Fast, Easy, Delicious Ambrosia Salad Recipe (Perfect For The Holidays)

This is not your grandmother’s Ambrosia Salad, though bless her heart, I’m sure hers was lovely.

I remember my first encounter with ambrosia like it was yesterday. I was about ten years old, at a church potluck, standing before a long folding table laden with every casserole and salad imaginable. There, in a big crystal bowl, was this fluffy, pastel-colored concoction filled with fruit and marshmallows. I was smitten.

For years, I enjoyed that classic version, usually made with sour cream or just whipped topping. It was sweet, it was fruity, and it was a staple at every family gathering. But as I started developing my own recipes, I kept thinking about that ambrosia. It was good, but I knew it could be great. It needed a little something to give it some backbone, something to make it truly unforgettable.

My Aunt Carol always used to say, “When in doubt, add cream cheese.” That woman put it in everything from pound cake to mashed potatoes, and she was rarely wrong. So, I took her advice to heart. I started tinkering with the dressing for my **Ambrosia Salad**, whipping softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla before folding in real, homemade whipped cream. The result was a game changer, y’all. The dressing became rich, velvety, and just tangy enough to cut through the sweetness. It holds up so much better and turns a simple fruit salad into a truly decadent dessert. This is the recipe that gets requested again and again, and it all started with a little bit of potluck nostalgia and some good old-fashioned Southern kitchen wisdom.

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Why This Ambrosia Salad Recipe Works

Ambrosia has a fascinating history that dates all the way back to the 1860s. Back then, ingredients like coconut and citrus fruits were exotic luxuries, not everyday items you could just grab at the grocery store. The first ambrosia recipes were quite simple, often just layered oranges, coconut, and sugar. It was considered the height of elegance and was named after the food of the Greek gods for a reason.

Over the decades, the recipe evolved. As canned fruits became widely available and affordable, cooks started adding pineapple, cherries, and other fruits to the mix. After World War II, marshmallows became a popular and playful addition, turning it into the fluffy, sweet salad we recognize today. It cemented its place as a potluck and holiday icon, especially here in the South.

So, why does this particular **Ambrosia Salad** recipe work so well? It honors that history while elevating the final dish. Instead of using a simple sour cream or a tub of whipped topping, we build a far superior dressing from scratch. The base of full fat cream cheese gives the salad a luxurious texture and a slight tang that beautifully balances the sweetness of the fruit and marshmallows. Whipping our own heavy cream adds an airy lightness that you just can’t get from a container. It creates a stable, creamy dressing that coats every ingredient without becoming watery or breaking down after a few hours in the fridge. This version is richer, more flavorful, and has a homemade quality that really shines through. It’s a nod to the past with a delicious step into the present.

Ingredients for Ambrosia Salad

The secret to a truly spectacular Ambrosia Salad lies in using quality ingredients and, of course, our special creamy dressing. This isn’t the time for shortcuts, because every single component plays a part in the final flavor and texture. Pay close attention to the notes, as they make all the difference.

Here’s what you’ll need to gather:

• For the Salad:
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained very well
  • 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits in 100% juice, drained very well
  • 1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut, toasted
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• For the Cream Cheese Dressing:
  • 1 (8-ounce) block full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

A few important notes on these ingredients. The full fat, block style cream cheese is the star of our little twist. Do not, I repeat, do not use the whipped kind in a tub. It has a different texture and more water content, and it will not give you that thick, luscious dressing we’re aiming for. Let it soften completely on the counter for an hour or so to ensure it whips up smooth and creamy without any lumps.

Similarly, using cold heavy whipping cream is non negotiable. It needs to be very cold to whip up properly into stiff peaks, which gives our dressing its light, fluffy structure. And please, take the extra five minutes to toast your coconut and pecans. It deepens their flavor from raw and plain to nutty, fragrant, and complex, adding a wonderful crunch that cuts through all that creamy sweetness. It’s a small step that yields a huge reward in the final **Ambrosia Salad**.

Step-by-Step Instructions For Making Ambrosia Salad

Alright, let’s get down to business. This recipe is simple, but following the steps in the right order and paying attention to the techniques will guarantee a perfect, crowd pleasing salad every time. Don’t rush the chilling step, it’s the most important part!

