Fluffy, cool, and creamy Cranberry Fluff Salad with walnuts, crushed pineapple, marshmallows, and lime juice is so very easy to make ahead and perfect for the holidays!
For more holiday recipes, head on over to my popular posts for Parker House Dinner Rolls, Classic Traditional Homemade Stuffing, and Healthy Cranberry Sauce.
There is snow! I can see it right now from where I am sitting. Yesterday there was no snow, today there is snow. It snuck in while I was sleeping. And I think that a few weeks also snuck away while I was sleeping because HOW ON EARTH IS IT NOVEMBER? Before you know it, it will be Thanksgiving.
And, speaking of Thanksgiving, you must make this cranberry salad. It’s so fluffy, and cranberry-y and marshmallowy and walnut-y. And the pineapple? It makes the whole thing come together when you soak those chopped cranberries with sugar and pineapple and just a hint of lime. It’s what makes the dish all tangy and sweet and perfect. AND FLUFFY! Add this to your holiday menu stat!
Why This Recipe Works
Cranberries — There’s a reason you see so many cranberries around the holidays…they’re in season! Use up all that cranberry goodness making this fluff, plus cranberry sauce, cheeseballs, and more! (For a cranberry cheeseball recipe try my Cranberry Pistachio Cheeseball.)
Fluff — Okay so fluff isn’t really an ingredient but all those marshmallows plus the heavy cream whipped to all its fluffy perfection mixed together and you get the fluffiest, sweetest, tangiest salad ever!
Pineapple — You might think ew pineapple? But I say yes to the pineapple. It’s key here in complementing the tartness of the cranberries and elevating this cranberry salad to a whole new level. Don’t skip it.
Walnuts — I love the nutty walnut crunch in this salad but you can always swap in another nut or skip them all together if you don’t like them or are allergic.
Here’s How You Make It
- Combine the chopped cranberries, sugar, pineapple (and the juice), lime juice, and walnuts in a bow. Stir.
- Cover and chill for at least one hour, or up to overnight.
- Pour the heavy cream into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Stir in the marshmallows into the whipped cream, then stir in the cranberry mixture.
- Cover and chill for 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Serve cold.
What are Cranberries Good for?
Cranberries are very healthy in addition to being delicious. (So no need to feel guilt over that second serving of this cranberry salad). They are considered a superfood because they are very high in nutrients such as vitamins C, E, and K1, as well as manganese, copper, and fiber.
Studies show cranberries are also linked to the prevention of some cancers, improving your immune function, decreasing your blood pressure, and are also good for your urinary tract.
What Should I Serve with this Salad?
I love to serve this salad over the holidays when we are making ham (my Best Glazed Ham Recipe is seriously so good!), turkey, or a delicious pot roast. Some other items I frequently serve alongside this cranberry salad include:
- French Onion Potatoes: So savory and delicious, this is one of my extended family’s favorite holiday dishes!
- What would a Thanksgiving be without stuffing? It’s a must-have on our holiday table, and is my favorite recipe ever.
- Homemade potato rolls also hold a soft place in our Thanksgiving dinner hearts. Soft, warm, and best with lots of butter, this potato roll recipe only takes about an hour and a half from start to finish, including rising time!
- Veggies always make an appearance too, whether in the form of a salad or a roasted option.
- And, of course, there has to be a nice, slow-roasted or fried fresh turkey on the table.
- Oh! And I almost forgot desserts! From pies to cookies, and everything in between, it wouldn’t be a holiday without lots of pumpkin-flavored sweets finishing off the meal.
Expert Tips
- I prefer to make this dish by putting the cranberry mixture together the night before, and letting it chill overnight, then completing the whipped cream and combining step the morning of and letting the dish chill once again until serving later that afternoon or evening.
- Substitutions for walnuts include pecan pieces or slivered almonds. If you want to substitute nuts all together, you can add in some dried fruit like apples, figs, or pears.
More Holiday Side Dish Recipes
- Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Almonds
- French Onion Potatoes
- Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Classic Homemade Stuffing
- Beef Broth Brown Gravy
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
Did you make this dish? Please rate the recipe below!
Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen and thawed cranberries - finely chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple
- juice of ½ lime
- ½ cup roughly chopped walnuts
- 4 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 pint heavy cream
Instructions
- Combine chopped cranberries, sugar, pineapple (including juice), lime juice, and walnuts in a bowl and stir. Cover and chill for at least one hour. (or up to overnight)
- Add heavy cream to a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixer (you can do it by hand but it will take much longer) until stiff peaks form. Stir in marshmallows. Stir in cranberry mixture. Cover and chill for 4 hours or up to overnight. Serve cold.
OH my goodness! I feel like this is the type of dish that I would literally just inhale on Thanksgiving, or really any other day of the year, for that matter. Looks so yummy!!
I was so excited for this dish but it didn’t turnout how I hoped. The tiny bits of cranberry were almost crunchy making for a very weird texture with the fluffy marshmallows. I’m debating trying it with something like strawberries instead next time since the rest of it was so good.
So delicious
Those look a lot like Pecans in the picture. I’m thinking that’s what we always used for this salad.
They’re walnuts but you can use pecans if you prefer.