This creamy cranberry salad recipe is a blend of fresh cranberries, pineapple, marshmallows, pecans, coconut and apples, all tossed in a creamy dressing. A unique and colorful salad that’s perfect for the holidays!
I love to serve cranberry salad alongside slow roasted prime rib, herb roasted turkey or crock pot ham for an easy and festive side dish recipe. This is always one of the first dishes to disappear at Thanksgiving dinner!
I’m always looking for fun ways to serve cranberries other than your standard cranberry sauce. This cranberry salad is perfectly sweet and full of different flavors and textures. If you are a cranberry fan, make sure to also bake up a loaf of fresh cranberry bread to celebrate the season!
Table of Contents
Cranberry Salad Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, apple, pineapple, marshmallows, pecans, coconut and whipped topping.
How Do You Make Cranberry Salad?
Place the cranberries in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the berries are coarsely chopped. Transfer the cranberries to a large bowl, add the sugar and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Add the apple, pineapple, mini marshmallows, pecans and coconut to the cranberry mixture in the bowl. Next, add the whipped topping and gently fold it into the other ingredients. Add garnishes such as fresh cranberries and more marshmallows if desired, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For Cranberry Salad
- I use a food processor to chop my cranberries. You can also roughly chop them with a knife or even use a blender.
- This salad can be made up to 8 hours before you plan to serve it.
- It’s important to let the cranberries sit in the sugar for a few hours so that the berries have time to absorb the sugar, which helps to temper their tartness.
- You can serve this salad as a side dish, or put it on the dessert table. Either way will work just fine!
Quick Tip
You can use fresh, frozen or canned pineapple in this recipe. I typically choose canned pineapple because of the convenience factor. You can even go with crushed pineapple for a different texture.
Recipe FAQs
You can substitute thawed frozen cranberries for fresh cranberries in this salad, although the texture will be a little different. Fresh cranberries will have a little more crunch and texture than frozen cranberries.
Cranberry salad is typically made with fresh cranberries and sugar in a creamy dressing. It also typically contains other ingredients such as different types of fruit, nuts, coconut or marshmallows.
There are a couple of different types of cranberry salad. While this is a creamy salad, a cranberry Jello salad is also a very popular option.
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Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as written, you can change up the ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Dressing: Instead of whipped topping, feel free to use freshly whipped cream or vanilla Greek yogurt. The whipped cream in a can will not work in this recipe as it will deflate.
- Fruit: I typically go for Granny Smith apples, but other great options include Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Braeburn. You can also use different types of fruit such as canned pears, mandarin oranges or even raspberries.
- Nuts: No pecans on hand? Try walnuts, almonds or pistachios instead.
- Garnishes: Add some fun garnishes to your salad such as fresh cranberries, candied pecans, more marshmallows, diced pineapple, fresh mint or even toasted coconut.
Once you try this salad, you’ll be hooked. It is a big favorite with the kids too, because no child can resist mini marshmallows!
More Delicious Side Dishes
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Glazed Carrots
20 mins
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
3 hrs 10 mins
Cranberry Salad Video
Love This Recipe?
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Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup chopped apple I use Granny Smith
- 1 cup chopped pineapple fresh or canned
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
- fresh cranberries, apples and marshmallows for garnish optional
Instructions
- Pour the cranberries into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the berries are coarsely chopped.
- Place the cranberries and sugar in a glass or plastic bowl (do not use metal). Stir to combine.
- Cover the bowl and chill for at least 3 hours.
- Add the apple, pineapple, marshmallows, pecans and coconut to the bowl.
- Add the whipped topping to the bowl and fold gently to combine all the ingredients. Garnish with additional cranberries, apples and marshmallows if desired, then serve.
Notes
- I use a food processor to chop my cranberries. You can also roughly chop them with a knife or even use a blender.
- This salad can be made up to 8 hours before you plan to serve it.
- It’s important to let the cranberries sit in the sugar for a few hours so that the berries have time to absorb the sugar, which helps to temper their tartness.
This is so yummy! Make it every Thanksgiving! Sometimes I leave out the coconut and apple. But however it’s done, it’s so good!
Can I keep the cranberries with sugar soaking overnight and then put the salad together the next day?
Yes that’s fine!
Can I omit the marshmallows ??
Yes that’s fine!
I made this last year and now its my most requested side dish for Thanksgiving this year! Yummy
This is a great addition to my Holiday menu!
Mmmmm…. it looks so inviting and irresistible! The best salad ever!
Loving this. Adding to my Thanksgiving menu!
This is such a delicious salad! A must-make for Thanksgiving!
This ranberry salad is is seriously making me hungry!
I love the tartness of the berries mixed with the sweet ingredients. It is so pretty too!
I can’t wait to make this for thanksgiving!
Can you use frozen cranberries ? ?? Would like to try for Easter with turkey,,,Looks spring like Thank You
Yes just thaw them first!
This is always a big hit at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s so easy. I came across it last year and it has become a tradition now. I use half the sugar because I like it a bit more tangy.
Can this be made the night before ?
yes it can!
This cranberry salad looks so delicious! I am going to have to make it for Thanksgiving!