An easy Cranberry Salad made with fresh cranberries, pineapple, cream cheese, and whipped cream. It’s a fluffy holiday side dish or dessert that people go CRAZY for!
There isn’t anything on my Thanksgiving menu that my kids love more than this Cranberry Salad. Let’s be honest, I LOVE it too; almost as much as homemade stuffing and sweet potato casserole.
Did your Grandma ever make this Cranberry Salad for Thanksgiving? Or maybe another relative? This is kind of an old-school recipe that I secretly really, really love. I sometimes pretend I’m too good for the fluff marshmallow “salads,” but I absolutely love them. It’s like eating dessert during your meal, but it’s acceptable!
We affectionately refer to this salad as “cranberry fluff”. I friend made the recipe years ago from here and it’s been a family favorite ever since!
Only SIX simple ingredients!
- Fresh cranberries
- Sugar
- Crushed pineapple
- Mini marshmallows
- Cream cheese
- Whipping cream
Cranberry Salad in 5 steps:
1. Chop cranberries. Add the cranberries to a food processor and pulse until they are well chopped, but not mushy.
2. Mix fruit and sugar. Pour the cranberries into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and pineapple and mix well.
3. Refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or longer. Drain most of the juice.
4. Whip cream and cream cheese. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Pour in the cream and whip until stiff peaks.
5. Combine and refrigerate. Fold the creamy mixture into the salad. Fold in marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Tips for Success:
- Stiff peaks. Before folding in the whipped cream, make sure to beat it to very stiff peaks. The cream cheese also helps to stabilize the mixture.
- Refrigerate cranberry salad for several hours (or overnight) before serving to allow it to set up.
Make ahead and storing cranberry salad:
To make ahead: I definitely recommend making cranberry salad ahead of time. In fact, for best results, make it 1 day before serving.
To store: Store cranberry salad covered, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
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Recipe
Cranberry Fluff Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package fresh cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple , undrained
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Add the cranberries to a food processor and pulse until they are well chopped, but not mushy.
- Pour the cranberries into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and pineapple and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or longer. Drain most of the juice.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Pour in the cream and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold the creamy mixture into the salad. Fold in marshmallows.
- Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe November 2015. Updated November 2019 with new process photos and improved instructions and tips.
Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
Absolutely amazing! Super creamy, not too sweet!
We’ve been making this recipe for the 3 years. My kids look forward to eating it on Thanksgiving now. We’re now reserving the juice to splash in some seltzer with lime.
Delicious base for the salad. We add diced apples, quartered grapes, and sometimes pecans. Any way you make it, everyone will love it.
I am trying your cranberry recipe & will add the cream cheese & whipping cream later today or this evening.
Lauren, can you use Half & Half in place of the whipping cream? 3 stores later and still can’t find whipping cream.
I’m sorry, half and half wont whip sturdy enough. You could use a container of cool whip from the freezer section, if you’re in a pinch.
don’t throw away the juice you drain off. Fill a shaker with ice cubes, add 2 oz vodka, 1 oz peach schnapps, and the juice from the cranberries/Pineapple. You have a delicious “sex on the beach” cocktail
I like your style. Thank you for your post now I can have a cocktail while I cook tomorrow. 😊
Best cranberry fluff salad ever!! I make this every year!
Could you put the mixture in a graham cracker crust and serve like pie or is it too liquid for that?
You could—it’s not liquid, its just full and fluffy, so you wont get a “clean” pie slice from it.