Easy Pink Fluff Recipe
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This Pink Fluff recipe is a dessert recipe that has been in my family for generations! Dessert salads are perfect year-round, not just in the summer, and they also double as a make-ahead dessert that can be taken to work, potlucks, BBQs, and family gatherings. There are ways to reduce the calories and sugar content if you’d like.
First published in 2016 and updated in 2018, 2023, and 2025.
Now, my kids are following in my footsteps and love to make fast and easy foods—you know, the kind where you need just a bowl and a whisk or spatula to whip it up. This is perfect for bringing chefs and bakers into the kitchen; no oven or cooking is required. And if you are like my kids, they call this the Pink Stuff; it gets made for every holiday.
Pink Fluff Ingredients
- Cottage Cheese
- Whipped Topping
- Cherry Flavored Jello– you will only use the powder, not the other ingredients on the box.
- Crushed Pineapple
- Maraschino Cherries
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How To Make Pink Fluff:
Grab a large bowl for mixing. I use two bowls, one for making the recipe and another for serving it.
Strain your crushed pineapple over the sink; you will not use the liquid in the recipe. You can do this over a bowl if you wish to keep the juice.
Dump everything except the cherries into your mixing bowl and combine.
After thoroughly mixing everything, slice all the cherries in half with a paring knife. This is perfect for kids to start to work on their knife skills. Since the cherry is small, they don’t have to have their other hand near the knife to practice the pressure of the knife to cut.
Mix about half the cherries into the pink salad and save the rest for garnishing.
Scrape the contents into a new bowl.
Top with the remaining cherry halves and cover.
Store in the refrigerator.
We make this year-round for potlucks and family parties, and it’s always a hit! This year, we plan to remake it with some different flavors. Kylie already has her list of combinations to try.
How to Reduce Weight Watchers Points And Calories For Pink Stuff
Now, if you are counting calories or following the Weight Watchers plan, you can swap out ingredients to make it a better option. One quick way to cut out some of the Weight Watchers points is to reduce the cherries, sugar-free Jell-O, fat-free Cool Whip, and fat-free cottage cheese.
How To Serve Cherry Fluff Salad
Serve chilled. If it’s a potluck, you can put your bowl in another bowl of ice to keep it cold.
Serve as a Valentine’s Day dessert for a family home dinner.
Preportioned in lunches for work or school
As a Christmas or Thanksgiving dessert!
How To Store Pink Fluff
Store in an airtight container or a bowl with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to three days after making it.
Alternate Ingredients For Pink Salad
- Mini Marshmallows
- Pecans
- Fresh Fruit
- Coconut
- Mandarin oranges
- Strawberry Jello Mix
no bake desserts
No-bake recipes are my jam in the summer, and most times, they are also easy to make year-round! Check out my collection of my family’s favorite no bake dessert recipes -> here!
Pink Fluff Dessert Easy and Perfect For Potlucks!!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 Ounce Cottage Cheese
- 8 Ounce Whipped Topping
- 3 Ounce Cherry Flavored Gelatin
- 20 Ounce Crushed Pineapple
- 10 ounce Maraschino Cherries
Instructions
- Grab a large bowl for mixing.
- Strain your crushed pineapple over the sink.
- Dump everything except the cherries into your mixing bowl and combine.
- After everything is thoroughly mixed, slice all of the cherries in half with a paring knife.
- Mix about half of the cherries into the fluff and save the rest for garnishing.
- Scrape the contents into a new bowl if need to serve
- Top with the remaining cherry halves and cover.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Hi Jenny! Love those fluff salads too! Have a Pinterest board just for them. Love seeing your daughter helping! Have 4 grown and only 1 has any desire to cook,and did help when young. The other 3?Who is their real mommy? My 18 year old “baby”,is soo bad, that if she cooks at all, is in my kitchen, to make food for the bo, leave the dirty kitchen, and take the food to his house!! What?! and Right?!. Anyway I am clearly a penny pincher and enjoy your blog and super friendly chats, easy eats! Happy New Year!!
I have been looking for some conjealed salad recipes. This sounds great .
Thank you
Looks wonderful. What size pineapple did you use please ?
I made this with an 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple.
Such an easy, quick recipe for ANYTIME, not just desert….but the cottage cheese surprised me
We are always looking for different treats to prepare the grand kids
I made this with a few tweaks and it was really, really good! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Delicious..my mouth is watering!!
We make an orange fluff at our house which is a favorite. I’m glad you shared your pink fluff. Can’t wait to try
I can’t eat too much of this, but ooooh this would be fun to indulge in. LOL! 🙂
Sounds yummy! Can’t wait to give it a try!!
Sounds and looks wonderful! Such a nice bright color to add to the holiday buffet, too! Thanks for sharing!
Pink fluff looks yummy and easy to make. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
dropping by from the inspire me linkup
I make this using lime jello and add chopped pecans or walnuts, whichever I have on hand. I use 12 oz. of cottage cheese, 8 oz. of Cool Whip, and 8 oz. of crushed pineapple. I’ve also done it with orange, cherry and strawberry jello, but do not put in any fruit except the pineapple. I also put a couple of drops of real vanilla extract. It has always been my son’s (now 34) favorite. I make it whenever he comes home! It is a wonderful salad, dessert, and I have added coconut to it and used it for pie filling. Yummy that way too.
I LOVE THIS PINK FLUFF … BUT CAN I USE JUST ABOUT ANY FLAVOR OF JELLO?? I WANT TO USE RASSBERRY . MAKING THIS AS I READ ALONG CAN NOT WAIT TO EAT IT..
Did it turn out? I have not made it with Raspberry, but I am sure it would work!
You said dumb everything in the bowl does that include the pineapple juice?
Yes it does!
quick and easy am going to store to make for classic car club i belong to. yum yum
Why drain pineapple if using juice?