Creamy Cinnamon Apple and Walnut Fruit Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. Neufchatel cheese, softened slightly, light cream cheese
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 pkg. light sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 lbs crisp, sweet apples, chilled, I used a combo of Gala, Jazz and Golden Delicious
• 2 cups cold water, for soaking apples
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, for soaking apples
• 1 cup chopped Fishers Walnuts
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Make the dressing first: in a mixing bowl, beat the Neufchatel cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg with an electric hand mixer on high until the mixture looks airy and soft, about 3 minutes. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla just until everything is smooth and combined. Refrigerate the dressing until you’re ready to put the salad together.
2. For the fruit salad, stir the water and lemon juice together in a medium mixing bowl. Cut the apples into cubes, discarding the cores as you go. As each batch is cut, add it to the lemon water, let it sit about 1 minute, then drain it on paper towels to help slow browning.
3. Move the apples to a bowl, then add about 3/4 of the walnuts, 3/4 of the cranberries, and the Neufchatel cheese dressing. Gently toss until the apples are evenly coated.
4. Scatter the remaining 1/4 of the walnuts and cranberries over the top. Keep the salad chilled, and for the best texture, serve it within an hour.