Christmas Cranberry Salad
The pink, fluffy holiday salad made by grinding raw cranberries with sugar, then folding in pineapple, marshmallows, and whipped cream. It has to sit overnight so the sugar draws the harshness out of the raw berries and the marshmallows dissolve into the cream.
- Prep20 min
- Total12 h 20 min
- Serves10
AI-generated illustration
Contains:dairynuts
Ingredients
Method
- Pulse the cranberries in a food processor until they are chopped to the size of coarse gravel, stopping before they turn to puree. Stir them together with the granulated sugar and salt in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Drain off and discard any pooled red liquid from the cranberries, then fold in the crushed pineapple and the marshmallows.
- Whip the heavy cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract to firm peaks that hold their shape when the beater is lifted.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture in two additions, working gently so it stays airy and turns an even pale pink.
- Fold in the pecans, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving so the marshmallows soften and the salad sets up enough to spoon into neat mounds.
Notes
- Press the pineapple in a sieve until no more juice runs out; extra liquid makes the salad weep.
- Hold back half the pecans and scatter them on top at the table for texture.
