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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Cranberry Fluff Salad
Video
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
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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.
Katie Gehrke says
This is one of your recipes that I made today. This cranberry dessert was so delicious!! I will be making this for Sunday dinners, too. Thanks!! 🙂
Jane says
I made this yesterday for my family and it is exactly what my grandma used to make! I don’t have her recipe, so I am delighted to find this! I will be making this for every special family function ❤️
Sandy est says
Made for Christmas dinner delious.
Helen says
The name of this couldn’t ring any more true, “Everybody’s favorite Cranberry Salad”, from the littlest to the eldest this is a HIT. It’s not overly sweet and it’s the perfect pop from the cranberries to the sweet gooeyness of the marshmallows. Even the leftovers are yummy – if it makes it to leftover. 😉
Sheila says
I added some sliced pecans however, it would have been just as delicious without. Yummy stuff either way that’s for sure.
Jen says
Question:
I am not a fan of cream cheese except in hot, savory foods. But I also know that you can make ambrosia with sour cream, and it doesn’t taste like sour cream because of the marshmallows and fruit. So my question is, how cream cheesy is this? Like, I don’t like cheesecake or cream cheese frosting or cream cheese on a bagel. But I’m kind of intrigued by this recipe.
Lauren Allen says
I don’t think it’s “cream cheesy” at all, but if you re worried about it at all you can leave it out, no problem.
Monica says
This was delicious! My kids want me to make this with strawberries instead of cranberries. Since strawberries are already sweet, would you add any sugar to them? If so, how much? I’m thinking it would need to be much less than 1 cup.
Lauren Allen says
I agree, I wouldn’t add too much extra sugar. Sounds delicious!
Barbara says
Easy and delicious. The more it sits the better it gets. Flavors really come together.
Kaitlyn says
Do you think I could prepare the recipe then freeze it? I’m trying to find something I can prepare ahead of a family gathering and simply thaw when we travel.
Lauren Allen says
I would not freeze it. It will not thaw well. But it can be made ahead and refrigerated. It would travel well if you are with an hour.
Arlene Norma Abbott says
Arlene: This is 4th time I have made this recipe in this Month of Dec. 2019. 3 pot lucks and now for xmas day dinner.
Everubody likes it. It is quite simple and I will keep on making it. Give this recipe a try