This post contains affiliate links.
Our Cranberry Fluff Salad recipe is made with fresh cranberries, sweetened with crushed pineapple and loaded with fluffy marshmallows. It's a holiday tradition everyone looks forward to.
This may be my favorite side for Thanksgiving, it's right up there with Thanksgiving Stuffing, Homemade Rolls, my favorite Turkey, and easy Lemon Cream Pie!
Cranberry Fluff is the unsophisticated salad adults love as much as kids.
It's such an old-fashioned mid-western tradition to serve fluffy dessert “salads” like this at parties, but it's a holiday tradition I secretly love (it wouldn't be Easter without our Ambrosia or Frog eye salad!). We've been making this one for decades, but after trying Mel's version a few years ago, with a little cream cheese added for stability, that's now our go-to method. It's a bright spot on the table with all of our other favorite side dishes.
Only 6 Ingredients Needed:
How to make Cranberry Fluff Salad:
Combine: Blend cranberries in a food processor until chopped, but not mushy. Pour into a large bowl, add sugar and pineapple and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, then drain some (not all) of the juice.
Add Cream: Beat the cream cheese until smooth then pour in the heavy cream and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cranberry salad. Stir in marshmallows. Cover cranberry fluff salad and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
More Side Dishes to Try:
- Ambrosia Salad
- Chicken Pasta Salad
- Jello Fruit Salad
- Corn Casserole
- Poutine
- 7-Layer Dip
- Buttermilk Cornbread
- Baked Potato Salad
- Cheesy Breadsticks
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
- Chop Cranberries: Add the cranberries to a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped, but not mushy.
- Marinate: Pour the cranberries into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and pineapple and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or longer.
- Whip Cream: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Pour in the cream and whip until stiff peaks form
- Combine: Drain some of the juice from the cranberry mixture. Fold the whipped cream mixture into the salad. Fold in marshmallows.
- Chill in the refrigerate for 3-4 hours (or overnight), before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe November 2015. Updated November 2019 and November 2024.
Recipe from my Grandma, with cream cheese idea adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.
This was SO GOOD and SO easy! Everyone LOVED it. Will be a new staple for sure!
I have been making this for years. I add chopped pecans can pomegranate seeds to mine. I usually triple the recipe too so there’s leftovers.
This sounds really good, but I have an idea, Why not make or buy a graham cracker crust to put it over. There you have a Cranberry Pie.
Great idea!
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. 😊
Thanks for the tip. My drink is delicious!!
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.