1. Toast the Coconut and Pecans: Place the shredded coconut in a large, dry skillet over medium low heat. Stir constantly until it’s fragrant and lightly golden brown in spots. This only takes 3 to 5 minutes, so don’t walk away. Remove it to a plate to cool. Repeat the process with the chopped pecans, toasting them for about 4 to 6 minutes until they smell nutty and darken slightly. Set both aside to cool completely.
2. Prepare the Fruit: The most common mistake with ambrosia is not draining the fruit well enough, which leads to a watery salad. Open your cans of mandarin oranges and pineapple and pour them into a fine mesh sieve. Let them sit and drain for at least 15 minutes, gently pressing on them occasionally to release extra juice. Rinse and drain the maraschino cherries, then pat them completely dry with a paper towel.
3. Make the Cream Cheese Base: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to beat the softened block of cream cheese on medium speed until it’s completely smooth and free of lumps. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat again until everything is combined and creamy.
4. Whip the Cream: In a separate, clean, and cold bowl, pour in the cold heavy whipping cream. Using the whisk attachment, beat the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. This means when you lift the beaters out, the cream holds its shape and the peak stands straight up without flopping over.
5. Combine the Dressing: Gently fold about one third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a rubber spatula. This lightens the base. Then, add the remaining whipped cream and fold gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as you want to keep all that air you just whipped into the cream.
6. Assemble the Ambrosia Salad: In your largest bowl, combine the thoroughly drained mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, dry maraschino cherries, mini marshmallows, and the cooled, toasted pecans and coconut. Pour the prepared dressing over the top.
7. Fold and Chill: Using your spatula, gently fold everything together until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the creamy dressing. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better. This chilling time is essential for the flavors to meld together and for the salad to set up properly.

How To Serve Ambrosia Salad

Once your beautiful Ambrosia Salad has had its proper chilling time, it’s ready for its big debut. Presentation can turn something delicious into something truly special, and this salad deserves to be shown off. It’s a feast for the eyes with its pastel colors and variety of textures.

My favorite way to serve it for a big gathering, like Easter lunch or a Christmas potluck, is in a large glass trifle bowl. This allows everyone to see the lovely layers of fruit, marshmallows, and creamy dressing. It just looks so festive and inviting sitting on a buffet table. Before serving, I always like to add a little garnish on top. A sprinkle of extra toasted coconut, a few perfectly placed toasted pecan halves, and maybe a single fresh maraschino cherry right in the center gives it a polished, finished look.

If you’re having a smaller dinner party or want a more elegant presentation, consider serving the ambrosia in individual portions. Here are a few ideas:

• Parfait Glasses: Spoon the salad into clear parfait or wine glasses. This creates a beautiful, personal dessert for each guest and feels a little bit fancier.
• Small Bowls: Use small, decorative glass or ceramic bowls. This is a classic and simple way to serve it that always looks charming.
• Lettuce Cups: For a truly vintage, old-school Southern touch, you can place a crisp leaf of butter lettuce in a small bowl and scoop the ambrosia into it. It’s a throwback, but it’s surprisingly lovely.

Remember, this dish can function as both a side dish and a dessert, which is part of its Southern charm. At a holiday meal, you’ll often find it right next to the savory casseroles and the baked ham. Don’t question it, just enjoy it. It provides a sweet, cool, and refreshing contrast to the richer, savory dishes on the plate.

How To Store & Reuse Ambrosia Salad Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have any of this delightful Ambrosia Salad left over, proper storage is key to keeping it fresh and delicious. Because of the dairy based dressing and the cut fruit, this is a dish that must be kept refrigerated at all times.

To store it, simply transfer any leftovers into an airtight container. If you served it from a large bowl, you can also just press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the salad before covering the bowl tightly. This helps prevent a skin from forming and keeps it from absorbing any other odors from your refrigerator. Stored properly, your ambrosia will keep for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the marshmallows will continue to soften, and the fruit may release a little more juice over time, so the texture will be best on day one and two.

