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    Home » What We're Eating » Cranberry Fluff {Just 5 Minutes!}

    Cranberry Fluff {Just 5 Minutes!}

    Published: Oct 28, 2021 by Blair Lonergan

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    Long collage image of cranberry fluff
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    Overhead image of a bowl of cranberry fluff with text title box at top
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    The perfect easy side dish or festive dessert, this Cranberry Fluff combines seasonal fruit, Cool Whip, and sweet marshmallows in a 5-minute recipe that your friends and family will love! Pair the salad with turkey or ham for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or set it out on a holiday dessert buffet.

    Side shot of cranberry fluff with cool whip on a table

    5 Minute Cranberry Fluff Salad

    Ambrosia and other fruit salads are staples on Southern holiday tables. We even add them to the occasional weeknight dinner or lunch plate! While our Pink Ambrosia Salad is always a huge hit in the spring, this Cranberry Fluff Salad is the perfect addition to your fall and winter celebrations. The blend of canned cranberries, pineapples, and oranges yields a fresh, seasonal, and attractive dish that pairs so beautifully with a holiday meal.

    Close overhead image of cranberry fluff salad in a serving bowl on a wooden table.

    Ingredients

    This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a big bowl of Cranberry Fluff with Cool Whip. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

    • Pineapple tidbits: two big cans that are very well drained.
    • Whole berry cranberry sauce: I use a can of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, but you can use fresh cranberries to make homemade cranberry sauce for this recipe, too.
    • Mandarin oranges: two small cans that are very well drained. You can also dice fresh oranges for this dish, but it just requires more effort.
    • Chopped pecans: add a nutty crunch.
    • Miniature marshmallows: for festive, fluffy texture in the salad.
    • Cool Whip: the creamy mixture that brings this salad together. You can make your own sweetened whipped cream to use in this dish if you prefer.

    Stirring together a mixture of fruit and marshmallows in a white mixing bowl

    How to Make Cranberry Fluff

    Cranberry Fluff Salad is a sweet and festive side dish or dessert that complements the savory turkey and dressings that might also find their way onto your plates this season. It's essentially a sweet fruit salad that's tossed with marshmallows and pecans, and then coated in creamy whipped topping.

    1. Stir together the well-drained pineapples and oranges, cranberry sauce, pecans, and marshmallows.
    2. Gently fold in the Cool Whip.
    3. Serve immediately or cover and chill in the fridge until ready to enjoy!

    Process shot showing how to make cranberry fluff with cool whip

    What to Serve with Cranberry Fluff Salad

    This is a great holiday dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, so it pairs nicely with:

    • Garlic and Herb Roast Turkey Breast
    • Maple-Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast
    • Crispy Roast Chicken with Vegetables
    • Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin
    • Virginia Country Ham Biscuits
    • Ham Steaks with Brown Sugar Glaze
    • Pineapple Glazed Ham
    • Crock Pot Ham with Cola Glaze
    • Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
    • Rosemary Oven Roasted Chicken
    • Roasted Chicken Breast with Molasses, Apples and Onions
    • Dutch Oven Pork Roast with Gravy
    • Pork Sirloin Roast

    Square side shot of two bowls of cranberry fluff salad

    Storage

    Cranberry fluff is best served within a few hours of preparation. If you want to prepare it a day in advance, just be sure to give everything a good stir right before serving.

    The fluff will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The fruit releases some juices as it sits, so while the cranberry salad still tastes delicious on Day 3 or Day 4, it tends to get a bit watery and doesn't have as much "fluff" to it.

    Can you freeze cranberry fluff?

    I do not recommend freezing this salad, as the fruit and creamy dressing will have a watery texture when thawed.

    Side shot of a serving bowl full of the best cranberry fluff recipe.

    Recipe Variations

    • Instead of Cool Whip, you can make your own sweetened whipped cream to use in this recipe. To do so, you'll need to whip 1 ½  cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. As you whip cream, sweeten to taste. Fold into the salad as instructed.
    • Instead of canned oranges, dice fresh oranges into bite-size pieces.
    • Swap out the pecans and use walnuts instead. You can also omit the nuts if you prefer.
    • Substitute homemade fresh cranberry sauce for the canned cranberries.

