Satisfy your sweet tooth with creamy and fruity Orange Fluff Salad. Made with 6 simple ingredients, and ready in just minutes, it’s the perfect side dish or light dessert that the entire family will love.
This classic recipe is the perfect quick and easy recipe for your next family gathering, picnic, or potluck.
Why You’ll Love this Orange Fluff Recipe
- Easy: With no baking necessary and common ingredients, this recipe comes together in just a few minutes.
- Make Ahead: This sweet salad tastes better after sitting for a while, which makes it a fantastic make ahead recipe for big gatherings.
- Taste: The combination of mandarin oranges, whipped topping, and mini marshmallows makes this an irresistible light dessert that tastes just like an orange creamsicle
What You’ll Need:
Ingredients:
- Whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
- Orange gelatin powder
- Mandarin Oranges
- Mini Marshmallows
- Cottage Cheese
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut
Supplies:
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon or spatula
Step-by-Step Directions:
To make things easy for you, I created a simple photo guide below. For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces whipped topping with 3 ounces orange jello powder. Stir until fully blended and no white streaks remain.
Gently fold in 14 ounces of drained mandarin oranges, 1.5 cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge, covered, until ready to serve.
Essential Tips:
Don’t skip these tips – read them before starting to avoid any potential mistakes.
- Make this a day in advance for the best results. This gives the flavor time to fully combine and the marshmallows to soften.
- Get creative and change up the flavor of the salad with different fruits and gelatin flavors. Popular flavors include cherry, fruit cocktail,
- Give your salad a bit of crunch with chopped pecans or pistachios
- Leave out the coconut flakes if you prefer a creamier salad.
- The orange slices easily fall apart when folding everything together. If you want them to be more prominent, stir half of them in at first and then top the salad with the remaining slices.
FAQs:
Why is this called a salad? Isn’t it more of a dessert?
The short answer is…I have no idea how this came to be called a salad.
I did attempt some research, but none of the explanations I saw gave credible sources. The best guess I have is that it has something to do with being a cold, uncooked combination of fruits and other ingredients.
Many people love to serve it as a side dish at Easter, Thanksgiving, and summer picnics, but I personally prefer to think of it as a light dessert that’s best enjoyed when it’s warm outside.
Can I use fresh orange slices instead of canned mandarin oranges?
I like to use canned orange slices because it keeps this recipe nice and smooth, and better yet fast. But it you have fresh mandarins or clementines you can certainly give those a try. Don’t forget to let us know in the comments section if you try it out and how it goes!
Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?
Absolutely! You’ll want to use a kitchen scale to make sure you’ve got the same quantity homemade whipped cream as is written in the recipe.
Remember, homemade whipped cream tends to be a bit softer and less stable than whipped topping from a tub, so your orange fluff salad might not last as long as the recipe written here.
How to Store Orange Fluff Salad
Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated for up to a week.
Make sure to stir the salad well after storing, as some of the liquid may separate. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t affect the flavor or texture at all)
Can you freeze orange fluff?
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as it will affect the texture of the marshmallows and may not defrost well.
If you liked my orange fluff salad, you’re going to love my Strawberry Delight. With layers of graham crackers, cheesecake whipped cream, and fresh strawberries, this no bake dessert dessert recipe is a deliciously simple way to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Or you can check out my other desserts recipes here.
Orange Fluff Salad
The whole family will love this easy, delicious recipe for Orange Fluff Salad. Fruity, creamy, and ready in just minutes it's the perfect side dish or light dessert.
Ingredients
- 1, 8-ounce tub whipped topping
- 1, 3-ounce box orange gelatin powder
- 1, 14-ounce can Mandarin Oranges, drained
- 1 ½ Cups Mini Marshmallows
- 1 Cup Cottage Cheese
- 1 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces whipped topping with 3 ounces orange jello powder. Stir until fully blended and no white streaks remain.
- Gently fold in 14 ounces of drained mandarin oranges, 1.5 cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge, covered, until ready to serve.
Notes
Remember, the step-by-step photos and FAQ in the recipe post are there to help you if you feel stuck at any point.
- Make this a day in advance for the best results. This gives the flavor time to fully combine and the marshmallows to soften.
- Get creative and change up the flavor of the salad with different fruits and gelatin flavors. Popular flavors include cherry, fruit cocktail,
- Give your salad a bit of crunch with chopped pecans or pistachios
- Leave out the coconut flakes if you prefer a creamier salad.
- The orange slices easily fall apart when folding everything together. If you want them to be more prominent, stir half of them in at first and then top the salad with the remaining slices.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Jennifer Wise says
This looks yummy–I think the coconut would be such a nice addition. Pinning! 🙂 Visiting from The Happy Now blog link up.
Donna B Reidland says
I can’t wait to try this!