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I know it’s not particularly cool to admit this, and I’m definitely dating myself, but I don’t just like Jello. I love Jello!
Especially those colorful, jiggly molded salads that used to make regular appearances on Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables.
This easy Cranberry Pineapple Jello Salad is one of those old-fashioned favorites. Made with raspberry gelatin, whole berry cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, celery and nuts, it’s sweet, tart, crunchy and wonderfully nostalgic.
And with just five ingredients, it’s surprisingly simple to make.
Table of Contents
- A Favorite Vintage Holiday Salad
- What Is a Jello Salad?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Cranberry Pineapple Jello Salad
- Easy Substitutions and Variations
- Can I Make Cranberry Jello Salad Ahead?
- What Can I Use for a Jello Mold?
- How to Remove Jello Salad from a Mold
- How Long Does Cranberry Jello Salad Last?
- How Many Calories and WW Points?
- Cranberry Pineapple Jello Salad (Easy Holiday Mold) Recipe
- More Easy Holiday Recipes from Simple Nourished Living
A Favorite Vintage Holiday Salad
Jello salads were one of my favorite side dishes growing up in the 1960s and ’70s. I loved their colorful, sweet, jiggly presence on our table, especially for Sunday dinners and holiday meals.
I first learned to make them with my grandmother, who passed her love of molded salads along to my mother.
We had all kinds!
Orange Jello with cream cheese, Cool Whip and mandarin oranges. Lime Jello with pineapple, marshmallows, cream cheese and mayonnaise. And red Jello with cranberry sauce and sour cream.
The combinations seemed endless.
When I originally shared this recipe as part of a vintage recipe challenge, I wanted to bring back one of those childhood favorites in a slightly lighter form.
This cranberry pineapple version skips the sour cream, mayonnaise and cream cheese found in many traditional molded salads, while keeping the fruity flavor and fun texture I remember.
It’s a lovely accompaniment to turkey, ham, pork or chicken, and it’s especially nice because you can make it a day or two ahead.
What Is a Jello Salad?
A Jello salad is an old-fashioned dish made with flavored gelatin and a variety of additions, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts or creamy ingredients.
Some are served in bowls, while others are chilled in decorative molds and turned out onto serving plates.
They’re sometimes called gelatin salads, molded salads or congealed salads.
Despite the name, they’re often sweet enough to be served as dessert, although many families traditionally serve them as a side dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Crushed pineapple: Use pineapple packed in its own juice. You’ll use both the fruit and the reserved juice.
- Raspberry gelatin: Gives the salad its beautiful red color and fruity flavor.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce: Adds sweet-tart cranberry flavor and texture.
- Celery: Adds a little crunch, just like many traditional Jello salads.
- Chopped nuts: Walnuts or pecans work well.
You’ll also need a little water to combine with the reserved pineapple juice.
How to Make Cranberry Pineapple Jello Salad
Step 1: Drain the pineapple.
Drain the crushed pineapple, reserving the juice.
Add enough water to the reserved juice to make 1¼ cups of liquid.
Step 2: Dissolve the gelatin.
Bring the pineapple juice mixture to a boil in a saucepan.
Remove from the heat and stir in the raspberry gelatin until completely dissolved.
Step 3: Add the cranberry sauce.
Break up the whole berry cranberry sauce with a fork, then stir it into the gelatin mixture.
Step 4: Let the mixture thicken.
Allow the mixture to cool until it begins to thicken slightly.
This helps keep the fruit, celery and nuts suspended throughout the salad instead of settling at the bottom.
Step 5: Add the remaining ingredients.
Gently stir in the drained pineapple, chopped celery and nuts.
Step 6: Chill until firm.
Lightly coat a Jello mold or serving dish with nonstick spray.
Pour in the mixture, cover and refrigerate until completely set, preferably overnight.
Unmold onto a serving plate, if desired, and enjoy!
Easy Substitutions and Variations
One of the fun things about old-fashioned Jello salads is how easily you can change them to suit your tastes.
Try another gelatin flavor. Strawberry, cherry or cranberry-flavored gelatin can be used in place of raspberry.
Add more fruit. Finely chopped apple or pear would be delicious. Drained mandarin oranges are another possibility.
Change the nuts. Walnuts and pecans are both good choices, or leave the nuts out entirely.
Skip the celery. I like the little bit of crunch it adds, but it’s completely optional.
Make it a little lighter. You can use sugar-free raspberry gelatin instead of regular, if you prefer. Keep in mind that the cranberry sauce and pineapple still contribute sugar and calories.
Can I Make Cranberry Jello Salad Ahead?
Absolutely! In fact, that’s one of the best things about this recipe.
Because gelatin needs several hours to set, I usually make molded Jello salads one or two days before serving.
Keep the salad covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
If a little liquid collects on the surface, simply drain it off or gently blot it with a paper towel.
What Can I Use for a Jello Mold?
I still love those old Tupperware Jello molds, but you certainly don’t need one to make this recipe.
You can use:
- A traditional gelatin mold
- A small Bundt pan (affiliate link)
- A loaf pan (affiliate link)
- A mixing bowl
- Individual ramekins or small cups
Lightly coating the mold with nonstick spray helps the salad release more easily.
And if you don’t feel like fussing with a mold, simply chill and serve the salad in a pretty glass bowl. It will taste just as good!
