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A delicious and refreshing orange fluff Jello dessert recipe that’s quick & easy. Makes the perfect dessert, but is light enough to serve as a salad.
This orange fluff salad recipe is one of those go-to dishes that your granny probably made, and it’s very refreshing. It actually does double-duty because it can be served as a salad or a dessert. In fact…it is so good you will find yourself sneaking a helping or two when no one is looking!
Why This Recipe Works
This orange fluff Jello dessert recipe goes together very quickly, and lasts in the refrigerator for several days. It doesn’t separate or lose its texture. Another great thing about this recipe is that it makes a generous amount. When all the ingredients are folded together, a KitchenAid mixing bowl is almost filled to the brim. It definitely makes enough to feed a crowd, or to share.
Ingredient Notes + Variations
- The ingredients are very straightforward, easy to find, and pantry staples.
- The amount of Cool Whip used is a personal choice. I have made this dessert with an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip, and I have also doubled that amount. Both versions are delicious.
- A couple of readers shared in the comments that they used the drained fruit juice in place of a portion of the water. They said it worked great!
- Variations for flavor:
- Strawberry Fluff: use strawberry Jello, and substitute fresh diced strawberries for the mandarin oranges.
- Peach Fluff: use peach Jello, and substitute diced canned or fresh peaches for the mandarin oranges.
- I have never tried it, but a reader left a comment saying they made this recipe with tapioca pudding in place of the vanilla pudding. Sounds delicious!
- Additions: during the final stirring, add some toasted walnuts or pecans, or toasted coconut.
How To Make
- Mix together pudding mix, Jello mix, and 2 cups water in a sauce pan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl.
- Refrigerate one hour.
- Remove from refrigerator, and beat with a mixer on high for 6 minutes until creamy.
- Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit.
- Transfer to glass bowl or trifle dish. Chill for 2 hours before serving.
How To Serve
- Before the final refrigeration step, distribute the dessert into individual parfait bowls, small mason jars, or white ramekins. Top with a dollop of Cool Whip and fresh mint before serving.
- Put the entire batch in a large clear trifle bowl and refrigerate. Before serving, top the dessert with a layer of Cool Whip, and garnish with mandarin oranges and fresh mint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This can be made the day before you plan to eat it, and lasts for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator without separating.
Simply drain the fruit, but don’t worry about getting every drop of juice out. A little bit of juice in the dessert is good!
Yes! I have never tried it myself, but a reader left a comment saying she used instant pudding and the dessert was delicious.
SHOP + SOURCE
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Orange Fluff Jello Dessert
Ingredients
- One 4.6 oz. box Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding
- One 6 oz. box sugar free orange Jello
- 2 cups water
- 1 8 oz. reduced fat Cool Whip
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits partially drained
- 15 oz. can mandarin oranges partially drained
Instructions
- Mix together pudding mix, jello mix, and 2 cups water in a sauce pan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl.
- Refrigerate one hour.
- Remove from refrigerator, and beat with a mixer on high for 6 minutes until creamy.
- Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit.
- Transfer to glass bowl or trifle dish. Chill for 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
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Just made this for a summer picnic. Excellant!
Fabulosa receta, Ann.
I’m so glad you reminded me of this recipe! I made it a couple of times last summer & I loved it!
Prayers and well wishes for your Dad. Don’t be concerned for us, we’re not going anywhere!
So sorry to hear about your Dad. Hope he is doing better. Family comes first. Take the time you need. We’ll all still be here when you can return.
Fabulous jello salad! Family, all ages love it. They actually fight over it.
Close to our personal recipe which I lost so was looking for a new recipe “card” to print off. We use the draining from the pineapple and maderian oranges for the jello/pudding part. Brings out the flavor better. also we use crushed pineapple as you don’t get those chunks which can be a choking hazard for eggar kids. We don’t add marshmallows either but I think it’s great with or without. We use tapioca pudding as well and I think it’s better than the vanilla as I have made it that way too. The vanilla can be heavy and sometimes artificial tasting and this comes from a lover of vanilla pudding
I have been making this for several years to take to a fourth of July party.. everyone loves it! Never any leftovers!
Would it be okay to keep the first chilling step in the fridge overnight and add the fruit and cool whip in the morning?
I’m honestly not sure, but I think it would work. Make sure to chill the jello for an hour, then whip it. Let that sit overnight. In the morning, you may have to whip it again in order to fold in the fruit and marshmallows. Please let us know if this works…it’s a great make-ahead tip!
on orange fluff salad — Thank you for your reply, Ann. It turned out very well and I will make again.
