No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without at least one cranberry recipe. My favorite ways to serve cranberries include cranberry relish, cranberry bread, cranberry meatballs and this easy yet elegant cranberry Jello salad. Ah, the gelatin mold. Such an old school classic that has the ability to be super delicious or not-so-appealing depending on how you make it. When I was a teenager we spent Thanksgiving at a family friend’s house and they served this amazing cranberry Jello salad. My mom asked for the recipe and we’ve been making it ever since. This is one of my must-make Thanksgiving recipes along with favorites such as slow cooker mac and cheese, corn souffle and Thanksgiving turkey!
Cranberry Jello Salad Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need raspberry gelatin, crushed pineapple, whole berry cranberry sauce and orange zest. You can also add some whipped cream, fresh whole cranberries, orange zest and mint sprigs for garnish if you like.
How Do You Make Cranberry Jello Salad?
Coat a gelatin mold or square baking dish with cooking spray. Place the gelatin in a large bowl, then add boiling water. Next, whisk the mixture together until the gelatin has dissolved. Add cold water, along with the crushed pineapple and its juice, cranberry sauce and orange zest. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the mold or pan, then cover and chill for at least 6 hours. When you’re ready to eat, submerge the bottom of the mold in hot water for 30 seconds. Place your serving dish on top of the open part of the mold, then flip it over. You can serve it as it, or whip together heavy cream and granulated sugar to make a whipped cream topping. You can also garnish with other items such as orange zest, fresh cranberries and mint.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
This recipe makes about 5 cups of Jello salad, so you’ll want to use a mold that’s around 6 cups in size. It’s also fine to use a 9 inch square pan or any other 2 quart baking dish. I find it works best to prepare your salad a day in advance. This way there’s plenty of time for it to set up. Make the whipped cream garnish right before serving. Use a vegetable peeler to peel larger strips of orange zest for a beautiful garnish. I use a microplane to finely grate the zest that goes into the recipe. Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Be sure to use canned pineapple in this salad. Do not use fresh pineapple, as it contains an enzyme that can prevent the salad from setting properly.
Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can easily substitute or add ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Gelatin: Swap out the raspberry Jello for other flavors such as strawberry Jello, black cherry Jello or orange gelatin. Fruit: Instead of pineapple, try other options including canned diced pears, peaches, mandarin oranges or even diced apples. Flavorings: Feel free to add other ingredients to the salad. You can add up to 1/2 cup of pecans, chopped walnuts or mini marshmallows. You can also stir in 1/2 cup of whipped topping, cream cheese or sweetened condensed milk to make a creamy salad.
Once you see how delicious this cranberry Jello mold is, you’ll find yourself adding it to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner menu every year!
