Creamy Cranberry Salad made with a mixture of fruit and marshmallows tossed with freshly whipped cream. This easy and festive side dish is perfect for the holidays; ready in under 30 minutes.
We’re tossing fruit and marshmallows with whipped cream and calling it a “salad”! I guess this officially means we are in the holiday season?
This Cranberry Salad is part dessert, part side dish, part morning-after-Thanksgiving breakfast. It’s loaded with tart cranberries, crunchy apples, chewy marshmallows, and crushed pineapple tossed with freshly whipped cream. This recipe is inspired by a retro ambrosia fruit salad with one major update: no cool whip! This dish is easy, festive, and sure to be a crowd pleaser.
MORE HOLIDAY RECIPES:
- MAPLE PECAN PIE
- APPLE CIDER CRANBERRY SAUCE
- SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
- CRANBERRY BLISS BARS
- PUMPKIN PIE BARS
- PECAN PIE BARS
- CRANBERRY CRUMB BARS
How To Make Cranberry Salad
This Cranberry Salad comes together in minutes. Here’s how to make it:
- Start by making the whipped cream: Beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer to your refrigerator while you assemble the fruit.
- Pulse fresh cranberries and sugar in a food processor until the cranberries are broken down into small pieces (this makes the salad much more palatable; no biting into tough, tart cranberries).
- Combine the cranberries with chopped apple, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and nuts (optional).
- Fold the whipped cream into the fruit.
Tips for Making Cranberry Salad
- Keep the whipped cream cold. Since we’re using fresh whipped cream it is less stable than cool whip. As long it’s kept cold it will hold up well. Store in your refrigerator and pull it out just before serving.
- Drain the crushed pineapple really well. Before adding crushed pineapple to the salad, dump it into a strainer and press out the excess liquid. This will keep the fruit salad thick and creamy, not watery.
- Adapt to suit your taste. Add extra marshmallows, omit the nuts, stir in some shredded coconut, add another fruit – play around with the ingredients to get your favorite version.
- Serve within 24 hours. This salad is best served within one day of assembly. Leftovers will keep for a couple days, but it will thin out the longer it sits.
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Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream chilled
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3 generous cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 20 oz can of crushed pineapple* drained really well
- 2 medium apples chopped
- 1-2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream and 1/3 cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer to the refrigerator while you assemble the fruit.
- Place cranberries and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the cranberries are roughly chopped (this should only take a few pulses). Scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl as needed, and make sure not to puree the cranberries, you want to maintain some of their texture.
- Combine the cranberries, crushed pineapple (see note), apple, and marshmallows. Fold in the whipped cream and nuts (if using). Transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely. Best served within 24 hours of assembly.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Grandma’s Best Holiday Recipes magazine.
Beth says
Delicious yet simple! Just what my holidays need!
Nellie Tracy says
This salad is absolutely amazing! Perfect for holiday parties!