Cherry Pineapple Fluff
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A retro-style fruit salad, mixing cherry pie filling with crushed pineapple, sweetened condensed milk, and fluffy whipped topping. Mini marshmallows and pecans add chew and crunch. Maraschino cherries on top finish with a pop of color. Chill till cold but watch marshmallows for sogginess. The switch to canned mandarin oranges instead of pineapple shifts the sweetness and texture slightly, refreshing. Nut swap from pecans to walnuts works if you want a different bite. Timing based on texture, not clock. Stir till uniform but don’t crush the marshmallows. If the fluff feels too wet, add more marshmallows or nuts. A quick chill lets flavors meld, a longer wait dulls marshmallow fluffiness.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
Servings:
10 servings
#dessert
#fruit salad
#holiday recipe
#easy dessert
#whipped topping
#make ahead
Cherry pie filling with pineapple always seemed tricky when marshmallows get mushy. Discovered swapping pineapple for mandarin oranges keeps that juiciness but lessens sogginess. The whipped topping is the glue here – mix too hard, it loses fluffiness; fold gently or risk flat dessert. Sweetened condensed milk is rich and controls sweetness levels better than sugar alone. Adding chopped walnuts instead of pecans cuts cost and still nails crunch. Tasted early to catch marshmallows softening too much. Two hours chill hits balance between cold and too firm. Garnish with mini marshmallows and cherries for texture contrast and color punch. Learned from years of potlucks and some flops to watch texture closely; time isn’t everything, feel matters. Treat this like a cold fruit salad with jazz.
Ingredients
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- 1 can drained canned mandarin oranges
- 14oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tub thawed whipped topping (about 8oz)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup mini marshmallows (for garnish)
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries (patted dry)
About the ingredients
Using canned mandarin oranges instead of crushed pineapple cuts down excess juice that often makes fluff too watery. Drain them well but try to keep some juice for moistness. If you prefer pineapple, make sure it is very well drained or squeeze excess liquid out gently before mixing. Vanilla and almond extracts add background flavor; almond is optional but gives a nice nutty hint without overpowering. If allergic, replace almond extract with extra vanilla or a splash of orange juice for brightness. Sweetened condensed milk controls sweetness better than just adding sugar – mix thoroughly for even sweetness. You can swap walnuts for pecans, almonds, or skip nuts if there’s nut allergies—just add ¼ cup extra marshmallows for texture. Store any leftovers in airtight container, but marshmallows will get softer with time.
Method
- Drain mandarin oranges completely; don’t rush this step or fluff gets too runny.
- In a large bowl, dump cherry pie filling and drained mandarin oranges; toss gently to mix.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk with vanilla and almond extracts until homogenous.
- Pour condensed milk mixture over fruit blend. Stir but don’t mash fruit apart – keep chunks visible.
- Add whipped topping, fold in carefully. Look for creamy texture, not liquidy or dense.
- Fold in 2 cups mini marshmallows and chopped walnuts – balance chew and crunch here.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally up to 2 1/4 hours. Keep marshmallows from getting mushy by not over chilling.
- Before serving, sprinkle remaining mini marshmallows and arrange maraschino cherries evenly on top. Bright reds against white, visual cue it’s ready.
- Serve chilled, but not straight from freezer. Let sit 5 minutes if too cold for flavor to bloom.
Cooking tips
Drain fruit very well—wet fruit kills fluff texture. Combine cherry filling and drained mandarin oranges carefully, folding gently to avoid breaking up fruit chunks; you want them visible, not smashed. Stir condensed milk and extracts separately, then add to fruit mixture for even distribution—avoid lumps. When folding in whipped topping, do it gently to keep the mixture light and fluffy—over-mixing will deflate it. Fold in most mini marshmallows and nuts near the end to maintain chew and crunch; no vigorous stirring here. Chill covered in fridge; texture improves but don’t over-chill or marshmallows go mushy and spread liquid. Before serving, sprinkle extra mini marshmallows and cherries to give bite textural contrast and visual pop. If fluff seems too runny, add marshmallows or nuts before chilling. Serve cool but not ice cold to allow flavors to open. Always trust feel and look over clock on this one.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Drain mandarins well—soggy fruit ruins fluff texture. Keep some juice for moistness but not drowning. Fold fruit chunks gently; smashed bits throw balance off. Use canned mandarins drained instead pineapple for less runny results. Substitute walnuts if pecans unavailable. Almond extract is optional; skip or replace with vanilla or splash orange juice if allergic. Sweetened condensed milk controls sweetness better than sugar; stir until uniform—no lumps or syrup spots. Fold whipped topping slowly or risk deflation. Marshmallows melt if overmixed or over chilled, so fold in last, chill max two hours.
