Cranberry Salad

Make our delicious cranberry salad a holiday staple. The whole family will love the sweet fruit combination mixed with fluffy whipped cream.

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Table of Contents

Cranberry Salad Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Cranberry Salad Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Why We Love This Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE
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Crisp apples, tropical pineapple, and cranberries combine with fluffy whipped cream in our easy cranberry salad. These simple ingredients create a sweet and colorful salad that is the perfect addition to your holiday menus this year.

Cranberry Salad Ingredients

Cranberry Salad raw ingredients that are labeled

Tart cranberries are balanced by the sweetness of pineapple, gala apples, and granulated sugar, while lemon juice adds a refreshing tang to this dessert salad.

Mini-marshmallows provide a soft contrast, chopped walnuts offer a satisfying crunch, and whipped topping adds creaminess to the dish.

You’ll need:

3 cups of roughly chopped, thawed frozen cranberries (reserve 6-8 for optional garnish)
1 (20-ounce) can of crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup of diced gala apple, peeled and cored
¾ cup of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
2 cups of mini-marshmallows
¼ cup of chopped walnuts
1 (12-ounce) tub of whipped topping, thawed

Substitutions And Additions

APPLES: You can substitute the gala apple for any other sweet apple.

NUTS: Any chopped nuts can be used in this cranberry fluff recipe to give it a bit of crunch.

FRUIT: You can add mandarin oranges, canned fruit salad, or other fruit in addition to the crushed pineapple for extra flavor and color.

CRANBERRIES: You can use fresh cranberries in place of frozen ones if you are able to find them at the store.

COOL WHIP: If you would prefer to use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip in this easy fruit salad, check out our recipe here.

CREAM CHEESE: For a thicker dressing, you could mix in cream cheese with the Cool Whip.

How To Make This Cranberry Salad Recipe

Let’s walk through the steps for making this easy dessert salad. Make sure to give it time to chill in the fridge before mixing in the dressing and serving.

STEP ONE: Using a large bowl, combine the cranberries, pineapple and apples.

cranberries, pineapple, and apples being combined in a bowl

STEP TWO: Evenly sprinkle the granulated sugar over the cranberry mixture.

PRO TIP:

If a sweeter cranberry salad is desired, you can use a full cup of sugar. This will offset the tartness of the cranberries.

sugar sprinkled over the cranberry mixture in a bowl

STEP THREE: Pour the lemon juice over the cranberry mixture, and using a large spoon, stir to completely combine the mixture.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least four hours.

lemon juice poured into the bowl of the cranberry mixture

STEP FOUR: Remove the cranberry mixture from the refrigerator and drain any extra liquid from the mixture.

STEP FIVE: Add the mini marshmallows, chopped walnuts, and whipped topping. Use a large spoon to completely incorporate all the ingredients.

PRO TIP:

Stir all of the ingredients together carefully as you don’t want to break apart the fruit pieces.

marshmallows, walnuts, and whipped topping added to the cranberry mixture in the bowl

STEP SIX: If you are using the six to eight reserved cranberries for a garnish, slice the cranberries in half. Add to the top of the salad.

PRO TIP:

If you have the time, allow this apple cranberry salad to chill for at least a couple hours in the fridge. This will allow the flavors to mingle together in your salad.

How To Serve

This beautiful salad would be a great addition to your holiday table this year.

Either as a side dish or as a dessert, your Thanksgiving and Christmas meal will be extra special with this fun treat to add to your plate.

Don’t forget to add our cranberry sauce to your table as well.

Try our ambrosia salad and Watergate salad for two more dessert salad recipes. Both are packed full of yummy fluff salad favorites.

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Storage

Now that you’ve whipped up this scrumptious cranberry salad, you might be wondering how to store any leftovers or prepare it ahead of time.

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning ahead for a special occasion or simply want to get a head start on your meal prep, you can make this cranberry salad in advance.

I recommend preparing it up to 24 hours before serving. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy.

This allows all those fantastic flavors to meld together, making it even more delicious.

IN THE FRIDGE: Cover any leftovers of this fresh cranberry salad tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this creamy salad. It is best enjoyed fresh.

Why We Love This Recipe

FLAVORFUL: This salad strikes a perfect balance between tart cranberries, sweet pineapple, and gala apples.

TEXTURE: The combination of soft mini marshmallows and crunchy chopped walnuts adds a delightful contrast in texture.

MAKE AHEAD: It’s a fantastic make-ahead dish, allowing you to prep in advance and free up your time on the day of serving.

close up shot of a spoonful of Cranberry Salad

This time of year, holiday recipes often feature the bright and vibrant colors of cranberries, and our creamy cranberry salad is a great way to highlight this tangy fruit. Add it to your holiday table, and I bet you won’t have any leftovers to save!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

It is actually best to make this cranberry fluff salad recipe ahead of time. It gives the salad time to let all the flavors mingle and combine together for an even tastier dessert.

Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?

You could certainly substitute whipped topping with whipped cream. Check out our homemade whipped cream recipe for the details.

Can I add other fruit to the salad?

You could add mandarin oranges or chopped-up pears to your cranberry pineapple salad as well.

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Cranberry Salad

5 from 2 votes

Make our delicious cranberry salad a holiday staple. The whole family will love the sweet fruit combination mixed with fluffy whipped cream.

Prep Time 15

Total Time 4 15

Servings

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Ingredients

3 cups cranberries, roughly chopped and thawed frozen (reserve 6 to 8 for optional garnish)
20 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup diced gala apple, peeled and cored
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups mini-marshmallows
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
12 ounces whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

Using a large mixing bowl, combine the cranberries, pineapple and apples.
Evenly sprinkle the granulated sugar over the cranberry mixture.
Pour the lemon juice over the cranberry mixture, and using a large spoon, stir to completely combine the mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Remove the cranberry mixture from the refrigerator and drain any extra liquid from the mixture.
Add the mini marshmallows, chopped walnuts and the whipped topping. Use a large spoon to completely incorporate all the ingredients.
If you are using the 6 to 8 reserved cranberries for a garnish, slice the cranberries in half. Add to the top of the salad.

Notes

If a sweeter cranberry salad is desired, you can use a full cup of sugar. This will offset the tartness of the cranberries.
Stir all of the ingredients together carefully as you don’t want to break apart the fruit pieces.
If you have the time, allow this apple cranberry salad to chill for at least a couple hours in the fridge. This will allow the flavors to mingle together in your salad.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!