    Two glass dishes of cranberry fluff with spoons

    Tips for the Best Cranberry Fluff Recipe

    • Make sure that the pineapples and oranges are very well drained before adding them to the bowl. If you have excess fruit juice in your salad, it will be a bit watery and not as fluffy. I like to strain off the juices in a colander, and then gently pat the fruit dry with paper towels or a dish towel so that it's nice and dry before stirring the salad together.
    • Thaw the Cool Whip in the refrigerator overnight. Do not thaw it at room temperature or it will melt and lose its fluffy texture.
    • Gently fold in the Cool Whip, being careful not to stir too vigorously. Maintain as much of the air or "fluff" in the Cool Whip as possible, and don't damage the structure of the fruit in the salad.
    • If you want the pecans to stay crunchy, add them at the very end -- just before serving.
    • The salad is best when served within 1-3 hours of preparation; however, it can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
    • Garnish with extra marshmallows on top! Kids will go crazy for this side dish...

    Overhead image of 5 minute cranberry fluff salad in a white serving bowl

    More Cranberry Recipes to Try this Season

    • Cranberry Orange Sauce
    • Old-Fashioned Cranberry Muffins
    • Cranberry Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake
    • Old-Fashioned Cranberry Apple Crisp
    • Dump-and-Bake Cranberry Chicken
    • Cranberry Jello Salad
    Side shot of cranberry fluff with cool whip on a table
    Print Pin
    5 from 5 votes

    5-Minute Cranberry Fluff

    The perfect easy side dish or dessert, this Cranberry Fluff combines seasonal fruit, Cool Whip, and sweet marshmallows for 5-minute recipe that your friends and family will love!
    Course Dessert, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cranberry fluff, cranberry fluff salad, cranberry salad, cranberry salad with cool whip
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 282kcal
    Author Blair Lonergan

    Ingredients

    • 2 (20 ounce) cans pineapple tidbits, well drained
    • 1 (14 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
    • 2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, well drained
    • ½ cup chopped pecans
    • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
    • 1 (8 ounce) carton Cool Whip, thawed

    Instructions

    • In large bowl, combine pineapple, cranberry sauce, oranges, pecans, and marshmallows. Gently fold in Cool Whip
    • Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Notes

    • Make sure that the pineapples and oranges are very well drained before adding them to the bowl. If you have excess fruit juice in your salad, it will be a bit watery and not as fluffy. I like to strain off the juices in a colander, and then gently pat the fruit dry with paper towels or a dish towel so that it's nice and dry before stirring the salad together.
    • Thaw the Cool Whip in the refrigerator overnight. Do not thaw it at room temperature or it will melt and lose its fluffy texture.
    • Gently fold in the Cool Whip, being careful not to stir too vigorously. Maintain as much of the air or "fluff" in the Cool Whip as possible, and don't damage the structure of the fruit in the salad.
    • If you want the pecans to stay crunchy, add them at the very end -- just before serving.
    • The salad is best when served within 1-3 hours of preparation; however, it can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
    • Garnish with extra marshmallows on top! Kids will go crazy for this side dish...

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 61.6mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 0.7mg

    This post was originally published in November, 2014. It was updated in October, 2021.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah

      November 03, 2014 at 6:06 am

      This looks so delicious! I love the addition of the marshmallows. I can't wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 03, 2014 at 11:18 am

        Thanks, Sarah! And thanks for visiting. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Christie

      November 03, 2014 at 9:07 pm

      This recipe sounds really good. What a great combination of goodies I love. Can't wait to give this a try at Thanksgiving!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 04, 2014 at 8:00 pm

        Thanks so much for stopping by, Christie! I hope that you love it!

        Reply
    3. Julie

      November 04, 2014 at 10:31 am

      I think my family would love the fluffy cranberry salad... and then I was happy to see all of the other recipes you included! Thanks for all of the inspiration. 🙂

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 04, 2014 at 8:00 pm

        Thanks for visiting, Julie! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Valerie

      November 04, 2014 at 1:36 pm

      5 stars
      I love cranberries! Can't wait to give this one a try for Thanksgiving!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 04, 2014 at 7:59 pm

        Thanks for visiting, Valerie!

        Reply
    5. Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life

      November 06, 2014 at 10:28 pm

      I doubt the marshmallows would last long enough in our house for me to make this! Every single time I bought them to make s'mores for a party this summer, my boys got into them and ate them before the party. Then of course I had to eat the chocolate. It was a bad cycle and a lot of left over graham crackers. LOL. Thanks for sharing this with us at Foodie Fridays!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 07, 2014 at 5:13 am

        Oh yes, the marshmallows are definitely a favorite with my boys too! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Stephanie

      November 08, 2014 at 8:18 pm

      I usually don't like cranberry salad but this one looks so good I'll have to try it!! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!

