I had my first taste of Cranberry Fluff Salad while visiting with a friend’s family in college, and I’ve been slightly obsessed with the idea of it ever since. This dessert salad is creamy and sweet, with the tangy flavor of fresh cranberries and pineapple and the creamy texture that can only come from a tub of cool whip. I’m adding grapes and mini marshmallows to my version of cranberry fluff to give it some extra bulk and sweetness. This is a fruit salad, taken to an entirely new level. Looking for more recipes with cranberries? I have a Cranberry Sauce Recipe that is out of this world delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Fresh Cranberries: You can use fresh cranberries, which are easily found at Thanksgiving time, or frozen cranberries that you’ve thawed and drained. Avoid sweetened cranberries, we don’t need that for this recipe. Sugar: Sugar sweetens the cranberries just enough so that they don’t make your mouth pucker. Pineapple: A can of crushed pineapple, drained, gives additional sweetness. The texture of crushed pineapple is perfect, it allows the pineapple to blend in and be a part of every bite. Red Grapes: Cut the grapes in half lengthwise, or into quarters if they are large. Whipped Topping: Often known by its most popular brand name, Cool Whip, whipped topping is the creamy addition that binds everything together. I prefer to use the regular version, but you can try the extra creamy or light varieties too.Toasted Pecans and Mini Marshmallows: These add-ins are all about texture. The nuts add crunch while both the nuts and the marshmallows add chewiness to the cranberry fluff salad.
How to Make Cranberry Fluff
Cranberry Fluff Recipe Tips
Make a pretty presentation. Set aside a few marshmallows, pecans, grapes, and cranberries to create a garnish for the serving bowl. Drain the fruit. You want to drain away all of the liquid from the canned pineapple. You want to keep the liquid that comes from the cranberries, but if it looks like a lot, you can drain it off and add it back in at the end to adjust the texture. Grapes are optional. I like the flavor and texture of grapes in this salad, but you can leave them out if you want to. Don’t Skip the refrigeration steps. Letting the cranberries and sugar combine for at least two hours is the key to making sure that your salad is sweet and tasty. Skipping that step will make the cranberries much too tart to enjoy. The pecans will get soft after sitting. This is normal and to be expected, as they will absorb liquid from the fruits. If you want the nuts to stay crunchy, add them in right before serving. You could also top cranberry fluff with candied pecans for an extra sweet treat!
What to Serve with Cranberry Fluff Salad
With your Thanksgiving Dinner. Cranberry Salad is a perfect sweet side dish to go with your Roast Turkey and other Thanksgiving favorites. For Christmas. Cranberry love extends throughout the holiday season. Make Cranberry Fluff a new Christmas tradition for your family. It’s quite tasty next to some sliced Pineapple Ham. On Any Dessert Table. This dish is a potluck favorite. You might see it next to other classic desserts such as Orange Pretzel Salad, Hot Milk Cake, Sweet Potato Pie, Pumpkin Cookies, or Strawberry Oatmeal Bars.
More Dessert Salads You’ll Love
Try making a classic Ambrosia Salad or Watergate Salad for your next party. Creamy Grape Salad is one of my favorites, and I make it for summer parties all the time. Enjoy a trip down memory lane with this classic cranberry fluff dessert salad! Be sure to pin the recipe so you can make it again later. © Little Sunny Kitchen
