Creamy Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Creamy Ambrosia Fruit Salad

This Creamy Ambrosia Fruit Salad is a sweet, refreshing combination of juicy fruit, fluffy cream, coconut, and colorful cherries. It’s an easy deesviral home-style dessert that’s perfect for holidays, potlucks, summer gatherings, or whenever you need a simple make-ahead treat.

Ingredients

1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, well drained
1 can (15 oz) mandarin oranges, well drained
2 medium bananas, sliced
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 cup maraschino cherries, drained
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Creamy Dressing

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 container (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed

For the Top

1/3 cup toasted shredded coconut
Maraschino cherries for garnish

Preparation Steps

1. Drain the pineapple, mandarin oranges, and maraschino cherries thoroughly. Excess liquid can make the finished salad watery, so allow the fruit to drain for several minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat again until the mixture is completely smooth.
4. Gently fold in the whipped topping until the dressing becomes light and fluffy. Avoid overmixing so the cream keeps its airy texture.
5. Add the drained pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, mini marshmallows, shredded coconut, and chopped nuts to the creamy mixture.
6. Fold everything together gently until the fruit is evenly coated. Take care not to break apart the mandarin orange segments.
7. Add the sliced bananas last and gently fold them into the salad. Adding them near the end helps prevent them from becoming overly soft.
8. Transfer the ambrosia salad to a large serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 3–4 hours, so the flavors have time to blend and the dessert becomes nicely chilled.
9. Just before serving, sprinkle toasted coconut over the top and decorate with additional maraschino cherries.

Tips for the Best Ambrosia Salad

Drain all canned fruit very well before adding it to the cream mixture. For the freshest appearance, prepare the creamy fruit mixture ahead of time but add the bananas closer to serving.

To toast the coconut, spread it in a dry skillet over low to medium heat and stir frequently until lightly golden. Let it cool completely before sprinkling it over the salad.

Storage

Store Creamy Ambrosia Fruit Salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. The texture is best during the first two days, especially when bananas are included.

Creamy, fruity, fluffy, and full of nostalgic flavor, this classic Ambrosia Fruit Salad makes an easy crowd-pleasing dessert that looks just as inviting as it tastes.