Here's another one of my mom's crazy "side dish" recipes from the 1960s! This creamy cherry fruit salad with condensed milk and Cool Whip is also called cherry fluff.
Table of Contents
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Quick and easy side dish that doubles as a dessert.
- I love it for summer parties and potlucks because it makes a lot and the ingredients aren't expensive.
- Oddly enough, leaving the Cool Whip frozen makes it easier to fold in while still maintaining the fluffy creaminess.
This easy fruit salad is always a conversation starter. I mean, with a name like junkyard salad it's bound to create a stir wherever you take it!
Someone always remembers their aunt, mom, or grandma making it!
This recipe is very similar to Mom's orange cream salad with mandarin oranges and pineapple.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- You can use pretty much any canned fruit pie filling in this.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce is good, too. Perfect for the holidays.
- Use walnuts instead of pecans.
- Mom used to sprinkle toasted coconut on top sometimes.
- Pineapple chunks or tidbits can be used instead of the crushed pineapple.
- Some people like the colored miniature marshmallows instead of the the plain white ones.
🤫 Cook's secrets -
Taking a minute to toast the pecans makes a huge difference in the flavor and texture. It brings out the buttery goodness and gives them extra crunch. Pop them in a 375F oven for 5 minutes or so - watch carefully!
🍴 Equipment
- large
mixing bowl - rubber spatula
- measuring cups and spoons
🎥 Video
🥫 How to store leftovers
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
It's delicious served partially frozen.
Marye's Tip
Be sure you're using sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated milk!
💭 Things to know
- Drain pineapple well!
- Toasting the pecans adds more flavor but is not necessary.
- I think that the 16 ounce container of Cool Whip (I used extra creamy) holds up better than homemade whipped cream but you can use either.
- You can use fat-free/sugar-free ingredients to cut calories... but you do lose some flavor.
👩🍳 FAQs
Yes you can. It's very easy to adapt to most eating plans.
Yes! Put it in an airtight container and freeze for 3-4 months. I like to serve it partially frozen when it's really hot outside.
📚 Related recipes
📞 The last word
This creamy fruit salad recipe wasn't a dish that was on the dinner table regularly. Mom only pulled it out for potlucks, family reunions, and pool parties.
Our meals were pretty simple the rest of the time.
I guess that's what made junkyard salad and its relatives so special. I imagine that I didn't have it more than 2 or 3 times a year. Kinda like this cherry salad at Christmas.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Cherry Junkyard Salad
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 21 ounces cherry pie filling
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, I used Eagle Brand
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup pecans, toasted & chopped
- 8 ounces Cool Whip, frozen
- ⅛ teaspoon red food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Fold in ingredients in order.
- Spoon into a 13x9 inch pan.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
Notes
- Drain pineapple well!
- Toasting the pecans adds more flavor but is not necessary.
- I think that the Cool Whip holds up better than homemade whipped cream but you can use either.
- You can use fat-free/sugar-free ingredients to cut calories... but you do lose some flavor.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Keep this recipe handy!
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Susan Rigdon says
Thank you for sharing your recipe; the hard thing is refrigerating overnight. I told my husband that if he just couldn't wait, go ahead and "dip in"! I did forget to toast the pecans, but,
no matter. One thing, though, in Things To Know, you mentioned
a 16 oz bowl of Cool Whip, but the recipe calls for an 8 oz size. I
used the smaller container, and it was fine. Thanks again!
Marye says
I'll double check - thanks! SO glad you liked it.