- 💡 Mini marshmallows add chew, nuts add crunch—together keep texture alive. Add marshmallows in batches, not all at once, especially if fluff feels wet. More marshmallows or nuts can fix runny texture before chilling. Folding technique impacts fluffiness: scoop under, slow turns, don’t stir hard. Refrigerate wrapped tight, avoid fridge smells seeping in. Timing varies; fluff thickens gradually. Stop chilling before marshmallows turn mushy or liquid seeps out. Before serving, scatter mini marshmallows and cherries dry for brightness plus bite contrast.
- 💡 Whisk extracts with condensed milk separately first; ensures even flavor spread. Vanilla always works, almond gives subtle nuttiness—optional but layering flavors matters. Cherry pie filling chunks provide bright bursts; don’t mash, keep visible contrast. Mandarin oranges swap cuts excess juice found in pineapple. If sticking with pineapple, squeeze dry or drain ultra well—wet fruit kills fluff texture. Layers matter: fruit then combined milk mixture, then whipped topping folded. Mixing order affects final texture and taste balance.
- 💡 Chill times critical. Under chill and fluff too loose, over chill and marshmallows soften and leak juice. I’ve learned two to two and a quarter hours hit that in-between space where fluff holds but isn’t frozen stiff. Watch visual cues: fluff still airy, not separated liquid on sides. Use plastic wrap stretch tight to avoid odors and drying. Before eating, let sit 5 minutes if fridge cold dulls flavors and mutes sweetness. Serve at fridge temp, not freezer hard. Texture changes with time—consume within day or marshmallows soften noticeably.
- 💡 Switch nuts if allergies or pantry gaps: walnuts, pecans, almonds all fine. No nuts? Add ¼ cup extra marshmallows to maintain chew. Keep garnishes dry—cherries pat dry to avoid dripping. Don’t rush draining fruit; excess juice = runny mess. Folding whipped topping too fast or breaking marshmallows leads to flat, wet fluff—fold gently in layers. Taste early to catch softening marshmallows and adjust next batch timing. Sweetened condensed milk thickness helps binding, but quantity affects sweetness and creaminess—adjust carefully.
Common questions
Why mandarin oranges over pineapple?
Less juice, less soggy. Pineapple needs heavy draining or squeezing. Mandarins keep fluff moist without watering it down. Taste shifts too, milder fruit flavor but still sweet. Sometimes swap blurs lines—pick what matches texture goal.
How to keep marshmallows from getting mushy?
Chill 2 hours max. Over chill means soft marshmallows, leaking liquid. Fold marshmallows gently to avoid crushing. Add marshmallows just before chilling, not too early. If fluff feels wet, add more marshmallows or nuts before fridge. Timing biggest key here rather than strict clock. Watch texture, not just time.
Can nuts be substituted or omitted?
Yes. Walnuts, pecans, almonds all work. Allergy? Skip nuts, add ¼ cup extra mini marshmallows for texture. Crunch is nice counterpoint to softness but not mandatory. Chopping nuts fine but too small loses crunch. Toasting nuts optional but adds flavor dimension.
How to store leftovers?
Cover tightly, airtight container preferred. Fluff holds in fridge up to day but marshmallows soften over time. Texture shifts to mushy with longer storage. Stir gently before serving if liquid separates, but expect some texture loss. Not freezer friendly—freezing wrecks marshmallows and whipped topping. Best eaten soon after chilling.
