This Cranberry Fluff recipe makes the perfect addition to any holiday dinner. Sweet pineapple and cranberry sauce are mixed into a fluffy whipped topping, creating a delightful creamy cranberry salad that’s sure to be a new family favorite.
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Easy Cranberry Fluff Salad Recipe
If you’re looking for a fun twist to traditional cranberry sauce, this fluff salad is it! It’s bursting with the tangy sweetness of cranberries and crushed pineapple, combined with the creamy texture of whipped cream and fluffy marshmallows. This salad has the perfect balance of flavors and textures that make this dish completely irresistible.
Whether it’s for an easy side dish for your Christmas dinner or as a sweet treat to add to your Thanksgiving table, the colors, fluffy texture, and cranberry flavors are perfect for the holiday season. If you’re a cranberry lover and want to add other festive cranberry recipes to your menu lineup, check out these Sugared Cranberries and this incredible Cranberry Jalapeño Dip, both made with fresh tart cranberries.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients – This creamy salad is a no-fuss recipe that only calls for 5 simple ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep time.
- Super versatile – The awesome thing about a fluffy fruit salad is that it can be both a sweet side dish and a delicious dessert in one.
- Convenient – Made with canned cranberry sauce and canned pineapple, this is a great dish to make any time of the year, not just for special occasions.
Recommended Tools
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Spatula
- Serving dish
Ingredients
- Canned pineapple – Drained, crushed pineapple gives this dessert salad extra sweetness and texture. You can use pineapple tidbits if you want a chunkier texture.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce – This is where the delicious cranberry flavor comes from. The whole berries add bites of tart flavors and pretty pops of vibrant red color.
- Whipped Topping – Thawed Cool Whip puts the fluff in fluff salad. It provides a light and airy texture and makes the dish extra creamy.
- Miniature marshmallows – Miniature marshmallows are a classic addition to fluff salads. They add little bits of chewy sweetness.
- Pecans – Finely chopped pecans are a great way to add a bit of crunch and a nutty flavor to the salad.
How to Make Cranberry Fluff
Step One: Combine the Cranberry Sauce and Pineapple
- In a large bowl, stir the pineapple and cranberry sauce together.
Step Two: Add the Whipped Cream
- Fold in the whipped topping until combined.
Step Three: Fold in Remaining Ingredients
- Fold in the mini marshmallows and the crunchy pecans into the cranberry mixture until fully combined.
Step Four: Chill and Serve
- Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Recipe Variations and Add-ins
- Cranberry sauce: If you have a little extra time, you can make this homemade Cranberry Sauce that uses fresh cranberries. It’s super easy to make, and if you have extra, it’s the perfect addition to your holiday table.
- Oranges: Cranberry and oranges go hand in hand. You can fold in some mandarin oranges. Feel free to add even more orange flavor with some freshly grated orange zest.
- Nuts: We used pecans, but you can use almonds or walnuts if you prefer.
- Toasted coconut: Mix in about ½ cup toasted, shredded coconut. It adds extra texture, and the flavors are awesome with the cranberries and pineapple.
- Cream cheese: For a tangy twist, you can turn this recipe into cranberry cream cheese fluff by adding a block of softened cream cheese.
- Greek yogurt: Swap some or all of the whipped cream for Greek yogurt to make it a bit healthier and to give it a really nice tangy flavor.
How Do I Store the Leftovers?
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What Does Fold in Mean?
“Folding in” means softly stirring the mixture by using a spoon or spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and then coming up through the center of the bowl. You keep doing this until all the ingredients are mixed together. The main idea is to do it gently and slowly so you don’t let the air out of the whipped topping.
Can I Make this Fluff with a Smoother Texture?
Sure! If you want a smooth and creamy texture, you can use jellied cranberry sauce. You can also grind the pecans up in the food processor instead of chopping them.
Can I Use Homemade Whipped Cream?
Homemade whipped cream, made with heavy whipping cream that you beat until it has stiff peaks, is delicious, but it has a tendency to deflate when mixed with heavier ingredients. If you want to skip the store-bought stuff, you can use this Stabilized Whipped Cream instead. It’s a delicious recipe you can use in all sorts of dessert recipes.
More Dessert and Classic Fluff Salads
- Oreo Fluff
- Banana Split Fluff
- Lemon Blueberry Fluff
- Pineapple Fluff
- Blueberry Fluff
- Orange Fluff
- Watergate Salad
- Ambrosia Salad
Cranberry Fluff Salad
Ingredients
- 20 ounces crushed pineapples drained
- 14 ounce whole berry cranberry sauce 1 can
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- ½ cup pecans finely chopped, optional
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.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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