Pineapple Fluff Salad
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This creamy Pineapple Fluff Salad recipe is a light and refreshing dessert salad filled with all the same yummy, tropical flavors of a pina colada. It makes the perfect quick and easy sweet treat on a hot summer day or a perfect side dish for alongside any holiday meal.
Pineapple Fluff Salad Recipe
Who doesn’t just love a fluffy fruit salad? They’re not only easy and super fun to make, but they are always the most popular dish at potlucks or family gatherings. This pineapple fluff salad, sometimes called pina colada salad, is light, creamy, and absolutely delectable with the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
This delicious treat starts with a couple of boxes of instant coconut pudding that are mixed with canned pineapple, giving the salad a bright, pop of flavor. Then to add the fluff to this fluff salad, mini marshmallows are folded in. As the fruit salad chills, all those yummy flavors soak into the marshmallows, making this the ultimate fruit salad for any occasion.
If you love fruit salads, you should also try this classic Ambrosia Salad. Or, if you love fruit fluff salad recipes like this one, you should also check out this Watergate Salad recipe and this Strawberry Jello Fluff Salad.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe – Making pineapple fluff is super easy because it’s a simple recipe
- Tasty – Delicious pina colada flavor but in a fun and easy to make sweet dessert salad.
- Refreshing – the cool and airy texture makes it a super refreshing no bake dessert on a hot summer day
- Portable – This is a great recipe to pack up and take to parties, picnics, backyard barbecues or potluck dinners.
- No bake – Because this is a no-bake dessert it’s great to make ahead
- Versatile – it’s a side dish or dessert!
Ingredients
- Instant coconut cream pudding mix
- Canned pineapple tidbits in juice (do NOT drain the pineapple juice)
- Whipped cream, like Cool Whip (or use homemade whipped cream)
- Mini marshmallows
- Shredded coconut flakes, plus more for topping
- Chopped walnuts, plus more for topping
- Maraschino cherries for topping (optional)
How to Make Pineapple Fruit Salad
Step One: Mix the Pudding
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the instant pudding mix with the pineapple and the juice until it thickens. Make sure there’s no visible streaks of the dry powder remaining.
Step Two: Add Whipped Topping
- Gently fold in the whipped topping into the pineapple mixture until combined, making sure not to overmix.
Step Three: Add Remaining Ingredients
- Add the mini marshmallows, coconut shreds, and chopped nuts to the bowl and fold to combine.
Step Four: Chill, Garnish and Serve
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours for the marshmallows to soften and the flavors to blend together.
- When ready to serve, garnish the marshmallow pineapple fluff dessert with more toppings, and top with whipped cream and a cherry.
- Pineapple fluff is best served chilled.
Pineapple Fluff Recipe Variations
Taking the time to let the salad chill in the fridge will allow the cream to thicken and the flavors to blend together. I recommend to chill for at least 2 hours and even overnight. It really is more flavorful the longer it sits!
- Pineapple – For this easy pineapple fluff, you can use cans of crushed pineapple, pineapple tidbits, or pineapple chunks in this recipe depending on how much texture you want. Just make sure you get it packed in juice and not heavy syrup.
- Whipped topping – You can use a light/low fat Cool Whip or make your own whipped topping using heavy cream.
- Pudding – Sugar free pudding mix will still work in this recipe. You can also try different pudding flavors. Vanilla instant pudding mix, or instant cheesecake pudding mix are great options to change up the flavor.
- Pink pineapple fluff – To give the salad a pretty shade of pink, you can add in some of the red juice from the far of cherries.
- Other add-ins – Instead of two boxes of pudding, you can use one along with some Greek yogurt, sour cream or even cottage cheese.
- Pineapple pretzel fluff – This recipe includes nuts and coconuts for added crunch. For a nice sweet and salty flavor, you can use crushed pretzels or chopped mini pretzel sticks in place of the nuts.
Substitutions
- Oranges – use mandarin oranges or make our Orange Fluff salad
- Nuts – swap out chopped pecans for the walnuts
Tips for Making Pineapple Fluff
- Use chilled or cold ingredients.
- Make a few hours ahead of time to ensure the flavors have time to meld together.
- Don’t over stir the ingredients – gently fold until all ingredients are covered with the pudding mixture.
Can I Use Fresh Pineapple Instead?
Pineapple juice is needed to make the pudding mixture. So, if you want to use fresh pineapple you may want to add it to a food processor. This helps to make it extra juicy.
How Long Does Pineapple Fluff Last in the Fridge?
Make sure to store this delicious fruit dessert in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 3 days. Any longer and the marshmallows will become too mushy.
Can I Make this Fluff Salad in Advance?
You can make this pineapple fluff recipe in advance up to a day before you want to serve it. Store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
This recipe is always a hit no matter when you make it and is the perfect dessert or side dish to bring to a baby shower, potluck, or holiday dinner.
More No Bake Desserts
- No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- Kool Aid Pie
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Layer Cake
- Banana Split Cake
- Peanut Butter Bars
Pineapple Fluff Salad
Ingredients
- 2 3.4 ounce box instant coconut cream pudding mix
- 2 20 ounce cans pineapple tidbits in juice do NOT drain the juice
- 8 ounces whipped cream
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 1 ½ cups shredded coconut plus more for topping
- 1 cup chopped walnuts plus more for topping
- Maraschino cherries for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pudding mix with the pineapple and the juice until it thickens. Make sure there are no more streaks of powder.2 3.4 ounce box instant coconut cream pudding mix, 2 20 ounce cans pineapple tidbits in juice
- Fold in the whipped topping until combined, making sure not to overmix.8 ounces whipped cream
- Add the mini marshmallows, coconut shreds, and chopped nuts to the bowl and fold to combine.10 ounces mini marshmallows, 1 ½ cups shredded coconut, 1 cup chopped walnuts
- Place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours for the marshmallows to soften and the flavors to blend together.
- When ready to serve, garnish with more toppings, and top with whipped cream and a cherry. Serve chilled.Maraschino cherries
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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