Cranberry Fluff Salad
Cranberry Fluff Salad is practically a required side dish for Thanksgiving. Both my mom and mother-in-law occasionally served their delicious versions of Cranberry Fluff Salad for Thanksgiving.
Ground cranberries, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and whipped cream are the basic ingredients in this Cranberry Salad. There are so many tasty variations. This is mine.
Why You Must Make
- My mom would add nuts to this mixture and so did my mother-in-law along with chopped apples and sliced grapes. The options are endless. My version is very basic. No nuts in case one of my children or hubby would dare to take a taste.
- It’s a winner whether it’s scaled-down or packed full of a variety of textures and flavors.
- It’s one of those “salads” that is more like a dessert.
- Many versions use Cool Whip, but it tastes so much better with real whipped cream!
- This is a blast from the past. I first had it back in the 1970s, when jello salads were de rigeur. That was my mom’s version. But then later in life, my MIL served it one holiday we were visiting them. It’s still a classic Thanksgiving recipe decades later!
Ingredient Notes:
- Pantry staples: Regular granulated sugar
- A bag of fresh cranberries – You can even use frozen cranberries. These are ground and mixed with sugar. Any juice formed does not need to be drained.
- Crushed pineapple – Drain well so your salad isn’t watery.
- Mini marshmallows – Or cut regular marshmallows in half or in quarters.
- Heavy cream – Should be 36% butterfat
How to Make
- Chop cranberries in a food processor.
- Combine with sugar and refrigerate overnight.
- Gather the ingredients, toss them together, and whip the cream.
- Fold the cream into the cranberry mixture. Chill until ready to serve.
Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
You’d think a Thanksgiving salad would be full of classic autumnal ingredients like my Apple, Cherry, Walnut Salad. Plus I’d expect an actual salad with fresh greens and vegetables. But on holidays, the rules can be bent, and salads full of cream and marshmallows like this cranberry fluff salad fly under the radar!
When it comes to Thanksgiving, I’m really not allowed to shake up the menu. I can always add an extra dish, but there are some that are a tradition and must be included. My Spinach Souffle, Holiday Fruit Salad, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing or Dressing, Turkey (of course!), and Gravy are a given. Classic Pumpkin Pie for dessert plus a second, usually chocolate, pie.
But sometimes I add a little something that only I will eat. In homage to both my moms, I recreated this fresh cranberry salad (more like a dessert, but heck, it’s Thanksgiving!) for our holiday table.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s easy to grind cranberries in a food processor. Just pulse until the cranberries look finely chopped. This can be done with either fresh or frozen cranberries.
Yes! In fact, it must be started the day before, so the cranberries and sugar have a chance to meld. This salad will last for a few days in the refrigerator, just stir again before serving if needed.
The Cool Whip version might freeze well because of all the artificial ingredients and nature of that ingredient. I haven’t frozen this cranberry fluff made with real cream before, but I’d be concerned the whipped cream could deflate, separating into solids and water.
Instead, I’d prepare all the ingredients ahead of time. Grind the cranberries, drain the pineapple, measure out the marshmallows, and store them in an airtight container. This will definitely streamline the process.
You May Also Like:
- Thanksgiving Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Almonds, and Goat Cheese from Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Spinach Salad with Pears, Cranberries and Candied Pecans
- Holiday Lettuce Salad
- Rainbow Jello
- Ambrosia Salad
- Easy Cherry Fluff Salad
- Plus, more of my Best Holiday Recipes
Cranberry Fluff Salad Recipe
A dreamy cranberry salad perfect for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries, frozen, then thawed cranberries (fresh or frozen also work)
- ½ cup sugar (may add another ½ cup if you find the mixture too tart after has time to meld.)
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 cups mini-marshmallows
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Chop cranberries in a food processor. Remove to a bowl. Mix in sugar, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Add well-drained pineapple and marshmallows. Mix to combine.
- Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the cranberry mixture.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
The mixture of sugar and ground cranberries needs to be refrigerated overnight. So start this salad the day before you plan to serve it.
Total time does not include chilling time.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 232Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 20mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 1g
This recipe comes with sweet memories. We lost my MIL this year and my mom the year before. Both were terrific cooks, with my mom being more adventurous with her palate and recipes and my MIL the queen of good old-fashioned comfort food. Eating at either home was always a pleasure and I am blessed to have many of their handwritten recipes.
130 Comments on “Cranberry Fluff Salad”
I have never marinated overnight – I let it sit an hour or so just until the sugar dissolves. I have also never whipped the cream – I just pour it in. I also use pineapple tidbits instead of crushed.
I bet there are loads of variations on this salad. Thanks for sharing yours, Lisa! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Do you add sugar to the cream before whipping or not?
Hi, RaeAnn, No, there’s enough sugar in the cranberry mixture to sweeten the cream when they’re combined. Enjoy!!!
I am a diabetic, would my art sweetener work in place of the sugar. I already have diabetic marshmallows. I love cranberries and this sounds sooooo good. Just wanted to get your thoughts. Have a blessed day.
I think it will work, Linda. Just taste after it sits for a bit to see if you need to add a little bit more since cranberries are so tart. Let me know how it goes!!!
With the crushed pineapple in it I don’t think the sugar is necessary. The marshmallows are all sugar.
Cranberries are pretty tart, but you can start with less sugar, taste and add more if necessary.
I have cut the sugar and used “RX sugar ™.” It still taste great. The other question would be the diabetic marshmallows. Will they hold up? Will they melt away just enough in the whip cream. I’m curious about that… but I’ve never seen the diabetic marshmallows. After all. Marshmallows are sugar, pineapple is sugar. This is a special holiday treat for me.. and I just know “ I’m gonna do bad things.” lol. So I make choices.
Hi, Kevin! I wish I knew something about diabetic marshmallows to give you a definitive answer. I would hope that the manufacturer would take all the recipes they’re used for under consideration and that they’d work!
I love this recipe and it’s been a family holiday tradition in my family as long as I can remember (back to the 1970’s :-)). I do use pineapple tidbits and mix the chopped cranberries, sugar, and pineapple to marinate overnight. Agreed on at least 4 hours once you add the whipped cream.
How long before serving time should I mix in the whipped cream?
Hi, Veron, I’d do it at least 4 hours before you plan to serve the salad. I’ve also made it the night before and it will separate a bit while it’s in the refrigerator, but it comes back together if you use a rubber spatula to stir it close to serving time. I hope you enjoy!
Has anyone ever tried this with whole berry cranberry sauce? Just curious if it would work or not.
I have not, Nikki. Wish I had an answer for you!
You had me at “Cranberries”, which is probably my alltime favourite berry. I never thought to make fluff with them, but it’s utterly delicious. I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so I’ll just have it all year round, using frozen Cranberries. 🙂
This is a family favorite for generations.
We grind 1 bag cranberries, add large can drained crushed pineapple n 1 cup sugar. Stir well n refrigerator overnight. Before dinner add 1/2 to 3/4 bag of white mini marshmallows n the entire 8 oz container of cool whip. Stir n serve immediately.
Alittle more cool whip or (whipped) heavy cream to taste.
This is exactly the way my mom & I used to make it in the ‘60’s! Grinding up the berries is so much easier now. I put some of this in small containers in the freezer. This way it’s always available, even in the summer.
Great idea to keep some in the freezer for later, Lynda. I could also eat it any time of year!!
I made this this year and my mil enjoyed it. A hit with my family
I made this to take to a conference night potluck for the teachers at my school. I bake frequently but we have a colleague who is gluten free and for this reason often just brings her own dinner to our potluck. She was not only thrilled there was a dessert she could eat. She and several other colleagues took the recipe to make for their Thanksgiving dinners! I have come back this year to once use this quick and easy recipe for our conference potluck!