      Reply
    7. Nici

      November 10, 2014 at 2:23 pm

      Hands down, one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes! My MIL was the "fluff" master. This one sounds really good too. Thanks for sharing at my Creative Ways Link Party! I hope you'll be back to party this week.
      Blessings,
      Nici

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 10, 2014 at 7:59 pm

        Thanks, Nici!!

        Reply
    8. Ginger

      November 11, 2014 at 3:44 pm

      Love ambrosia! This will be perfect for the Thanksgiving table. Thanks for linking up at Show Me Saturday. Hope to see you there again this week!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 12, 2014 at 9:34 pm

        Thanks, Ginger! 🙂

        Reply
        • Amanda

          October 28, 2021 at 10:12 am

          Can I used crushed pineapple instead of the tidbits? My local store doesn’t have tidbits.
          Thanks

          Reply
          • Blair Lonergan

            October 28, 2021 at 12:20 pm

            Hi, Amanda! Yes, it will just have a slightly different texture. I would also make sure to drain the crushed pineapple really well so that any residual juices don't water down the salad. You might even squeeze it dry gently with a dish towel. Hope that helps!

            Reply
    9. Lisa @ Cooking with Curls

      November 14, 2014 at 2:08 pm

      That salad looks delicious Blair! I used to love "marshmallow" salad when I was growing up, lol 🙂 I guess I need to make it sometime!!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 15, 2014 at 11:03 am

        Yep...it's definitely a cross between "salad" and a dessert! That's why my kids love it! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Laura@Baking in Pyjamas

      November 16, 2014 at 9:26 am

      I've never had a dish like this before, I love the combination of cranberry and orange, such great holiday flavours. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!

      Reply
    11. Kat Davis

      November 26, 2014 at 11:47 pm

      Would this hold up if made the night before? Or should I do this 5 minutes before we sit down?

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 29, 2014 at 7:50 pm

        Hi, Kat! It would be okay overnight, but I think it's far better if you do it about an hour or so in advance. It's nice to let it sit in the refrigerator and get cold for a little while, but if it goes too long it's less "fluffy" and more runny. 🙂 Either way, it tastes delicious! Enjoy.

        Reply
    12. Jen

      December 24, 2018 at 2:17 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this delicious recipe! I made it for Thanksgiving because I thought my nephew would like it, and I was right. He looked at me and declared, "This is amazing!"

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 24, 2018 at 6:39 pm

        Wonderful! I'm so glad that he approved! 🙂

        Reply
    13. darrell brown

      November 24, 2019 at 1:36 pm

      I love this salad, I was told to add cream cheese and mayo.

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 25, 2019 at 5:40 am

        Thanks, Darrell! Yes, that would work, too! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Misty

      November 28, 2019 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      You made my Thanksgiving! I didn't have the marshmallows so it was cool whip and we don't care for the oranges. But this was perfect for us! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 29, 2019 at 5:52 am

        Yay! I'm so glad that you all enjoyed it, Misty! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Tracy Meza

      November 11, 2020 at 11:17 pm

      5 stars
      You Ave reminded me of all the fun fluff salads my mom would make during the holidays. She passed last year of cancer Dec. 4th. I miss her dearly but we will love the memories when I make the cranberry fluff this thanksgivings. Thank you again

      Tracy

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 12, 2020 at 5:25 am

        Aw, thanks Tracy! My grandmother always made fluff salads like this, too. Recipes that bring back good memories are the best. Hope you enjoy and have a wonderful holiday!

        Reply
    16. Rebecca

      November 24, 2020 at 1:01 pm

      looks perfect,just what i need,going to make it

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 24, 2020 at 2:16 pm

        Awesome! Enjoy, Rebecca!

        Reply
    17. Bonnie

      June 30, 2021 at 12:46 pm

      Hi Blair! I found you in 2016. I had recently retired and got busy having fun. Your recipes were exactly what I needed. Please know how grateful I am and how much you are appreciated. Love Sunday’s and look forward to reading every week. You work hard and do it ALL… just beautifully. Thanks!!! ❤️ all of your yummy recipes!

      Reply
      • Blair

        June 30, 2021 at 1:16 pm

        That's so good to hear, Bonnie. Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note. You made my day! 🙂

        Reply
    18. Glenn Burdine

      December 15, 2021 at 7:45 pm

      5 stars
      I love ambrosia salad. It was a favorite when I was a kid. Momma cut up fresh oranges and we always toasted our pecans before using in about any recipe. I wonder if the "shelf life" of this salad could be extended by using a little drained juice and gelatin?

      Reply
      • Blair Lonergan

        December 16, 2021 at 5:30 am

        That's a good thought, Glenn. I don't know! It might work, but I haven't tried it myself. 🙂

        Reply

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