This tropical fluffy and nostalgic Pineapple Fluff Jello salad is made with crushed pineapple, marshmallows, coconut flakes, and pecans. It’s held together with a creamy whipped topping and tastes similar to the delicious Dole Whip.
Why This Recipe Works
When it comes to picnics, potlucks, and backyard barbecues the side dishes can often be as important as the main dish. I prefer to choose favorites such as Macaroni Salad, Herbed Potato Salad, or classics that evoke a sense of nostalgia like this pineapple fluff.
If your next event is a tropical-themed barbecue or you love the fan-favorite flavor of a Dole Whip then you’re going to love this easy jello salad that can be made in minutes. It’s a perfect side dish for steamy summer days or great for big gatherings such as the holidays.
Similar to Ambrosia this salad or side dish, whichever you prefer to call it is filled with sweet favorites such as marshmallows, coconut flakes, and chopped pecans. It’s mixed together in a homemade whipped cream that gives it a truly fluffy and decadent taste.
This is a perfect side dish for holidays such as Easter. If you’re looking for a similar option for other holidays then try this Mandarin Orange Jello Salad for Thanksgiving or this Cranberry Fluff Salad.
Ingredients Needed
- Instant Vanilla Pudding: the best flavor of pudding for this recipe is vanilla, but others such as pina colada, or banana will work as long as it’s the “instant” version.
- Mini Marshmallows: mixing mini marshmallows into the fluff adds to the texture as well as makes it sweeter. Sometimes I like to use the pink, green, and white-colored marshmallows for a tropical-themed treat.
- Chopped Pecans: adding nuts is optional, but the fluffy texture mixed with a little crunch is very nice.
- Whipped Topping: for this recipe, I like to make my own whipped topping, however, you can use Cool Whip if you’d like to prepare it even quicker. For the whipped topping I use heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar.
Recipe Variations
You can make a few easy changes to this recipe using the variations below and get an entirely different flavor.
- Fruit Cocktail Jello Fluff: Add 2 cans of drained fruit cocktail for a different flavor mixture.
- Tropical Jello Fluff: Keep the crushed pineapple and sweetened coconut, but add a can of Tropical Fruit. Just make sure to drain it first. Instead of using instant vanilla pudding use Coconut Cream, Lemon Cream, or White Chocolate pudding.
- Pina Colada Fluff: Mix in 1 teaspoon of rum extract.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix the base ingredients. In a large bowl mix, the instant vanilla pudding and the crushed pineapple (don’t drain) until the pudding mix has fully dissolved.
- Add the flavorings. Add in the mini marshmallows, coconut flakes, and pecans (if using). Toss to mix evenly.
- Prepare the whipped topping. Pour the heavy cream and powdered sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or into a medium-sized bowl and use a handheld mixer. Beat the ingredients until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the whipped topping. Using a spatula fold the whipped topping into the pudding mixture until evenly mixed and chill for 4 hours or up to overnight.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- To allow the salad to firm up and have a nice chilled taste allow it to chill in the fridge for 4 hours before serving. This is optional, but it really sets up the recipe nicely. If some of the juice separates from the fluff use a spatula to fold it back into the mixture.
- When folding the whipped topping into the fluff use a spatula so it doesn’t fall and stays fluffy.
- Do not drain the juice from the crushed pineapple. That will help add. to the texture of the salad and keep it from being too dry.
- If you don’t like pecan or prefer not to use shredded coconut you can leave either of those two ingredients out. You may want to add some additional marshmallows to keep the bulk of the salad.
FAQs
Yes. If you don’t want to make your own whipped cream then you can replace it with Cool Whip. Remove the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream and replace it with 16 ounces of thawed Cool Whip.
Yes. I actually recommend making it a day before you plan on serving it so it can chill and set up in the fridge.
This could be because of too much liquid from the fruit separated from the whipped topping. You can easily mix it back in or an additional 1 cup of Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream to keep it from separating again.
Related Recipes
If you made this Pineapple Fluff I want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars so I can see your beautiful work. Enjoy!
Pineapple Fluff
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Handheld or Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 package Instant Vanilla Pudding 3.4 ounces
- 20 ounces Crushed Pineapple don't drain
- 2 cups Mini Marshmallows
- 1 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
- ½ cup Chopped Pecans
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Pour the instant vanilla pudding and crushed pineapple (with the juice) into a large bowl and mix together.
- Add the mini marshmallows, coconut flakes, and pecans to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the whipping cream and powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or use a handheld mixer and beat it on medium speed until stiff ribbon-like peaks begin to form.
- Fold the whipped cream into the fluff mixture and chill for 2 hours before serving (this is optional, but will allow the salad to firm up).
Notes
- To prepare this salad even quicker you can use Cool Whip instead of preparing the whipped cream in the recipe. Omit the powdered sugar and fold the Cool Whip directly into the mixture.
- To allow the salad to firm up and have a nice chilled taste allow it to chill in the fridge for 4 hours before serving. This is optional, but it really sets up the recipe nicely. If some of the juice separates from the fluff use a spatula to fold it back into the mixture.
- When folding the whipped topping into the fluff use a spatula so it doesn’t fall and stays fluffy.
- Do not drain the juice from the crushed pineapple. That will help add. to the texture of the salad and keep it from being too dry.
- If you don’t like pecan or prefer not to use shredded coconut you can leave either of those two ingredients out. You may want to add some additional marshmallows to keep the bulk of the salad.