While it’s perfectly wonderful eaten straight from the container with a spoon, there are a few creative ways to enjoy the leftovers so nothing goes to waste:

• Pound Cake Topper: This is my absolute favorite way to use up leftover ambrosia. Get a thick slice of classic pound cake or angel food cake and spoon a generous helping of the chilled salad right over the top. It’s an instant, effortless dessert.
• Simple Trifle: Crumble up some shortbread cookies or vanilla wafers in the bottom of a glass. Layer the leftover ambrosia on top, then add another layer of crumbled cookies. It’s a mini trifle that takes about two minutes to assemble.
• Waffle or Pancake Topping: For a truly decadent breakfast or brunch, skip the syrup and top your warm waffles or pancakes with a scoop of cold ambrosia salad. The contrast of hot and cold is just divine.

I would not recommend freezing this Ambrosia Salad. The cream cheese dressing can separate when it thaws, and the fruit and marshmallows would become mushy and watery. It’s best enjoyed fresh from the refrigerator within a few days of making it.

Substitutions & Variations For Ambrosia Salad

One of the best things about a classic recipe like Ambrosia Salad is that it’s incredibly adaptable. While I believe my version with the cream cheese dressing is just about perfect, I encourage you to play around and make it your own. Your family’s tastes might be a little different, or you might just have different ingredients on hand in your pantry.

Here are some tried and true substitutions and fun variations to inspire you. Feel free to mix and match to create your own signature ambrosia. Just remember to keep the proportions of wet to dry ingredients relatively similar to maintain that perfect creamy consistency.

Tweak the recipe with these simple swaps and additions:

• Fruit Swaps: Don’t feel limited to mandarin oranges and pineapple. You could use a can of fruit cocktail (drained well, of course), canned or fresh sliced peaches, or sliced grapes. If you want to add bananas, slice and fold them in right before serving to prevent them from turning brown and mushy.
• Nut Variations: If pecans aren’t your favorite, toasted walnuts or even sliced almonds would be a wonderful substitute. For a pop of color and unique flavor, try using pistachios. If there’s a nut allergy, you can simply leave them out altogether.
• Dressing Alternatives: If you’re not a fan of cream cheese or want a lighter version, you can go back to the classics. Substitute the cream cheese and heavy cream portion with 2 cups of full fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. You may need to adjust the powdered sugar to your liking, as these bases are tangier.
• Fun Add Ins: This is where you can get really creative. Some people love adding a cup of shredded carrots for a pop of color and a nod to carrot cake flavors. Others enjoy a salty crunch from coarsely crushed pretzels or even crumbled shortbread cookies folded in just before serving.

For a more grown up version, you could even add a tablespoon of Grand Marnier or Amaretto to the dressing for a subtle, sophisticated flavor. Just have fun with it. This **Ambrosia Salad** recipe is a fantastic starting point for all sorts of delicious experiments.

Fast, Easy, Delicious Ambrosia Salad Recipe (Perfect For The Holidays)

Yield: 10 cups

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A decadent, fluffy Ambrosia Salad made with a rich cream cheese–whipped cream dressing, toasted coconut, toasted pecans, and a classic mix of mandarin oranges, pineapple, cherries, mini marshmallows, and grapes.

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Ingredients

• 2 (15 oz) cans mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained very well
• 1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits in 100% juice, drained very well
• 1 (10 oz) jar maraschino cherries, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup pecan halves, chopped
• 1 (8 oz) block full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Toast coconut: In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stir coconut 3–5 minutes until lightly golden; transfer to a plate to cool.
2. Toast pecans: In the same skillet, toast chopped pecans 4–6 minutes until fragrant; cool completely.
3. Drain fruit: Place oranges and pineapple in a fine-mesh sieve at least 15 minutes; press gently to remove excess liquid. Rinse cherries, then pat fully dry.
4. Make cream cheese base: Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until creamy.
5. Whip cream: In a cold bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold one-third into cream cheese to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream just until combined.
6. Assemble: In a large bowl, combine drained oranges, pineapple, cherries, grapes (if using), and marshmallows. Add dressing and fold gently to coat.
7. Finish: Fold in toasted coconut and pecans, reserving a little for garnish. Cover and chill at least 4 hours (overnight preferred). Garnish with reserved coconut and pecans before serving.

