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.
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.
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.
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.
- Stir together the well-drained pineapples and oranges, cranberry sauce, pecans, and marshmallows.
- Gently fold in the Cool Whip.
- Serve immediately or cover and chill in the fridge until ready to enjoy!
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
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.
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.
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...
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
5-Minute Cranberry Fluff
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
This post was originally published in November, 2014. It was updated in October, 2021.
Sarah
This looks so delicious! I love the addition of the marshmallows. I can't wait to try it!
Blair
Thanks, Sarah! And thanks for visiting. 🙂
Christie
This recipe sounds really good. What a great combination of goodies I love. Can't wait to give this a try at Thanksgiving!
Blair
Thanks so much for stopping by, Christie! I hope that you love it!
Julie
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. 🙂
Blair
Thanks for visiting, Julie! 🙂
Valerie
I love cranberries! Can't wait to give this one a try for Thanksgiving!
Blair
Thanks for visiting, Valerie!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
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!
Blair
Oh yes, the marshmallows are definitely a favorite with my boys too! 🙂
Stephanie
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!
Nici
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
Blair
Thanks, Nici!!
Ginger
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!
Blair
Thanks, Ginger! 🙂
Amanda
Can I used crushed pineapple instead of the tidbits? My local store doesn’t have tidbits.
Thanks
Blair Lonergan
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!
Lisa @ Cooking with Curls
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!!
Blair
Yep...it's definitely a cross between "salad" and a dessert! That's why my kids love it! 🙂
Laura@Baking in Pyjamas
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!!
Kat Davis
Would this hold up if made the night before? Or should I do this 5 minutes before we sit down?
Blair
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.
Jen
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!"
Blair
Wonderful! I'm so glad that he approved! 🙂
darrell brown
I love this salad, I was told to add cream cheese and mayo.
Blair
Thanks, Darrell! Yes, that would work, too! 🙂
Misty
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!
Blair
Yay! I'm so glad that you all enjoyed it, Misty! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note. 🙂
Tracy Meza
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
Blair
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!
Rebecca
looks perfect,just what i need,going to make it
Blair
Awesome! Enjoy, Rebecca!
Bonnie
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!
Blair
That's so good to hear, Bonnie. Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note. You made my day! 🙂
Glenn Burdine
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?
Blair Lonergan
That's a good thought, Glenn. I don't know! It might work, but I haven't tried it myself. 🙂