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Rainbow Fruit Skewers

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If you’re looking for an easy and vibrant appetizer for your next party, this rainbow fruit skewers recipe is perfect! They’re not only a feast for the eyes with their rainbow of colors but also a fresh finger food option that everyone can easily grab and enjoy.

Best of all, you don’t need to cook anything—just prep and assemble! Let me share my personal experience making melon ball fruit skewers and some helpful tips for your summer party platter display.

melon ball fruit skewers on a white serving platter.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups watermelon balls
  • 2 cups cantaloupe balls
  • 2 cups honeydew melon balls
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

In this recipe, as shown, I used these 5 inch decorative skewers from amazon. You can find these or something like them at your local store or purchase on amazon.

Rainbow Fruit Skewers Recipe

Prepare the Melon Balls: Using a melon baller, scoop out round balls from the watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon.

Don’t worry if some balls have a flat edge; they’ll still look great on the skewers. I find watermelon the easiest to shape perfectly round—just press the baller straight in with the open side down.

removing seeds from melons and making balls for skewers.

Mix and Marinate: In a large mixing bowl, combine the watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon balls.

Drizzle with honey and lemon juice, then sprinkle the chopped mint over the top. Stir everything gently to ensure the flavors are well mixed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.

melon balls in a bowl marinating with lemon and honey

Assemble the Skewers: Thread the melon balls onto 5-inch skewers or toothpicks. I like to alternate the colors to create a beautiful rainbow effect. Serve chilled on a party platter.

3 types of melons on a fruit skewer.

I also use this same method with making my Melon Ball Fruit Salad Recipe.

Tips and Tricks

Can I Make Fruit Skewers with Melon Balls the Night Before? Yes, you can! Prep the melon balls and marinate them as directed. Assemble the skewers the night before and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will save you time on the day of the party and keep your fruit skewers fresh.

Let me note, I would not really do them more than a day in advance. Melons have quite a bit of natural water in them and the bottoms of them can get mushy when left in a bowl or container to sit in that water. Kinda like when you purchase pre-cut melons at the store.

How Best to Display Skewers? Arrange the skewers on a large platter or tray in neat rows or a circular pattern. You can also place them upright in a glass or jar. I fill mine with sugar to give the longer skewer something to insert into.

How to Keep Fruit Skewers from Turning Brown? The lemon juice in the marinade helps prevent the fruit usually keeps them from browning. Make sure to refrigerate the skewers until you’re ready to serve them to keep them looking fresh and vibrant.

  • There are also products that help with browning fruits like bananas and cut apples called “Fresh Fruit Preserver“. I haven’t actually ever used it before, but I have friends that swear on it. To learn more, here is a listing on amazon to read reviews.

Serving Suggestions

These fruit skewers are perfect for any party, BBQ, or summer gathering. Kids love them, and they add a colorful touch to your party platter. You can also get creative with other fruits like pineapple or strawberries to add more variety and flavor, although neither will turn into a ball that easily.

More Party Platter Ideas from Salty Side Dish

Check out more skewer and party platter ideas on Salty Side Dish for inspiration on appetizers on a toothpick, fruit kabobs, and more! Here are a few I have made and love!

rainbow fruit skewer recipe.
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Rainbow Fruit Skewers


Prep Time 30 minutes
Chill 1 hour
Beautiful and delicious rainbow fruit skewers, made with melon balls – watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon are a great no stress finger food for parties.

Equipment

  • 5 inch skewers

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups watermelon balls
  • 2 cups cantaloupe balls
  • 2 cups honeydew melon balls
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Instructions

  • After deseeding, using a melon baller, scoop out round balls from the watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. Don’t worry if some balls have a flat edge; they’ll still look great on the skewers. I find watermelon the easiest to shape perfectly round—just press the baller straight in with the open side down.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon balls. Drizzle with honey and lemon juice, then sprinkle the chopped mint over the top. Stir everything gently to ensure the flavors are well mixed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors get into the melons.
  • Thread the melon balls onto 5-inch skewers or toothpicks. I like to alternate the colors to create a beautiful rainbow effect. Serve chilled on a party platter.

Notes

The number of melon balls you can get from each melon can vary based on the size of the melon and the size of the melon baller. However, here are some approximate estimates:
Watermelon
  • Large Watermelon: About 90-100 balls
  • Medium Watermelon: About 60-80 balls
Cantaloupe
  • Large Cantaloupe: About 30-40 balls
  • Medium Cantaloupe: About 20-30 balls
Honeydew Melon
  • Large Honeydew: About 30-40 balls
  • Medium Honeydew: About 20-30 balls
So, for this recipe using 2 cups of each type of melon balls, you’ll typically need:
  • Watermelon: Approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of a large watermelon or 1/3 to 1/2 of a medium watermelon.
  • Cantaloupe: Approximately 1 large or 1-1/2 medium cantaloupes.
  • Honeydew: Approximately 1 large or 1-1/2 medium honeydews.
These are just rough estimates, and the actual number can vary based on the melon size and how closely you scoop the balls.

Nutrition

Serving: 2skewers | Calories: 50kcal

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

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2 Comments

  1. Please can you advise on the diameter of the melon scoop that was used for the melon balls?

    Thanks

    Sam

    1. Trisha Haas says:

      Hi Sam. I have a Hamilton Beach Melon Baller that is 2 sided with one small and one larger melon scoop. In the case of these rainbow fruit skewers, I used the larger size, which measures about 1.25” diameter. I hope that helps!

      Trisha

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