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.

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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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Recipe

Cranberry Salad

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.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 15

Servings: half-cup servings (approximate)

Calories: 163kcal

Author: Allison Mattina

Ingredients

▢ 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
▢ ⅓ cup powdered sugar
▢ 3 generous cups fresh cranberries
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
▢ 20 oz can of crushed pineapple*, drained really well
▢ 2 medium apples, chopped
▢ 1-2 cups mini marshmallows
▢ ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip cream and ⅓ cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer to the refrigerator while you assemble the fruit.
Place cranberries and ½ 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

* Place the crushed pineapple in a strainer and stir it around until all of the excess juice has been drained out. Don't skip this step, adding too much liquid will make the fruit salad watery.