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Square side shot of cranberry fluff salad in two glass bowls.
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5 from 5 votes

5-Minute Cranberry Fluff

A 5-minute sweet and creamy fruit salad that's perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
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.
    Stirring together a mixture of fruit and marshmallows in a white mixing bowl
  • Gently fold in Cool Whip.
    Process shot showing how to make cranberry fluff with cool whip
  • Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    Overhead shot of a spoon in a bowl of cranberry fluff.

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