Grandma’s Ambrosia Salad
I’m so thrilled to share my grandma’s classic ambrosia salad recipe for the iconic light and refreshing dessert that includes mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows, pineapple, and whipped topping. Known in some circles as “fruit salad with marshmallows”, this easy five-ingredient dessert takes only five minutes to make, is super customizable, and perfect for serving a crowd.
I can’t ever remember a time before ambrosia. We’ve been eating it in my family since I was old enough to chew, and most likely, for decades before I was even a blip on the radar. It seemed that my grandma could make ambrosia appear out of thin air, and we never ran out.
It was served up routinely for Christmas and Easter, and pretty much non-stop during the summer. Compared to things like cake and pie, ambrosia salad is a wonderfully fresh and light dessert.
What IS ambrosia salad?
If you’ve never heard of it before, you’re probably wondering what in the world this is! Ambrosia is an American version of fruit salad that dates back to the late 19th century and it seems as though everyone’s family has their own recipe or spin on it.
At its core, however, it traditionally contains pineapple and oranges (either fresh or canned), miniature marshmallows, and coconut. Keep reading for lots of variations!
Tips for Customization
My mom said my grandma used canned mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple. My sister insisted that my grandma used fruit cocktail. (Did anyone else’s grandma have can after can of fruit cocktail in the pantry? My grandma always had it, in large quantities, and I remember eating it a lot when I was a kid.)
My grandma’s original recipe is the one you will find below and included canned mandarin oranges and canned crushed pineapple, as well as coconut and miniature marshmallows, all tossed with whipped topping. However, when my grandma was in a pinch and didn’t have the oranges and pineapple, she’d simply use a big can of fruit cocktail, and we grew up eating both versions often!
That said, ambrosia is totally adaptable, and can include some combination of the following:
- Mandarin oranges
- Fresh orange segments
- Pineapple
- Coconut
- Miniature marshmallows
- Maraschino cherries
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Pecans
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And How, Exactly, Do You Make Ambrosia?
Okay, we have the main ingredients above, but what holds it all together? My grandma always used a single tub of Cool Whip and called it a day, but there are many other variations that use some combination of the following:
- Cool Whip
- Pudding
- Cream cheese
- Yogurt
- Sour cream
- Jello
There is even a green ambrosia version that uses pistachio pudding! (Sometimes it’s referred to as “Watergate Salad“)
And if you opt for the combination of grapes, cream cheese, and sour cream, you’ll be close to making my easy grape salad!
Can You Make Ambrosia Salad a Day Ahead?
Yes, yes, yes! The beauty of this five-ingredient, five-minute recipe is that you can mix it together the day before you need it and pop it in the refrigerator. I think it’s even better once it has been chilled for a few hours, but you can also serve it immediately if you need to!
Can you Freeze Ambrosia?
I only recommend freezing ambrosia if you use all canned fruit and Cool Whip.
The lesson here? Ambrosia is tremendously adaptable. Use what you have on hand. Use your family’s favorite fruits. Make it your own. Sometimes the simplest of recipes become the most special. Using fresh fruit and/or homemade whipped cream can cause it to be soggy and watery when thawed.
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this recipe and love it, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much! ❤️️
Grandma’s Ambrosia Salad
Ingredients
- 11 ounce (311.85 g) can mandarin oranges, drained
- 8 ounce (226.8 g) can crushed pineapple, drained
- 2 cups (180 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 cups (150 g) miniature marshmallows
- 8 ounce (226.8 g) container Cool Whip
Instructions
- Place the oranges, pineapple, coconut and marshmallows in a large bowl. Add the Cool Whip and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Ambrosia can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Fruit Options: Fresh orange segments, maraschino cherries, bananas, strawberries, grapes, or canned fruit cocktail.
- Dressing Options: Pudding, cream cheese, yogurt, sour cream, or Jello.
- Cool Whip Alternative: Use homemade whipped cream in its place.
- Freezing Instructions: I only recommend freezing ambrosia if you use all canned fruit and Cool Whip. Using fresh fruit and/or homemade whipped cream can cause it to be soggy and watery when thawed.
- Make-Ahead: This can be mixed together and refrigerated the day before serving.
- Storage: Ambrosia can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[Photography by Ari of Well Seasoned]
This recipe was originally published on May 30, 2012.
