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.
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
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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
- 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
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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.
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This was SO GOOD and SO easy! Everyone LOVED it. Will be a new staple for sure!
This salad is definitely 5 stars! I made this for our Thanksgiving and everyone was asking who made the salad. Do yourself a favor and just make it!! It will be one recipe you mark “keeper” in your favorites. So delicious!
This salad is AMAZING! Made it for the family for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! I also made another one with just my husband and I and used half the sugar and it was still completely delicious. You will not be disappointed I promise.
This is a delicious recipe – thank you, Lauren. It went to thanksgiving 2023 and fam is busy making it for other gatherings. It’s going to a family Christmas celebration today. Delightful! Merry Christmas to you.
I’m making for Breakfast Brunch. Can I add chopped walnuts on top?
Holy crow!! I made this, but I added an entire orange rind and all that I pulsed, celery and 2 peeled apples. I used an entire brick of cream cheese. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to take it to family dinner or eat it all myself! Thank you for the recipe
This was easy to make. I didn’t refrigerate the berries, sugar and pineapple as long as called for because I needed to hurry it. Also thought about putting walnuts in it, but because I was taking to a potluck, decided against it.
Made it in September and just finished making again for tomorrow’s feast. Once again I added walnuts in the processor with the cranberries. DELICIOUS!!!!
I make this every year for the holidays. I’ve tried a few other recipes but this one is the best!
Delicious! I made this for a party and it was a hit! I was asked multiple times to share the recipe! Definitely agree with making it a day in advance! This will be on our thanksgiving table for many years to come!
Could you use whipped cream cheese as a step saver?