Best Cranberry Salad Ever

5 from 7 votes

This classic Cranberry Salad is a nostalgic holiday favorite made with fresh cranberries, crushed pineapple, walnuts, mini marshmallows and real whipped cream. Start it a day ahead so the flavors can meld and the marshmallows soften into the creamy, sweet-tart salad. Serve it as a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish or light dessert.

Course: Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 292kcal

Author: Sally Humeniuk

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 pint (2 cups) heavy whipping cream
1 to 2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

Chop the cranberries. Add the cranberries to a food processor and pulse until chopped, but not too finely.
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
Combine the cranberry mixture. In a large bowl, stir together the chopped cranberries, sugar, crushed pineapple with its juice, and walnuts. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to meld.
1 cup granulated sugar, 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, ½ cup chopped walnuts
Whip the cream. Beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
1 pint (2 cups) heavy whipping cream
Add the marshmallows. Stir 1 to 2 cups mini marshmallows into the chilled cranberry mixture.
1 to 2 cups mini marshmallows
Fold in the whipped cream. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture until evenly combined and uniformly pink.
Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Overnight is even better.

Notes

If the dessert seems a bit watery, don't worry because the marshmallows will absorb a lot of the moisture during refrigeration. Also, as noted above, make sure your cream is whipped into stiff peaks. You can also add more marshmallows, if necessary.
The Cranberry Salad is also excellent served frozen.
Use real whipped cream: I don't recommend substituting Cool Whip for the heavy whipping cream. For the best flavor and texture, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks before folding it into the cranberry mixture.
Make-Ahead Tip:
Prepare the cranberry mixture one or two days ahead so the sugar fully dissolves and the flavors blend beautifully. Fold in the whipped cream and marshmallows the day before serving for the best texture and flavor.

Nutrition