Cranberry jello salad is a very easy recipe made with whole cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, apples and strawberry gelatin. This recipe is quick to put together but needs to be chilled in the fridge in advance. It's the perfect side dish to serve at your next holiday dinner!
Try our homemade cranberry sauce next! It's flavored with a bit of orange zest and makes it extra delicious.
Cranberry Pineapple Salad
This cranberry pineapple jello salad is a classic recipe that reminds me of my childhood. It’s easy peasy to make and a great addition to your holiday meal.
The process to make it is simple, all you need is a kettle of boiling water and a bowl to mix everything together. No stovetop is necessary.
Although this jello salad is sweet-tasting, it’s also tart all thanks to the cranberries. Traditionally it’s served as a side dish with a holiday dinner and roasted turkey. It would also taste great alongside roast beef, chicken or ham.
Recipe Ingredients
You only need 5 ingredients to make this classic jello salad.
- 1 medium apple - chopped into bite-size pieces
- 14 oz can crushed pineapple
- 14 oz can whole cranberry sauce
- 6 oz strawberry gelatin (jello) - 2 boxes of Jello
- 1 ¾ cup boiling water
How To Make Jello Cranberry Salad
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: Chop one small apple into bite-size pieces.
STEP 2: Add the 14 oz can of crushed pineapple, 14 oz can of whole cranberry sauce and 1 chopped apple to a bowl. Mix them together.
STEP 3: In a separate bowl add two packs (6 oz) of strawberry gelatin. Add 1 ¾ cups of boiling water to the gelatin powder. Whisk for two minutes to fully dissolve.
STEP 4: Pour the jello liquid overtop of the canned fruit mixture and stir together. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours to chill and set.
STEP 5: Once fully chilled, stir with a spoon to break up the gelatin. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to use whole berry cranberry sauce versus jellied cranberry sauce. You want the whole cranberries for this recipe because they add great texture and flavor.
- You can use regular strawberry jello, or a sugar-free version like I did. I used 2 packs of Simply Delish strawberry gelatin that’s sweetened with stevia. Raspberry gelatin or cherry jello (gelatin) will also work.
- You can boil the hot water in a kettle (like I did) or in a pot on the stove (water must be hot, not cold water).
- Substitute apples for canned mandarin oranges, chopped fresh pineapple or chopped pecans.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate - Leftover jello salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. This recipe must be kept chilled until you’re ready to serve.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links) - Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Mixing Bowls With Pour Spout - This set of 3 mixing bowls makes it easy to mix ingredients. They stack nicely with each other and are easy to clean.
- Good Grips Balloon Whisk - A great whisk to use for all your home cooking recipes.
- Ninja Precision Temperature Kettle - Such a great kettle that allows you to brew the perfect temperature.
Free Workshop: Dinner Made Easy
End the 5PM dinner panic once and for all.
Join me in this free online workshop where I’ll show you my simple 3-step system to make dinner stress-free (and actually get your family to eat it).
Cranberry Pineapple Jello Salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium apple - chopped into bite-size pieces
- 14 oz can crushed pineapple
- 14 oz can whole cranberry sauce
- 6 oz strawberry gelatin (jello) - 2 boxes of Jello
- 1 ¾ cup boiling water
Instructions
- Chop one small apple into bite-size pieces.
- Add the 14 oz can of crushed pineapple, 14 oz can of whole cranberry sauce and 1 chopped apple to a bowl. Mix them together.
- In a separate bowl add two packs (6 oz) of strawberry gelatin. Add 1 ¾ cups of boiling water to the gelatin powder. Whisk for two minutes to fully dissolve.
- Pour the jello liquid overtop of the canned fruit mixture and stir together. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours to chill and set.
- Once fully chilled, stir with a spoon to break up the gelatin. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
