maintain the texture and appearance.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Santa
  • Calories: 35
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Sodium: 15 mg
  • Fat: 1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 5 mg

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