Notes

For best texture, drain fruit thoroughly and dry cherries well to prevent a watery salad. Chill at least 4 hours for the dressing to set. Omit nuts for allergies, or substitute toasted walnuts or almonds. For a lighter option, replace part of the cream cheese with Greek yogurt. Avoid freezing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 410 Total Fat: 28g Carbohydrates: 49g Protein: 4g

5 FAQs About Ambrosia Salad

Here are some straightforward answers to the most common questions I receive about this Ambrosia Salad recipe.

Why is my Ambrosia Salad watery?

A watery Ambrosia Salad is the most common issue people face, and it almost always comes down to one thing: excess moisture from the canned fruit. It is absolutely critical that you drain the mandarin oranges and pineapple tidbits as thoroughly as humanly possible. Simply pouring them out of the can is not enough. I recommend placing them in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and letting gravity do the work for at least 15 minutes.

After they’ve drained, I even take the extra step of gently pressing down on the fruit with the back of a spoon to squeeze out any remaining hidden juice. Likewise, the maraschino cherries should be rinsed and then patted completely dry with paper towels before you add them to the bowl. Taking these extra few minutes to remove as much liquid as you can will ensure your beautiful, creamy dressing stays thick and luscious instead of turning into a soupy mess.

Can I make Ambrosia Salad ahead of time?

Yes, you absolutely can, and in fact, you should. This is one of those wonderful recipes that actually gets better as it sits. Making it ahead of time gives all the flavors a chance to meld and marry together. The marshmallows soften slightly into the dressing, and the fruit infuses everything with its sweetness. I strongly recommend making this salad at least 4 hours before you plan to serve it.

For the best results, making it the night before is the ideal scenario. It will be perfectly chilled and set, and it’s one less thing you have to worry about on the day of your party or gathering. It can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Any longer than that and the fruit may start to break down too much, making the salad a bit too soft for my liking. Just keep it covered tightly in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

What is the best way to toast coconut for Ambrosia Salad?

Toasting the coconut is a small step that makes a world of difference in the final flavor, bringing out a nutty, rich taste that raw coconut just doesn’t have. My preferred method is using a dry skillet on the stovetop because it’s fast and gives you a lot of control. Simply spread the shredded coconut in an even layer in a large skillet over medium low heat. You don’t need any oil or butter. Stir it constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula until it becomes fragrant and turns a light, golden brown. This happens quickly, usually in about 3 to 5 minutes, so don’t walk away or it will burn.

Alternatively, you can use your oven. Preheat it to 325°F and spread the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet in a thin, even layer. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until it’s evenly toasted. The oven method is great if you’re toasting a large batch, but for the one cup in this recipe, the skillet is just quicker and easier.

Can I use fresh fruit in Ambrosia Salad?

You can certainly use fresh fruit in your ambrosia, but you need to choose your fruits wisely. The benefit of using canned fruit is that it’s softer and has a consistent sweetness that works well in this salad. If you opt for fresh, choose fruits that aren’t overly juicy or acidic. Fresh orange segments (with the membrane removed), fresh pineapple cut into small chunks, and seedless grapes are all excellent choices. Berries like strawberries or blueberries can also be lovely, but they are more delicate and may stain the dressing.

The key, just like with canned fruit, is managing the moisture. If you use fresh pineapple, for example, let the chunks sit on a layer of paper towels for about 20 minutes to absorb some of the excess juice before adding them to the salad. Avoid very watery fruits like watermelon or cantaloupe, as they will almost certainly make your salad soupy. Adding any fresh fruit will also shorten the salad’s shelf life, so it’s best eaten the same day it’s made.

Is Ambrosia Salad a dessert or a side dish?

This is the great debate, and the honest answer is that it can be both. Its role really depends on family tradition, the region you’re in, and the specific meal it’s being served with. Here in the South, it’s very common to see Ambrosia Salad served as a side dish during big holiday meals like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. You’ll find it on the buffet table right alongside the savory dishes like green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and baked ham. In this context, it acts as a sweet and creamy counterpoint to the saltier fare.

However, because of its sweet ingredients like marshmallows, fruit, and a sugary dressing, most people outside of this tradition would classify it squarely as a dessert. It’s perfect for serving at a potluck, a summer barbecue, or as a sweet treat after a family dinner. There’s no right or wrong answer here. So, serve it whenever you please and just enjoy it for the delicious, nostalgic treat that it is.

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