featured 55504

Creamy Fruit Salad with Cool Whip – Simple Party Dessert

This fruit salad with Cool Whip is sweet, creamy, and delightfully simple. It’s ideal for holiday dinners, Sunday gatherings, brunches, or potlucks — easy to scale for a crowd and quick to prepare.

A bowl of fruit salad with Cool Whip on the table in front of a bowl of marshmallows.

Table of contents

  • Why You Will Love Fruit Salad with Marshmallows and Cool Whip
  • Ingredients
  • How To Make Fruit Salad with Cool Whip
  • Tips & Variations
  • Recipe FAQ
  • Storing

Why You Will Love Fruit Salad with Marshmallows and Cool Whip

  • An easy fruit salad perfect for holidays and gatherings.
  • No-fuss prep: just mix the ingredients and chill.
  • Balanced flavors: sweet, creamy, and refreshing.
  • Crowd-pleaser: familiar, comforting, and great for potlucks.

Ingredients

Ingredients to make fruit salad with marshmallows and cool whip on the table.
  • Cool Whip: thawed, for a light, creamy base.
  • Maraschino cherries: add color and sweetness; reserve a few tablespoons of juice to flavor the Cool Whip.
  • Seedless grapes: a mix of green and red, halved.
  • Mini marshmallows: match the fruit size and add soft texture.
  • Mandarin oranges and pineapple tidbits: canned makes this recipe quick and convenient.
  • Sweetened shredded coconut: for a hint of tropical flavor.
  • Pecans: chopped, for crunch and depth of flavor.

How To Make Fruit Salad with Cool Whip

Mixing the cherry juice with the whipped topping.
All the fruits, nuts and pecans in a bowl.
  1. Combine: In a large bowl, fold the thawed Cool Whip with 3–4 tablespoons of reserved maraschino cherry juice until evenly flavored.
  2. Add: Gently stir in the cherries (drained), halved grapes, mini marshmallows, drained mandarin oranges, drained pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans.
  3. Chill: Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve so flavors meld and the salad is thoroughly chilled.

Tips & Variations

  • Use fresh fruit if you prefer: fresh mandarin segments and pineapple chunks work well instead of canned.
  • Swap nuts for almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts to change the texture and flavor.
  • Customize fruits: bananas, kiwi, apples, or berries make tasty additions — add bananas just before serving to avoid browning.
  • Serve chilled: this salad tastes best cold, straight from the fridge.
  • Alternate to Cool Whip: whipped cream can be used for a richer version, but it’s best served soon after preparing since it won’t hold as long.

Serving Suggestions

This fruit salad pairs nicely with brunch or breakfast dishes and works well alongside traditional holiday sides. It’s versatile enough to serve with casseroles, pancakes, or as a sweet side to a savory meal.

Fruit salad with Cool Whip in a bowl garnished with a maraschino cherry.

Recipe FAQ

Is fruit salad with Cool Whip a side dish or dessert?

It can be either. The sweetness from Cool Whip and marshmallows makes it dessert-like, but it’s commonly served as a side at holiday meals. It fits both roles depending on how you present it.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. You can prepare it the night before, but it’s best served within 48 hours. After a few days the fruit releases more juice and the texture becomes softer.

Storing

  • Refrigerate: Store the salad in an airtight container for up to 2–3 days. Expect some liquid separation as the fruit breaks down; give it a gentle stir before serving.
Fruit salad with marshmallows and cool whip on the table with a bowl of marshmallows and cherries.

More Side Dish Recipes

img 55504 7

Greek Tortellini Salad

img 55504 8

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

img 55504 9

Air Fryer Zucchini

Browse All >>>
A white bowl on the table filled with fruit salad with Cool Whip.
5 from 2 ratings
Servings: 8

Fruit Salad with Cool Whip

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 1 min
This fruit salad is sweet, creamy, and perfect for holidays, brunch, or any gathering. It’s quick to make and easy to serve to a crowd.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
  • 10 oz. maraschino cherries (reserve 4 tablespoons juice, then drain)
  • 1/2 cup seedless green grapes, halved
  • 1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 10.5 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
  • 10 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained
  • 2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Add Cool Whip and reserved maraschino cherry juice to a large mixing bowl; fold gently until combined.
  • Add drained cherries, halved grapes, marshmallows, mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, shredded coconut, and pecans.
  • Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

  • Fresh fruit: Swap canned fruit for fresh if you prefer.
  • Nuts: Substitute almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts for pecans.
  • Fruit swaps: Bananas, kiwi, apples, or berries are great additions; add delicate fruit like bananas just before serving.
  • Chill: Best enjoyed cold.
  • Whipped cream option: Use whipped cream instead of Cool Whip for a fresher taste, but serve sooner as it won’t hold as long.
  • Storage: Keep refrigerated up to 2–3 days; texture softens over time as fruit releases juice.
Serving: 1 g
Calories: 295 kcal
Carbohydrates: 49 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 11 g
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Author: Jennifer


Tried this recipe?
Share your photo and tag the recipe on social media to show how yours turned out.

Some links on the original page supported the author. Thank you for supporting creators when you find helpful recipes.