My mother-in-law made something similar but called it five cup salad. 1 cup each of crushed pineapple, mandarin segments, sour cream, marshmallows and flaked sweetened coconut. She also made an “ambrosia salad” at Christmas but it had no sour cream or cool whip or binder of any kind. It was navel oranges, pineapple tidbits and maraschino cherries. The top would then be totally covered with sweetened coconut flakes and decorated with more cherries. This typically would sit in fridge overnight to let flavors meld and be served at Christmas brunch. I still make both. The fruit salad recipe is inexact, I usually buy 5 or 6 large oranges, a large can of the tidbits and a cup of more of the cherries. Although the pineapple is drained, it still has enough juice in the fruit to mix with the juice of the oranges. Delish and very refreshing.
I have been craving Ambrosia for weeks now!!! I love my mother’s Ambrosia. She always used banana chunks in hers along with Cool Whip, crushed pineapple, Mandarin oranges, marshmallows and coconut. She might have used real whipping cream as I recall. I’m going to make it ASAP. All the discussion about it here is making me crave it even more! Thanks Brown-eyed Baker!!!
My mother made Ambrosia salad (with maraschino cherries added because everything is better with a cherry on top) for a class picnic when I was in the 4th grade and forever after that I was known as the girl with a chef mom. She’s actually an accountant but it still tickles her to this day. My children affectionately refer to Watergate Salad as Green Squish.
Thanks for this reminder and walk down memory lane. I think this may end up being dessert tonight.
How have I lived 32 years of marriage without remembering ambrosia? Why did it take an email from the Brown-eyed Baker to put it back into my consciousness? I made it two weekends ago and I love it as much as ever. My persnickety family was less impressed, so it may not make an appearance for a while. But thank you for taking me back to family reunion potluck dinners. One bite and I was back in Ohio. Much obliged.
YUM!! This was so good and extremely easy! Thanks for the great recipe!
Yum. Will need to make this in honor of your Grandma😊
I remember making this years ago for office celebrations and it was always a big hit ( I also used sour cream instead of CoolWhip). Haven’t made it for years, but you have given me a nudge to make it this summer. Thanks for prompting happy memories!
At my house it was always called 5 cup salad.
One cup of each mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple,
Coconut, marshmallows and sour cream. We had it all the time. My Watergate salad was mandarin oranges, crushed
Pineapple, pistachio instant pudding, tub of cool whip, & marshmallows.
Well, just YUM!!!!!!! My two favorite summery fruit recipes!! Thanks for the recipes! Have a lovely summer, stay safe!
My mom called it One Cup Salad, because you use one cup of each ingredient. We used sour cream in ours.
Extremely easy! I kept it simple, but added maraschino cherries and walnuts. This was a different take on mine as it called for crushed pineapple and it was delicious! My mother who doesn’t like maraschino cherries said your recipe was her preference! Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes.
I make Ambrosia for potluck dinners. I use a can of mandarin oranges, a can of pineapple tidbits, maraschino cherries – sliced, and a package of small white marshmallows. I have used the colored marshmallows, but it doesn’t work well. Sour cream is what I use for the dressing. It’s made the day before the function and sits in the refrigerator melding together. Before serving, stir it up. No one knows that the dressing is a pint of sour cream! Everyone, that doesn’t already know, always asks how I made that wonderful dressing. I smile and tell them that it is a pint of sour cream.
Just scrolled through ALL of these replies, and didn’t see that anyone uses my friend’s secret ingredient for her Ambrosia.
Everyone just loves hers, and she includes horseradish sauce!
Love it! Ours is almost identical but we use chucked pineapple and add sour cream.
My mom/grandma’s version used sour cream rather than whipped topping, but I substitute that with plain Greek yogurt. She called it “Five Cup Salad” because it was one cup each of five ingredients. It’s been a holiday staple my entire life and is always gobbled up at potlucks.
This was a dish at Christmas in our house when I was growing and I am 61! It was just as you have showcased here with one small change.
I seem to remember Dream Whip instead of Cool Whip and in warmer months leave the creamy part out altogether. It’s great flavor and even better memories.
Ambrosia salad was a favorite of my grandmother’s and often on her table. She loved all things marshmallow and coconut :) She made the version with sour cream, which is how I make it as well.
