Cranberry Fluff Salad
This easy Cranberry Fluff Salad recipe is a must have for the holiday season on Thanksgiving or Christmas tables. A delicious dessert like ‘fluff salad’ that is both perfectly sweet and tangy with cranberries, pineapples, and whipped cream combining for a bowl of holiday heaven!!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Cranberry fluff recipe
Cranberry fluff is such a fun salad to enjoy, that is perfect for the holidays. When else do we eat a dessert for a salad? Of course it is okay for Thanksgiving to enjoy this yummy sweet indulgent cranberry fluff.
The sweet pineapples help to balance the tart cranberries that are folded into the whipped cream topping for a ‘fluffy’ dream come true! The pecans tie it all together with a bit of a nutty crunch that all pairs so well.
We love this cranberry marshmallow pineapple salad recipe and the kids always have it on their plate which is nice to see everyone loves it as mush as we do! It reminds me of my Grandma’s classic green lime jello salad with pineapples.
Really, who does not love this cranberry salad? This cranberry salad is as important on our Thanksgiving table as green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole with marshmallows are.
You can also try my delicious easy 4 ingredient cranberry sauce for your next holiday dinner or my Starbucks copycat cranberry orange scones or cranberry orange bread for breakfast!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make cranberry salad with just 5 minutes prep time
- Must-have fluff salad for holiday tables
- Kids love this cranberry fluff salad with cool whip recipe
- Great recipe to make ahead of time with only 5 ingredients
- Perfect dish to bring to a family gathering
Ingredients
- Crushed Pineapple – 20-ounce can drained
- Whole Berry Cranberry sauce – 14-ounce can
- Frozen Whipped Topping – 8-ounces thawed
- Mini Marshmallows
- Pecans – finely copped
Substitutions
You can use Cool Whip or generic whipped topping for this recipe.
We used Ocean Spray whole berry cranberry sauce but any generic whole berry cranberry sauce will work in this pineapple fluff recipe.
For the pecans you can purchase finely chopped pecans or chop them yourself. You can substitute walnuts in place of the pecans.
Step by step instructions for how to make cranberry fluff salad recipe
STEP ONE – In a large bowl stir the pineapple and cranberry sauce together.
STEP TWO – Fold in the whipped topping until combined.
STEP THREE – Fold in the marshmallows and pecans. Fold until fully combined.
STEP FOUR – Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!
What does fold in mean?
Folding in means to gently mix by scraping the sides of the bowl with a spoon or spatula and coming up. You will also gently take the spoon or spatula down the middle and come back up.
You will repeat this until the ingredients are combined. The ultimate goal is to go slowly so you don’t remove any air from the whipped topping.
Variations
Cranberry fluff salad without marshmallows can be easily made with this recipe, by using pieces of apples in place of the mini marshmallows.
You can add vanilla pudding to the whipped cream to make Cranberry fluff salad with vanilla pudding.
Blend in cream cheese with the whipped cream to fold in to make cranberry fluff salad with cream cheese.
Sandra’s top tips for making the best cranberry fluff salad
- Make sure to chill for at least 2 hours before serving for it to set properly
- Gently ‘fold’ in the whipped cream
Make this cranberry fluff salad recipe ahead of time
This fluff salad is perfect to make ahead to save time on the busy days like Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. Making it the day before and storing it in the fridge overnight is perfect to allow it to set before serving.
Storage and freezing instructions
How do I store leftover cranberry fluff salad?
Store the leftovers covered with plastic wrap or using an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze cranberry fluff salad?
No, the fluff salad would not freeze well at all with the whipped cream. And with only 5 minutes of prep time and the ability to make it the day before you should not need to.
Other recipes you may try
Cheesy Paula Deen Corn Casserole
Chocolate Mousse Holiday Dessert Recipe
Easy Monkey Bread with Canned Biscuits
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Print
Cranberry Fluff Salad
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings
Description
This easy Cranberry Fluff Salad recipe is a must have for the holiday season on Thanksgiving or Christmas tables. A delicious dessert like ‘fluff salad’ that is both perfectly sweet and tangy with cranberries, pineapples, and whipped cream combining for a devine piece of holiday heaven!!
Ingredients
- 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
- 14-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl stir the pineapple and cranberry sauce together.
- Fold in the whipped topping until combined.
- Fold in the marshmallows and pecans. Fold until fully combined.
- Chill for 2 hours before serving.
Notes
How do I store leftover cranberry fluff salad? Store the leftovers covered with plastic wrap or using an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze cranberry fluff salad? No, the fluff salad would not freeze well at all with the whipped cream. And with only 5 minutes of prep time and the ability to make it the day before you should not need to.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Can I use cranberry whole for recipe
I haven’t tried it with whole cranberry sauce but please let me know how it turns out if you try it!