How to Remove Jello Salad from a Mold
Unmolding gelatin can seem a little intimidating, but it’s easier than you might think.
- Make sure the salad is completely set.
- Gently loosen the top edge with a thin spatula or knife dipped in warm water.
- Dip the outside of the mold into warm—not boiling—water for about 5 to 10 seconds, keeping the water below the rim.
- Place a serving plate over the mold.
- Holding the plate and mold together, carefully turn them upside down.
- Give the mold a gentle shake and lift it away.
If the salad doesn’t release, dip the mold in warm water for a few more seconds and try again.
Don’t leave it in the warm water too long or the gelatin may begin to melt.
How Long Does Cranberry Jello Salad Last?
Store the salad covered in the refrigerator.
Although gelatin salads can sometimes keep for several days, I think this one is best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days for the nicest flavor and texture.
The fruit may release a little moisture as it sits, so drain off any excess liquid before serving.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
According to my calculations, each serving (with regular Jello) has about 140 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
3 PointsPlus (Old plan)
I made my salad with regular jello, but to make this salad even lighter you could always use sugar-free Jello instead and save 2 Points per serving.
If you’ve made this Molded Jell-o Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Cranberry Pineapple Jello Salad (Easy Holiday Mold)
Ingredients
- 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, in it’s own juice
- 1 package (3 ounces) raspberry flavored gelatin
- 1 can (14 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- Drain pineapple, saving the juice. Add enough water to the juice to total 1-1/4 cups of liquid. In a saucepan, bring the liquid to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin until it’s dissolved.
- Break up the cranberry sauce with a fork and stir it into the gelatin mixture.
- Cool until the mixture begins to thicken and then stir in the crushed pineapple, celery and nuts.
- Pour into a mold and chill until set. (For best results first with non-stick spray so that the jello comes out easily.)
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 3 PointsPlus (Old plan) When stored in the refrigerator in a covered container, Jello can last up to a week. The taste and texture may deteriorate a little each day, possibly getting a little more watery. When this happens, just drain it off or blot with paper towels. Just saw a Jello salad recipe variation that includes 2 cans (6-ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained and skips the celery. May try this next time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Holiday Recipes from Simple Nourished Living
If you enjoy traditional holiday favorites, here are a few more recipes to try:
- Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish – A fresh, tangy, no-cook alternative to cranberry sauce.
- Slow Cooker Apple Raspberry Cranberry Sauce – An easy fruity holiday side dish.
- Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes – Mashed sweet potatoes with cranberries and orange juice.
- Slow Cooker Sausage Apple Stuffing – A convenient Thanksgiving side that frees up oven space.
- Upside-Down Strawberry Pretzel Salad – Another fun, nostalgic gelatin dessert.
- Classic Macaroni Salad Made Lighter – An old-fashioned potluck favorite.
Food snobs may be tempted to turn up their noses at Jello salads, but I’m unapologetic.
You like what you like!
And I think a simple Jello salad has the power to bring a smile to the child lurking within each of us.
This is the way my Mom made it- my entire family loves it. Thanks for all your info -hints.
in it’s own juice
It’s means IT IS.
I think you mean ITS, which is the possessive
My sister and I were expecting children at the same time. I was going to weight watchers. The Cranberry/ jello mold was one of our cravings. We made bowl after bowl. Like I said in my questions was that I knew it had 1 bag of cranberries, two apples, 1 cup of finely diced celery and two packets of sweet and low. I used spenda instead. We put all in blender. Made cherry jello then when cooled, poured the fruit mixture in and let it set in fridge. Also we used some pecans.
I do a cranberry relish that is a bit of a take-off on my mother’s Jell-o holiday salad that was similar to this recipe. But the calories and points are really paired down. First I pulverize 2 or 3 bags (I make a lot) of fresh cranberries in my food processor. Using Splenda Blend, I sweeten to taste. Add orange jest (I use the jarred type found in the spice aisle), celery diced fairly fine, and pecan pieces. If it seems a little thick after chilling for a while, I add a dash or 2 of water. You could add a squeeze of orange juice. Sorry that I do not have amounts of each ingredient. I add the celery and pecans until it “looks right.” It’s delicious as a side to poultry or pork. The only problem is that I cannot get fresh cranberries except at the holidays.
Hi Diane,
Thanks for the delicious sounding cranberry relish recipe. It sounds familiar to an old one my mom used to make. To have fresh cranberries all year round buy several bags when they are available and then pop them in the freezer for when you want them. I’ve been doing this for years.
My grandma made jello in a mold for EVERY family function. She knew that if she didn’t I wouldn’t be a happy camper 🙂 It was never “Will Grandma make jello?” it was “What FLAVOR of jello will Grandma make?” Thanks for the great recipe!
I’d completely forgotten about jello dishes like this. My grandmother used to make them all the time. As kids we loved them!
This would not be a true vintage themed ReDux without a jello salad! Glad you decided to share your version this month.
What a nice alternative to cranberry sauce, and prettier too!
My grandma always brought her lime jello to all family gatherings…it still makes me smile to eat it and think of her! Thx for the vintage favorite!
When I was growing up, my two sisters lived on Jello. It has never been my favorite, but wow, your recipe looks so good. I think all of your crunchy ingredients would get me over my Jello hang up!
Thanks, Liz. I think jello is one of those things you either like or you don’t!