When getting together with friends and family, do you have some go-to recipes for your table? They change throughout the years for me – I find a favorite and it becomes a must-bring dish to potlucks and to serve guests – and other times a new recipe replaces an old one when someone shares it. For the past few years, this recipe has become a part of family get-togethers with my sister’s family and my own, thanks to a friend sharing it with me at a holiday gathering. “I need this recipe!”
It turns out it’s from a printed and bound family cookbook. Those are some of the best recipes don’t you think? Daycare collaborations, family reunion recipe gathering, fundraising books – they’ve got some treasures inside!
While I call this a festive cranberry salad, it’s suitable for summer gatherings as well and we certainly make it year round. The combination of tart granny smith apples and juicy sweetened cranberries with a creamy whipped cream topping make it irrisitable any time of the year. This photo shows it without the whipped cream on top, because to be honest it just photographs better this way! (Hi Pinterest!)
- 1lb cranberries (about one small bag from the grocery store)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- 1 cup chopped granny smith apple (about 1 large or 2 small)
- 1 cup chopped celery (4 large stalks)
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- Place cranberries in a food processor/chopper, then mix sugar into cranberries. *Optional: you can prepare this the night before and drain which will give you less juice in the salad. I've done it both ways and they're both great!
- Mix cranberry mixture with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, that's it!
- Top with homemade whipped cream or cool whip and serve.
Homemade whipped cream is the best with this recipe (when isn’t it?) but you can also cheat and use a tub of cool whip or spray cool whip too.
I love the colour which this salad provides
This looks like a salad my kids would eat 😁
This salad is perfect for the holidays, with lots of sweets in it.
This is a nice recipe to add for the holiday celebrations.
This would be a great new salad for the holidays.
wow i have never tried a salad like this before. never had a cranberry salad and how cool to add the little marshmallows. for that reason alone i know my girls will love this lol
It is so bright and colorful for any gathering and healthy.
Looks delicious! This would be perfect for the Holidays. I love how colorful it is and the sweetness of the fruit and the marshmallows.
This sounds like a fun, festive salad.
Cranberries are awesome in so many recipes!
Easy to do!
Oh man, my kids would love this. Marshmallows for the win!
I’ve never made a cranberry salad. This looks great!
I’ve never tried a salad before. Sounds delicious!
such a fun festive salad! thank you for the recipe!
This looks scrumptious and seasonally appropriate!
That does look like a fun and festive recipe!!! I think my son would enjoy it 🙂
Looks great! I want to try this.
Sounds like something my family would like 🙂 thanks!
This looks absolutely amazing – so colourful and festive. And you gotta love the mini marshmallows!
I love sunshine or watergate salad so I would love this one as well, very festive and perfect for the holidays!
Excellent salad. We used less sugar 3/4 to 12oz of cranberries. Added a 1/2 tsp of powdered mustard and 1/3 cup of pomegranate pips.