Ambrosia Salad: 12 Creamy Holiday Bowls Half the Family Loves and the Other Half Pretends Not To

Ambrosia salad is the holiday side that splits every family right down the middle. Some folks see a cut-glass bowl of oranges, coconut and marshmallows and smile like it is 1975 again, while others quietly pass it down the table. Either way, it has been part of Southern Thanksgiving and Christmas for well over a century, starting as a simple dish of fresh oranges and coconut back when citrus was a rare winter treat. Over the years, church cookbooks added marshmallows, sour cream and whipped cream, and an entire family of retro fluff salads was born. This collection starts with Grandma’s creamy bowl, then moves through cranberry, cherry and pistachio fluffs, frog eye salad, grape salad, an ambrosia cake and breakfast parfaits. Grab the big glass bowl, because most of these are made the night before..

Grandma’s Creamy Marshmallow Ambrosia Salad

This is the creamy, pastel bowl most people picture when they hear the word ambrosia: mandarin oranges, pineapple, coconut, mini marshmallows and bright red cherries folded into a fluffy sour cream dressing. One old-fashioned ambrosia reel on Facebook drew about 22,500 reactions and 3,800 shares this season, so plenty of families still crave it. Drain the canned fruit very well and pat it dry, or the dressing turns watery. Make it the night before so the marshmallows soften and soak up the flavor. It belongs on the same table as retro jello salads, and it always gets people talking..

You will need: 2 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained, 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 2 cups mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, halved and patted dry, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup heavy cream whipped with 2 tablespoons sugar

How to make it: 1. Drain all the fruit well and pat dry with paper towels. 2. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream. 3. Gently stir in the mandarins, pineapple, coconut, marshmallows and cherries. 4. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. 5. Stir once before serving.

Old-Fashioned Southern Ambrosia Salad With Oranges and Pineapple

Before marshmallows and whipped cream ever joined the party, Southern ambrosia was simply juicy orange segments layered with coconut and a sprinkle of sugar, and recipes for it show up in American cookbooks of the late 1800s. Oranges were a rare winter treat then, so a glass bowl of ambrosia meant Christmas had arrived. Many cooks added pineapple once canned fruit became common. Peel fresh oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the bitter white pith, and save every drop of juice. It tastes bright, clean and surprisingly light. Set it out beside the classics from a Southern Thanksgiving table.

You will need: 6 large navel oranges or 2 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained, 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut or freshly grated coconut, 2 tablespoons sugar, maraschino cherries for garnish

How to make it: 1. Cut the peel and white pith from the oranges and slice between the membranes to free the segments, catching the juice. 2. Layer orange segments, pineapple, coconut and a light sprinkle of sugar in a glass bowl. 3. Pour the saved juice over the top. 4. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. 5. Garnish with cherries and a last handful of coconut.

Cranberry Ambrosia Salad for Christmas

Bright pink and studded with ruby berries, this cranberry version is the one that looks most like Christmas. Fresh cranberries are chopped with sugar and left overnight to soften and sweeten, then folded with pineapple, marshmallows and whipped cream. The tart berries balance all that sweetness, so even people who skip creamy salads go back for seconds. Plan ahead, because the overnight rest is what makes it work. Toss in chopped walnuts for crunch, then add it to your list of make-ahead Christmas desserts.

You will need: 1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained, 3 cups mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped

How to make it: 1. Pulse the cranberries in a food processor until finely chopped. 2. Stir with the sugar, cover and chill overnight. 3. Stir in the pineapple and marshmallows. 4. Fold in the whipped cream and walnuts. 5. Chill 2 hours before serving.

Five-Cup Ambrosia Salad

Church cookbooks loved five-cup salad because the recipe is right there in the name: one cup each of mandarin oranges, pineapple, coconut, mini marshmallows and sour cream. No measuring spoons, no fuss, and a bowl ready in five minutes. It is the original grandma shortcut to ambrosia salad and a perfect first recipe for kids. Chill it overnight, since the marshmallows turn pillowy as they sit. For a party look, arrange mandarins, a pineapple ring and cherries on top like a wreath. It sits happily among the forgotten Thanksgiving sides worth bringing back.