Orange Fluff looks so refreshing. I have the ingredients. My question is what you mean by “partially drained” for the pineapple and mandarins? Probably drain and use, excess moisture on fruit fine?
Hi Annette….yes, just drain the fruit but don’t worry about getting every drop of juice. Some juice in the fluff is good!
Hi I’m from New Zealand. Is the Vanilla Pudding the same as our Vanilla Instant Pudding
Hi Vicki! There are two kinds of pudding here in the US. Instant, which is probably like what you are referring too…and we also have a Cook & Serve that has to be boiled on the stovetop. I don’t know if the fluff would set up properly if you used instant pudding. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful. If you try it, please let us know what happens!
The Orange Fluff salad is delicious! I made it today and was so pleased with taste and amount it made. I was able to share with a couple neighbors. Even my husband, who is a picky eater, said this is a really good summertime salad! He was right!!!! I will make again.
I accidentally bought instant pudding and was worried that I had ruined dessert. I drained all liquid from the mandarins and pineapples because of my mistake. It turned out fluffy and delicious!
Yay! This is so good to know. Thank you for sharing!
I give all your recipes 5 stars, I haven’t tried them all but just from some I have tried, I know they are awesome. What I love about your recipes also, other then they taste awesome. Is the recipes are easy to follow. I have been to other sites and well there is no way I would even begin on those instructions. Thank you. I’m sticking with your recipes from now on.
So you think this salad would set up if the marshmallows were not used?
I have never tried it…but I think it would! The marshmallows are for extra texture and sweetness. If you try it, let us know!
Instead of canned mandarines, how about cut up “fresh” oranges? Or would that make it too juicy?
Hi Nancy…I think the fresh oranges would be delicious!
CAn the drained fruit juices be used to replace the water?
I have never tried that…but it sounds delicious! I see no reason why it wouldn’t work. If you try it, let us know!
Oh my goodness I just made this Friday for neighbors. ;).
I added chopped pecans and shredded coconut. This is just a good classic recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Sharing my no cooking required version I have been making for several years now, just call it Peach Fluff.
1 box Peach Jello
2 small cans mandarin oranges or 1 large, drained
1 can pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple, drained well
1 regular size container small curd cottage cheese
1 large container cool-whip
(Additional ingredients such as flaked coconut, mini marshmallows and chopped nuts optional)
Add drained fruit in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle in jello and stir well. What moisture is left from the fruit is all it takes to dissolve jello, so drain fruit really well! If using crushed pineapple, press through a strainer to remove all excess liquid. Next, add container of cottage cheese and mix well. Add cool whip and mix again. This is the basic recipe. Add additional ingredients as you like. I HAVE to have coconut and the mini marshmallows in mine! Devine! Keep refridgerated. This recipe was given to me from my husbands aunt. It has since become a staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and it’s a cool, sweet summer treat!
I’ve made this Orange Fluff recipe for over 25 years. It is easy and so refreshing. Ann, thanks for sharing all your ideas. Especially the printables. They are all adorable.
My mother made a recipe similar to yours and we called it Pink Stuff. We used a 16 oz container of large curd cottage cheese, a large carton of strawberry jello, you can use sugar free if you want, stir those together. Then we sliced 2 bananas and about 12 strawberries, depending on size, then mixed those together with the cottage cheese and jello. Finally we added a large carton of cool whip to the mixture. My whole family loves it, even me who doesn’t like college cheese. Over the years my mother tried different jellos, grape was not pretty, orange with mandarin oranges, she would use pears if they were in season but my family only wants the traditional strawberry and banana version.
When my son was small (he’s now 46) I made this all the time – my husband loved it but I had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder of such a delicious dish. I say dish because it was neither a salad or dessert, it just sat in a large bowl in the fridge and everyone would take a small bowl and dip some out whenever they wanted.
My similar recipe is called Ambrosia but it doesn’t contain the pudding. Will have to try your version. I always make mine in a Tupperware jelly mould served on top of a footed cake plate. I like your presentation idea of a trifle dish. Thanks Ann.
I said this morning I was going to make this for a picnic we are having tomorrow. I made it and couldn’t wait to taste it. This will be a keeper. It’s so good
I made thisat a family gathering and everyone loved it. Thanks
So my family has made this recipe for as long as I can remember. Everyone loves it! I started taking it to my husbands family get togethers and it’s a hit every time! We do however, use tapioca pudding in place of vanilla pudding. Making it now with vanilla… we’ll see if my family notices a difference tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner!
Ohhh I bet tapioca pudding is amazing!
We love it made it on Easter the whole family enjoy it now making it to take for celebrate of life thanks for this great recipe