Cranberry Jello Salad is the perfect holiday dessert. Light and delicious, it’s loaded with fruits for a bright, festive color and natural flavor. A quick and easy recipe to add to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu planning!
Pin this recipe now to save it for later
Pin RecipeIf you love cranberry recipes, this simple jello salad must be on your radar. With a prep time of just 10 minutes, you can have this ready and chilling quickly. (That means you can easily move on to work on the rest of your holiday dishes like sweet potato casserole and green beans!)
This simple jello salad recipe has minimal ingredients yet is loaded with maximum flavor. The sweet taste and satisfying texture are what make this a holiday hit!
Cranberry Jello Salad Recipe
While I’m a big fan of Grape Salad and Watermelon and Feta Salad, I have to admit that this recipe for cranberry salad is one of my favorites. I love the pieces of pineapple in every bite!
Even though this jello dessert has to chill for two hours to firm up, I promise you it’s 100% worth the wait!
There are very few fruit salad recipes out there that grab hold and take charge of your taste buds like this one. As a result, it’s one dessert recipe you’ll love making every holiday season.
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients for Jello Cranberry Salad
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Raspberry jello – You’ll need to use 6 ounces total.
- Boiling water
- Crushed pineapple – Use canned crushed pineapple.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce – The whole cranberries add a fun texture and flavor.
- Honeycrisp apple – Clean, peel, and chop.
- Chopped pecans – You can use your food processor to chop them. Just be careful not to pulse too much, or they’ll be too little!
- Cranberry juice – Adds natural sweetness.
Variations
- If you don’t want pecans, you can also use chopped walnuts.
- Change the type of jello for a new flavor. Strawberry, raspberry, and even fruit punch would all taste great!
- Use Granny Smith Apples instead of Honeycrisp to make this cranberry jello recipe a little on the tarter side.
How To Make Cranberry Jello Salad
- Mix: Add the jello powder to a mixing bowl, and whisk in the boiling water until the powder is completely dissolved.
- Stir: Add the crushed pineapple (plus the juice in the can), and stir.
- Add: Add the cranberry sauce. If there are bigger chunks, break them up into smaller pieces.
- Stir: Add the chopped pecans and chopped apple, and stir.
- Pour: Add the jello mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Chill: Transfer the dish to the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
- Serve: You can serve this from the baking dish, or scoop it into a serving bowl.
Quick Tip
If you want to add a fun topping to this jello salad dessert, try finishing it with a little bit of whipped cream just before serving!
How to Store Jello Salad
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container, and keep them stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe!
FAQs
If the jello salad is runny, let it sit a bit longer in the fridge. Don’t rush the chilling process – it’s important to the final texture!
Absolutely, just make sure it’s fresh! Dice the pineapple by hand, or use a food processo for a quicker process.
Yes, feel free to mix and match any fruit you have on hand and like best such as halved grapes, sliced oranges, or cherries. You can even add a can of fruit cocktail to this recipe for a variety of tastes and textures.
More Sweet Salad Recipes
Recipes
Orange Fluff Salad
Soups and Salads
Waldorf Salad
Recipes
Ambrosia Salad
Quick & Easy Desserts
Jello Pretzel Salad
Recipes
Creamy Pistachio Salad
Soups and Salads
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Cranberry Jello Salad
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Can opener
- Measuring cup
- 9×13 baking dish
- Rubber spatula or spoon
Ingredients
- 2 boxes raspberry jello 6 ounces total
- 1½ cups boiling water
- 1 can crushed pineapple 20 ounces
- 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 15 ounces
- 1 apple Honeycrisp – peeled and chopped
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ¾ cup cranberry juice
Instructions
- Add the jello powder to a mixing bowl and whisk in the boiling water. Whisk until the jello is dissolved completely.2 boxes raspberry jello, 1½ cups boiling water
- Add the crushed pineapple (plus the juice in the can) and stir.1 can crushed pineapple
- Add the cranberry sauce. If there are bigger chunks and pieces, break them up into smaller pieces.1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
- Stir in the chopped pecans and chopped apple then mix in the cranberry juice.1 apple, ½ cup pecans, ¾ cup cranberry juice
- Add the jello mixture into a 9×13 dish. Put the dish in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
- You can serve this from the baking dish or scoop it into a serving bowl.