Thank you for the delightful memories today.
So eat to read all of the Grandma stories. I know my Grandma would have loved this. My Grsndma made a version of a creamy fruit salad I seem to recall…but it’s been so long I just remember seeing grapes in there and probably something creamy. Everything she made somehow tasted amazing. You read the cliche a lot that is “made with love” but it’s so true. My Grandma could even make a simple sandwich taste like the most amazing thing you ever had. I so miss her but so am enjoying the Grandma recipes and tips😊
My grandma’s Ambrosia recipe contained sectioned grapefruit and oranges (This took a long time, and she usually enlisted her granddaughters’ help for that part), coconut, pecans, and maraschino cherries. It was so delicious and refreshing. We are from Georgia.
Do you have to add the coconut? My husband doesn’t like coconut
Hi Cathy, You can omit it.
I make an angel food cake, cut off the top, and make a well all around the inside of the cake (I use a bundt pan) . Fill the well with the ambrosia (I add maraschino cherries), replace the top and frost with more Cool Whip…..wonderful summer dessert!
Thanks so much! I enjoyed reading all about your grandma’s recipe and the variations. I’m going to make this after a 20-year hiatus and now back with my mother who doesn’t remember even having made it one time, and she made it a thousand! (Alzheimer’s). But I’m going to surprise her along with my brother flying in from San Francisco. Thanks again.
I always put sour cream in this salad. Soooo good!!
We generally use sour cream and add maraschino cherries. Use the canned fruits w/ 100% fruit juice. You can add the juice back, when needed. Also, to cut down on the sweetness, I use unsweetened coconut. Instead of the sweetened stuff. Works like a charm.
I’m going to have to try this yummy recipe. My grandma also made it but she didn’t use cool whip, pudding, sour cream or anything. Just the fruit. Your version sounds wonderful!!!
Sadly, I have no picture to share, because it was totally consumed! I have had ambrosia salad for years, since I was a kid, but my mom never made it with Cool Whip. It was just the fruit, coconut, and mini-marshmallows. It was served as a refreshing salad with dinner, especially on the hot, SoCal summers.
So tonight, I made it using Cool Whip. I also have always used cut up peaches (canned and drained when fresh isn’t available) along with the pineapple and Mandarin oranges. Major success!
I know this as 5 cup salad. Chunk pineapple and sour cream instead, everything else the same. A cup of each…hence 5 cup…lol
Same here Terry!
I make it with orange jello, marshmellos, mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, and a 8oz tub of cool whip……I also change up and use strawberry jello, strawberries, cool whip pineapple and marshmellos…….love them…..they are equally good…..used this recipe for over 20 years…….everyone I know in the midwest prepared it this way…..way yummy!
I make mine with two packs of Jello, one can crushed pineapple, 2 packs of cream cheese, one large cool whip. I mix jello cream cheese and pineapple all together.. add a bit of cool whip. be sure to drain pineapple. sometimes I add coconut and or marshmallows, but it’s just as good without it. Lime and Cherry or Strawberry are the best for this, but any flavor will do also place cool whip on top after it’s made. love it
My Mother-in-law can no longer remember how to make her recipes. She asked me “what’s that stuff I made every year, I want some of that” I had an idea but wasn’t sure the ratio of items. Last year I saw your recipe and it looked to be the closest. Made it and it was a big hit. Mom said again this year “Sure wish I could remember that dish I made that me and Dad like so much.” Told her I’d make it again. I pretty much remembered but ckd out your recipe again and wanted to let you know it was a big hit. I used pineapple chunks and added cherries and pecans to make it as close as possible, everyone thinks it tastes just like Mom’s Ambrosia.
Can you Please tell me what is Cool Whip?
Is it Whipped cream or Cream cheese?
Thank you.
Flo.
Cool Whip is a prepared whipped topping. Here is the link to the product: https://www.kraftrecipes.com/brands/coolwhip/products/20002/products
I LOVE ambrosia! Your grandma’s version sounds like the one I grew up with. I have to make it soon. Yum!
My dad made ambrosia, but he added “Grape Nuts” cereal to it. Delicious the next day when when the “Grape Nuts” softened.
Try nata de coco from an Asian store. My favorite part of a Filipino ambrosia salad.