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Home » Recipes » Fruit

Best Pineapple Fluff Recipe

Published: Mar 20, 2023 · Updated: Dec 28, 2024 by Marye

You'll love this easy recipe whether you call pineapple fluff a dessert or a "salad"! Crushed pineapple is folded into a cream cheese and Cool Whip mixture then topped with salty, pretzel brittle to add a bit of crunch to the sweet & salty combo. No marshmallows here - just creamy, tropical goodness.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 17 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Closeup of a fluffy, creamy pineapple dessert in a glass bowl.
Overhead view of a bowl of pineapple fluff salad with text overlay for Pinterest.

This easy recipe is one of those old school desserts that's a potluck favorite anywhere you happen to take it!

Side view of a glass bowl with a fluffy, creamy pineapple dessert in it.
Table of Contents
  • ❤️ Why you'll love it
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 📖 Variations
  • 💭 Tips
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends...
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love it

  • This vintage pineapple dessert is a great side dish or perfect dessert to have at potlucks or bring to summer picnics!
  • It's easy to make, looks delicious, and is bursting with tropical flavors plus it only needs simple ingredients.
  • This is one of my favorite old-school desserts that you'll be wanting to make this recipe again and again!

No bake desserts are perfect for almost any time of the year! This easy recipe is often called a "salad" in the midwest - and who am I to argue?

My mom had an entire category in her recipe box for these recipes - orange cream salad and cherry junkyard salad are other family favorites from my mom's old recipe box.

Personally, I call this a salad so I can still enjoy this easy lemon fudge for dessert.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients for this pineapple fluff recipe. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

ingredients for this recipe.

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Steps to make pineapple fluff.
  1. Cream together cream cheese and granulated sugar.
  2. Fold in pineapple and whipped topping.
  3. Bake pretzels, melted butter, and brown sugar for 7 minutes in a preheated oven.
  4. Once the crust is cool, top with cream cheese mixture and then chill for at least one hour. Four hours is better.

🥫 Storage

Store this pineapple pretzel fluff in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.

Pineapple fluff doesn't freeze well at all!

Old fashioned pineapple fluff salad.

📖 Variations

  • Fold in mini marshmallows to add some additional sweetness to this sweet treat.
  • Use Extra Creamy Cool Whip to add even more richness!
  • Toasted coconut or sweetened coconut flakes are some fun ways to add more flavor to this dessert.
  • Add protein to this dish by putting cottage cheese into the cream cheese and sugar mixture.
  • Change up the flavor of this dish by using maraschino cherries, mandarin oranges, or even strawberries instead of pineapple.
  • Try using this fluff mixture as a filling in the strawberry angel food cake .

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: Make this easy, no-bake dessert at least 4 hours ahead of time so it has time to chill completely.

  • Add the crunchy pretzel topping just before serving.
  • A dash of lemon juice would add a bright flavor to the pineapple mixture.
  • No Cool Whip? Try my copycat Cool Whip recipe!
  • For the best results make sure that the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start making your filling.
  • Top this pineapple fluff salad with more crushed pretzels, toasted pecans or your favorite crunchy topping.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

How long can I store fluff desserts?

It can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.

Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple?

Absolutely! I've done it successfully but you have to be very careful to cut the pineapple small and to let some of the juice drain off on paper towels - maybe 5 minutes.

Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of whipped topping?

Yes, homemade whipped cream is a great healthy substitution for this recipe.

Can I make pineapple fluff ahead of time?

You can make this easy dessert up to one full day ahead of serving. After that you start losing the fluffy texture.

Overhead view of the pineapple fluff in serving bowls.

📚 Related recipes

  • Banana Pudding is creamy, refreshing, and makes for the perfect southern dessert.
  • Fluffernutter Whoopie Pie Cookies are soft baked cookies that are filled with a fluffy peanut butter filling.
  • Strawberry Butter is sweet, creamy, and tastes amazing on a biscuit or piece of toast.
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🍽️ Serve with...

  • Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Chicken is a delicious grill night recipe that the entire family will enjoy.
  • Cheesy Ranch Foil Grilled Potatoes are a simple side dish that makes for easy clean-up.
  • Cucumber Salad is a fresh, no-cook side dish that is perfect for potlucks and cookouts.

🥄 Restless Chipotle recommends...

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You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.

  • large bowl
  • mixer
  • pretzels
  • butter
  • light brown sugar
  • granulated sugar
  • cream cheese
  • crushed pineapple
  • Cool Whip

📞 The last word

My mom was from Michigan and to her this was a side dish - and honestly that was just fine with me. In fact, on the very stained recipe card the title reads, Pineapple Fluff Salad recipe.

I tend to consider it a dessert but either way it's delicious!

If you love pineapple as much as I do try this grilled pineapple! It can be a side dish or a dessert - and that's my favorite kind of recipe.

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. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Closeup of a fluffy, creamy pineapple dessert in a glass bowl.

Pineapple Fluff

4.80 from 15 votes
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You'll love this easy recipe whether you call pineapple fluff a dessert or a "salad"! Crushed pineapple is folded into a cream cheese and Cool Whip mixture then topped with salty, pretzel brittle to add a bit of crunch to the sweet & salty combo. No marshmallows here - just creamy, tropical goodness.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American - Vintage
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes
Chill: 4 hours hours
Total Time: 17 minutes minutes
Servings:12
Calories:317
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pretzels, coarsely crushed
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 20 ounces crushed pineapple, well drained
  • 4-½ cups Cool Whip, thawed

Instructions

Pretzel Brittle

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Mix pretzels, melted butter and ½ cup brown sugar.
  • Press into a 13x9-inch pan that's been sprayed with no stick spray or lined with parchment.
  • Bake 7 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Pineapple Fluff

  • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until well blended and the sugar crystals are mostly gone.
  • Gently fold in pineapple and whipped topping.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. Four hours is recommended.
  • Just before serving crumble the pretzel mixture and stir into the fluff, saving some for garnishing the top.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Storage:
Store this pineapple pretzel fluff in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. It will keep for a few days but after the second day it may start to get watery.
Pineapple fluff doesn't freeze well at all!
Tips:
  • Chill at least 4 hours for best results.
  • Add the pretzel brittle and crunchy pretzel topping just before serving.
  • A dash of lemon juice would add a bright flavor to the pineapple mixture.
  • No Cool Whip? Try my copycat Cool Whip recipe!
  • For the best results make sure that the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start making your filling.
  • Top this pineapple fluff salad with more crushed pretzels, toasted pecans or your favorite crunchy topping.
 

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

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.

First published February 15, 2022. Last updated March 20, 2023 to update information and some technical stuff.

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.80 from 15 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Jenny says

    December 03, 2024 at 6:02 pm

    5 stars
    My family loved this! Will be making it for Christmas

    Reply
  2. Jennifer McInnis says

    December 19, 2022 at 10:09 pm

    When it give more flavor or be okay to add a package of Island pineapple jello to the cream cheese and sugar when mixing it? I think it would replace part of the sugar. What are your thoughts?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      December 20, 2022 at 3:08 pm

      I've never tried to do that so I'm not sure how it would work.

      Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

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NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

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