I’m so glad it was a hit, Marsha!! And that it gave your fellow teacher a sweet treat to enjoy. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Thanksgiving before last was a rough one for our family to put it gently. My sister was battling stage 4 melanoma and had been bed ridden for several months. Thankfully, right before Thanksgiving they’d found some off label drugs for her to try and they worked well enough that she came around and was walking again and functioning well enough to be filled with hope and happiness, just in time for the holidays. Still far from her normal self but we were so happy to see her filling with life again, especially for her children’s sakes. In my family, we all enjoy contributing dishes to the Thanksgiving dinner and she wanted something to make too but didn’t have much energy. My stepdad suggested she make the cranberry marshmallow salad his mother had made that everyone loved and they hadn’t had in years. She took to the internet searching for recipes and found yours to be the closest she could find. The cranberry fluff was an absolute hit and we all loved it, especially my little guy who loves anything cranberry and rarely gets sweets so was beyond thrilled with the added marshmallows. Unfortunately, my sister took a turn for the worst shortly after Christmas and passed away a couple months later but we are so grateful we were blessed with one more holiday season with her. I make sure to prepare this recipe in her honor now for special occasions and it’s always a hit with everyone. We’re now in October and I like to spend this month remembering and honoring our loved ones who’ve transitioned to the other side. We choose a different loved one on different nights, put their pictures up, cook their favorite foods or our favorites they made for us, and have a fire outside that we throw well wishes for them on their journeys in heaven as well as releasing sadness, guilt, or anything else we may harbor that we need to release to heal. Tonight is her night and I’m making her steaks, mashed taters, veggies and our favorite cranberry fluff. Thank you so much for this recipe. You’ve helped start a beautiful tradition with delicious memories for our family.
Oh, I’m so, so glad this recipe brought some joy to your sister during her battle with such a devastating cancer (I was an oncology RN before becoming a blogger). Thanks for sharing your story and the wonderful way you brought joy to her through her favorite foods. You truly have a special family and I’m so sorry for the loss of your dear sister. xoxo
Pink Fluff: 1 can of cherry pie filling…1 can crushed pineapple drained….1 can of eagle brand milk…1 large tub of cool whip.
Combine cool whip and eagle brand milk first then remaining ingredients… sometimes l even add coconut and pecans….Chill for at least 4hours or more…l prefer to make the nite before…one less thing to do on feast day
Sounds like another delicious holiday salad, Kathy! Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
I love the cherry version, too, Kathy! I made it for the first time just last year.
Is there anything that can be used to substitute the marshmallows in this recipe?
Hi, Natasha, I’m sorry, I can’t think of a marshmallow substitution that would make sense in this salad.
This is a great recipe. I am making it for the second time. Made it at Thanksgiving now Christmas. Seen many other recipes but didn’t want all the ingredients it had in it. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad, Lyn!! Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
Do you add anything to heacy cream before or while whipping?cream
Hi, Debi, No, you just whip the cream. There’s enough sugar added to the cranberries to sweeten the mixture. Hope you enjoy and have a happy Thanksgiving.
Hi Liz, can I substitute Cool Whip for the whipping cream and if so, do I still need the sugar?
Hi, Bonnie, Since cranberries are super tart, you can use less sugar, but I’d still add some (maybe try half as much) to the ground cranberries. Hope that helps! Have a great Thanksgiving.
This recipe sounds so yummy and very easy,, thank you so much , I’m making it for thanksgiving !
I love this version!! So good and really amazing! I will add it to our Thanksgiving menu! Thanks!
I’ve been making this recipe for over 10 yrs now at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’m having a Valentine dinner party for 8 and thought this would go good with what I’m serving.
I don’t think I have ever tried this before. But I am curious and have the stuff at home. Happy Holidays and a healthy New Year to you Liz.
You just brought back a flood of memories. I can imagine how this fluff salad just melts on your mouth. Sweet and sour at the same time. Need to make this again soon.
Liz, this cranberry fluff looks so yummy and festive!