You will need: 1 cup mandarin oranges, drained, 1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 1 cup mini marshmallows, 1 cup sour cream, 1 pineapple ring and maraschino cherries for garnish

How to make it: 1. Drain the mandarins and pineapple well and pat dry. 2. Combine the five main ingredients in a bowl and stir gently until coated. 3. Smooth the top and decorate with the pineapple ring, extra mandarins and cherries. 4. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cherry Pineapple Fluff

Pink, sweet and fluffy, cherry fluff is the salad kids beg to bring to the holiday table. Cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple and sweetened condensed milk are folded into whipped topping with marshmallows, and the entire bowl turns a cheerful shade of pink. It takes five minutes to mix and gets better after a night in the fridge. Drain the pineapple well so the fluff stays thick. Chopped pecans add crunch for the grown-ups, and it fits right in with other 1970s desserts coming back.

You will need: 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling, 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained, 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, 2 cups mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

How to make it: 1. Stir the cherry pie filling, pineapple and condensed milk together. 2. Fold in the whipped topping. 3. Stir in the marshmallows and pecans. 4. Cover and chill at least 4 hours. 5. Stir gently before serving.

Pistachio Pudding Fluff Salad

This pale green fluff has graced holiday tables since the 1970s, and its color makes it a natural fit for Christmas. Instant pistachio pudding mix is stirred right into crushed pineapple with its juice, then folded with marshmallows, pecans and whipped topping. The pudding thickens as it chills, so the salad turns creamy without any cooking. Do not drain the pineapple here, because the juice hydrates the pudding. It is sweet, nutty and hard to stop eating, much like the dreamy pistachio desserts everyone is baking this year.

You will need: 1 box (3.4 ounces) instant pistachio pudding mix, 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple with juice, 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, 2 cups mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, maraschino cherries for garnish

How to make it: 1. Stir the pudding mix into the undrained pineapple until dissolved. 2. Fold in the whipped topping. 3. Stir in the marshmallows and pecans. 4. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. 5. Garnish with cherries before serving.

Pecan Ambrosia Salad With Maraschino Cherries

Southern cooks often stir in toasted pecans for crunch, and this pecan version leans into that tradition. The nuts bring a buttery, toasty bite that plays beautifully against soft marshmallows and juicy oranges. Toast them for 8 minutes at 350 degrees F, then cool fully so they stay crisp, and add them just before serving if you mix the bowl a day ahead. Do pecans belong in ambrosia? Families argue about it as hotly as the marshmallow vs pecan fight over sweet potatoes.

You will need: 2 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained, 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 2 cups mini marshmallows, 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, halved, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

How to make it: 1. Toast the pecans at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes and cool. 2. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream. 3. Stir in the drained fruit, coconut, marshmallows and cherries. 4. Chill at least 2 hours. 5. Fold in most of the pecans and scatter the rest on top right before serving.

Ambrosia Salad Trifle Cups

Turn the big bowl into individual treats with trifle cups. Layers of juicy fruit and sweetened whipped cream look gorgeous in clear glasses and make serving a crowd easy, with no spoon fights over the last scoop. Pineapple, melon and mandarins keep the ambrosia flavor, and a raspberry on top adds holiday red. Tuck a few cubes of pound cake into the bottom if you want them heartier. Assemble them up to 6 hours ahead and keep chilled. They suit a buffet as nicely as no-bake icebox cakes do.

