Ambrosia salad is a classic, old-fashioned dessert. My version is made even better with homemade whipped cream and colorful, fruity marshmallows for the best taste. Recipe includes a how-to video!
A Better Ambrosia Salad Recipe
While dessert salads may be less conventional than classic potluck options like macaroni salad or potato salad, ambrosia salad is one that will always have a place on my picnic table (and it deserves one at yours, too!). Made with a not-too-sweet, whipped cream base and bejeweled with plenty of fruit and colorful marshmallows, this is a light and refreshing dessert that’s perfect for summertime cookouts (or anytime).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made without Cool Whip. If you’ve had this salad in the past, chances are it was made with Cool Whip. Sure, Cool Whip is easy and works in a pinch, but the taste just can’t compare to making our own homemade, from-scratch whipped cream.
- Customize it to your liking; skip the coconut, add toasted nuts, swap the fruity marshmallows for regular, etc. This is your ambrosia salad, so make it how you like it!
- Great for making in advance! The flavor develops as it sits, so feel free to make this the night before you need it.
- Old-fashioned, but better. We’re keeping with tradition with everything but the Cool Whip base. This recipe appeals not just to fans of retro desserts, but to everyone.
What You Need
You will see a few extra ingredients in my recipe since we’re making our own whipped cream, but trust me on this. It’s worth it!
- Heavy cream. Rather than using Cool Whip, we’re making our own homemade whipped cream today. It not only improves the flavor and texture of the “salad”, but it also only takes 5 minutes to make. If you’ve never made your own before, I’m pretty sure this will convert you (and open the doors to so many more recipes, like my Oreo pie and banana pudding).
- Sour cream. The key role of this ingredient is to add depth of flavor (it also makes such a difference in my cheesecake, so don’t think it’s just for savory dips and summer salads). Sour cream also keeps the salad from being too sweet.
- Fruit. Including mandarin orange segments, sweetened shredded coconut, maraschino cherries (remove any stems) and pineapple tidbits. If you can’t find pineapple tidbits, the pineapple chunks will also work; just cut each piece in half so the pineapple doesn’t overwhelm things. Alternatively you can chop up your own fresh pineapple into small bite-sized pieces!
- Mini marshmallows. Regular mini marshmallows will work just fine, but I personally prefer the fruit-flavored mini marshmallows in this recipe. They add such a nice pop of color and flavor to the salad!
SAM’S TIP: You could also add nuts! Personally, I don’t care for nuts in ambrosia salad, but if you are a fan, then feel free to add ¾ cup of coarsely chopped nuts in with the marshmallows. You can use whatever kind you like; almonds, pecans, or walnuts would be my suggestions.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post.
How to Make Ambrosia Salad
- Make a homemade whipped cream by whipping the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until thick and fluffy. You should have “stiff peaks”, meaning that when you pull the beater straight out of the mixture, the peak that forms should hold straight and not fold over or dissolve back in on itself. And once you master stiff peaks, you’re ready to tackle other recipes like my meringues or even macarons!
- Fold in the sour cream. Be gentle when you do this and use a spatula (rather than a mixer); you don’t want to deflate the air you just spent time whipping into the cream!
- Stir together the fruits, marshmallows, and nuts in a separate large bowl until combined.
- Fold the whipped cream into the fruit mixture, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. I’m guilty of sampling things immediately, but honestly chilling helps the flavor develop.
SAM’S TIP: If you struggle with whipping cream to stiff peaks, try placing your bowl and beaters in the fridge for 10-20 minutes beforehand. The cold bowl and beaters will encourage the (cold) cream to whip quicker, and you’ll be left with billowy, perfectly whipped cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! For the best flavor and texture, I recommend making this salad 1-24 hours before serving. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (make sure to store in an airtight container). I do not recommend freezing as the quality degrades when thawed.
They are similar, but not quite the same. Watergate salad (another retro dessert) gets its flavor from pistachio pudding mix, so it tastes quite a bit different. Also, most recipes for watergate salad do not include mandarin oranges or shredded coconut, and the cherries are usually just a garnish.
If you’re looking for a pistachio dessert, check out my pistachio cake (made without the need for any pudding mix!).
You could, but I really recommend trying my version first. It’s so quick and easy to whip the cream yourself, and the flavor is SO much better.
If you do substitute, you will want to leave out the powdered sugar and you’ll need about 1 ½ cups of Cool Whip.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜
Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
- ¾ cups (180 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (35 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- 11 oz (312 g) can mandarin oranges well drained
- 10 oz (¾ cup) maraschino cherries well drained and without stems
- 1 8 oz can pineapple tidbits well drained
- 1 ½ cups (120 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 4 cups (200 g) mini marshmallows (see note)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until mixture is thick, billowy, and the consistency of Cool Whip.¾ cups (180 ml) heavy cream, ¼ cup (35 g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Use a spatula to fold in sour cream until completely combined.½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- In a separate bowl, stir together oranges, cherries, pineapple, coconut, and mini marshmallows.11 oz (312 g) can mandarin oranges, 10 oz (¾ cup) maraschino cherries, 1 8 oz can pineapple tidbits, 1 ½ cups (120 g) sweetened shredded coconut, 4 cups (200 g) mini marshmallows
- Add whipped cream/sour cream mixture and stir until completely combined.
- Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Marshmallows
I like to use the rainbow/fruit flavored mini marshmallows for more of a tropical flavor, but classic white mini marshmallows work just fine, too!Adding nuts
Some people like to add nuts to their ambrosia salad. ¾ cup of coarsely chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts would make a great addition.Storing
I recommend making Ambrosia Salad 1-24 hours before you intend to serve, for best flavor and texture. However, Ambrosia Salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (make sure to store in an airtight container). I do not recommend freezing.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally shared this recipe over on Real Housemoms in 2019. The recipe remains the same but I have updated the photos and added more helpful tips and notes!
Karen
This is by far the best version of Ambrosia Salad I’ve had. I have made this twice since finding your website/blog and my fiancé is forever grateful. Not using pre-mixed fruit cocktail and making the homemade whipped cream makes all of the difference. This is now my go-to fruit salad for holidays – it’s so pretty too!!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoys it so much, Karen! 🙂
Mabel
How many servings does this make?
Sam
Hi Mabel! It should make about 10 servings. 🙂
Hope
Sam,
Thanks for answering so quickly! I can’t wait to make this. I promise I’ll come back & let you know how it was – but I already know it’s going to be fabulous.
Hope
Hope
I would love to make this, but I have a question: Should the cherries be drained prior to adding, as the other fruits are?
Thank you.
Sam
Hi Hope! Yes you will want to drain them. 🙂
Susan
It was very good, and you were spot on with the sour cream tip. Can you claify for me if Pineapple was to be One 8 oz. can or 18 oz. can. I used lage can and it was good, just want to know for next time. Thanks again for recipe, love your website.
Sam
Hi Susan! It’s just a single 8 oz can here. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Carol
Made this for some friends and family and it was a big thumbs up!!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Carol! 🙂
Sherri Bailor
I used mango instead of the oranges because the kids are them the last time they were and I forgot. I think it’ll be a new option!:):)
Sam
Yum!
Pam
This is delicious! Just like my mother used to make. Maybe even better.
Sherri Bailor
missed a few words because of typing so fast but I hope you can read between the lines
Sherri Bailor
my grandmother also used the rice in it and stead of the cottage cheese and it was called glorified rice. or maybe she did use both I’m not sure but I know there was rice in it so it was glorified rice
Debbie in California
We loved this as kids! Thank you for reminding me about it. My Mom always made it with real whipped cream like you do.
One lesson she did finally learn was to make it while we 5 kids were not at home.
For our household this was always a special treat for special meals, but
if we saw the prescious ingredients out on the counter, we simply could not resist the temptation to wait til our Mom left the kitchen and each sneak in to help ourselves to the delicious fruit bits and marshmallows, we thought she’d never notice…we were wrong.
Very cute idea to use the coloured mini marshmallows!
Sugar Spun Run
Debbie, I am so happy that this recipe brought back so many wonderful childhood memories, Ambrosia Salad was a family favorite of mine too! I hope that you enjoy making it! 🙂
Julianne
Love this recipe! My family always called the one with cottage cheese ambrosia, while we called this fruit-marshmallow concoction ‘fruit salad’. Have you ever had the cottage cheese version?
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Julianne. I have not tried the cottage cheese version, sounds yummy! 🙂
Mary
Can you leave the coconut out without altering the taste too much?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Mary! The taste will vary, but I recommend trying it. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Leslie Stevenson
When I was child in the 60’s my mother made this and added a can of shrimp. Does anyone else remember this variation?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Leslie! I haven’t tried it, but sounds like a great addition. Let me know if you add it to your Ambrosia Salad and how it turns out! 🙂
Selah Howard
Hi there!
You’re finally in your new kitchen?! How awesome! Must feel so nice finally, seems like a great design! Great job handling the moving and all that while being pregnant! Can’t believe you have time and energy to keep this site going! So happy for you guys!
Sam
I love my new kitchen! It is so much bigger and has so much more room! It really makes life a lot easier. Thank you so much for your support. 🙂
Selah Howard
So great to hear that! Awesome! No problem. 😀
Traci M
This would be such a pretty salad during the Christmas season
Sugar Spun Run
The Ambrosia Salad is very pretty and is perfect for anytime of year! 🙂
sarah elisabeth
I love that you are inspiring with the real whipped cream! I can’t wait to try this. Also, not a nut fan here!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Sarah! I hope that you love the Ambrosia Salad. Let me know how you like it once you try it! 🙂