You will need: 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained, 2 cups diced cantaloupe or honeydew, 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream whipped with 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup toasted coconut, 8 fresh raspberries, 2 cups cubed pound cake (optional)

How to make it: 1. Toast the coconut in a dry skillet until golden and cool it. 2. Divide the cake cubes, if using, among 8 clear cups. 3. Add a layer of mixed fruit, then whipped cream, and repeat. 4. Finish with a swirl of cream, a sprinkle of coconut and a raspberry. 5. Chill until serving.

Frog Eye Salad

The funny name comes from the tiny round acini de pepe pasta, which some say looks like little frog eyes. Frog eye salad is a beloved church supper dish in the Mountain West, where the pasta is folded with a cooked citrus custard, mandarins, pineapple, marshmallows and whipped topping. Cook the custard until it reaches 160 degrees F so the egg is safe, then cool it fully before mixing, and rinse the pasta with cold water to keep it separate. It sounds odd, but it shares a table with church supper casseroles for good reason.

You will need: 1 cup acini de pepe pasta, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 large egg, 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, juice reserved, 2 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained, 2 cups mini marshmallows, 1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

How to make it: 1. Cook the pasta, rinse with cold water and drain. 2. Whisk sugar, flour, egg and 3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice in a saucepan and cook, stirring, until thick and 160 degrees F. 3. Cool the custard, stir it into the pasta and chill overnight. 4. Fold in the fruit, marshmallows, coconut and whipped topping. 5. Chill 2 hours before serving.

Ambrosia Cake With Coconut Frosting

All the flavors of ambrosia salad, baked into a cake: tender layers studded with mandarin oranges and pineapple, then covered in fluffy coconut cream cheese frosting. It is a Southern holiday showpiece that tastes like sunshine in December. Use the reserved pineapple juice in the batter for extra flavor, and press plenty of coconut onto the sides. Chill the cake for an hour after frosting so it slices cleanly, then garnish with orange segments and cherries. If coconut is your weakness, there are more holiday coconut cakes to try.

You will need: 1 box white cake mix plus the ingredients on the box, 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained, 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved, 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup butter, softened, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch pans. 2. Make the batter, swapping pineapple juice for some of the water, then fold in the mandarins and pineapple. 3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes and cool completely. 4. Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla, then stir in 1 cup coconut. 5. Frost the layers and press the rest of the coconut over the cake. 6. Chill 1 hour before slicing.

Grape Salad With Brown Sugar Crunch

Grape salad became a potluck star in the South thanks to its sweet cream cheese dressing and crunchy brown sugar pecan topping. Red and green grapes look festive for the holidays, and the cool, creamy bite is welcome next to rich casseroles. Wash and dry the grapes thoroughly, since any water thins the dressing, and sprinkle the topping just before serving so it stays crisp. It feels like a lighter cousin of ambrosia salad and travels well to a Friendsgiving potluck.

You will need: 2 pounds red and green seedless grapes, washed and dried, 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans

How to make it: 1. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until smooth. 2. Fold in the dry grapes. 3. Spread in a serving dish, cover and chill at least 2 hours. 4. Mix the brown sugar and pecans. 5. Sprinkle over the top right before serving.

Tropical Ambrosia Salad Parfaits

For a lighter morning version, these parfaits layer creamy yogurt with oranges, blueberries, kiwi and pineapple, then finish with toasted coconut and granola. They bring the spirit of ambrosia salad to a holiday brunch without the marshmallows. Honey swirled into the yogurt keeps it sweet but not heavy, and the granola goes on last so it stays crunchy. The colorful layers make a pretty make-ahead option for guests. Line them up next to your Christmas breakfast casseroles and watch the glasses disappear.

You will need: 3 cups vanilla or plain Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 oranges, segmented, 1 cup blueberries, 2 kiwis, diced, 1 cup pineapple chunks, 1/2 cup toasted coconut, 1 cup granola

How to make it: 1. Stir the honey into the yogurt. 2. Spoon a layer of yogurt into 6 glasses. 3. Add a layer of mixed fruit. 4. Repeat the layers. 5. Top with toasted coconut, granola and an orange slice just before serving.