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I get asked about this orange fluff salad more than almost anything else on the site. It’s a generations old family recipe I rebuilt after testing five versions back to back. No cottage cheese, no fuss, just jello, pudding, and cool whip folded together until it’s thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
Definitely a 10! This is the best orange fluff according to my family and I get requests for it every reunion, picnic, get-together etc.
-Darlene
This orange fluff salad is made with juicy mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, fluffy mini marshmallows, orange jello mix, vanilla pudding mix, and cool whip. It tastes like a citrus packed orange creamsicle fluff, and it’s the perfect side dish for family gatherings.
I tested five different fluff salad recipes over two weeks before landing on this one. Most versions came out either too loose or too sweet, so I dialed in the water amount and pudding ratio until it set up thick and creamy every time. This base has been around for generations, but I rebuilt the process based on what actually works in a normal kitchen, not just what looked good in a photo.
With over 90 comments and a 4.63 star rating from 70 ratings, reader feedback has helped me sharpen it even further. When one reader accidentally doubled her water, I worked out that an extra box of instant pudding fixes it fast. When another asked about swapping pineapple juice for water, I dug into why fresh juice can stop jello from setting and confirmed canned works fine.
Why You’ll Love This Orange Fluff Salad
- Refreshing and flavorful
- Minimal Ingredients
- Just 20 minutes to make
- Perfectly orange flavor
- No cottage cheese in this recipe
Orange Fluff Ingredients
Grab the detailed list of ingredients for this orange fluff jello salad recipe, plus the step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
- Orange jello mix
- Boiling water
- Cold water
- Dry instant vanilla pudding mix
- Cool whip
- Mini marshmallows
- Canned Mandarin oranges: Drained very well
- Canned crushed pineapple: Drained very well
How to make Orange Jello Salad
This orange fluff recipe is an easy recipe that anyone can make! Follow the simple directions below, and you’ll have a crowd favorite to take to your next get-together! Keep scrolling for the full recipe in the recipe card below.
- Make orange jello. In a large bowl combine the orange jello mix and boiling water, whisk until dissolved. Pour in the cold water, whisk to combine. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Add vanilla pudding. Remove the bowl from the fridge and whisk in the instant vanilla pudding, scraping down the sides to incorporate everything. Return the bowl to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Add cool whip. Remove the bowl from the fridge and fold in the cool whip.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add in the mini marshmallows, well drained mandarin oranges, and well drained crushed pineapple. Fold gently to combine.
- Chill. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. This allows the mixture to thicken and for the marshmallows to soften.
Tips for the Best Orange Fluff Salad
- Making this recipe for a large crowd? Just double the recipe if you plan on taking this fluffy salad recipe to a special occasion like a holiday cookout or other get-together.
- Leave time to chill. Don’t skip the refrigeration for two hours after you put this great recipe together. It makes all the difference in the consistency and flavor.
- For best results, make sure to fold in the ingredients gently. You can easily deflate the fluff out of this orange dessert recipe if you mix it too vigorously.
- Measure your water carefully. The jello base only needs 1 cup boiling water plus ½ cup cold water. Too much water is the number one reason this salad turns out thin instead of creamy.
- Canned is best. Do not substitute the canned crushed pineapple for fresh pineapple.
Substitutions & Variations
- Sugar-Free: You can use sugar-free jello, pudding, and cool whip to reduce the sugar content of this marshmallow fruit salad.
- Add-Ins: Add your favorites to customize this fruity dessert salad: Nuts, maraschino cherries, and other toppings you love would make a great addition to this salad.
- Make it strawberry fluff: If you’re not a fan of sweet mandarin oranges and pineapple, make this recipe with a different jello flavor. You can use your favorite flavor of jello and the corresponding canned fruit or fresh fruit when canned is not available.
Make Ahead Tips
This orange fluff salad is a great make ahead dessert. Chilling it overnight instead of just two hours gives you a different texture, not necessarily a better one, since the marshmallows have more time to soften.
- Make it up to 24 hours ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
- Know that the marshmallows will soften the longer it sits. A two hour chill gives you marshmallows with a little more bite, while an overnight chill turns them soft and fully blended in. It really just comes down to what texture you prefer.
- Give it a stir before serving. The mandarin oranges release a little extra moisture as the salad sits, so a quick stir right before you serve it brings everything back together.
- Hold off on garnishes until serving day. If you’re adding nuts, cherries, or other toppings, wait until right before serving so they stay fresh and don’t get soggy.
- Don’t make it more than a day ahead. Beyond 24 hours the marshmallows start to break down too much and the texture gets mushy instead of fluffy.
Storing and Freezing Suggestions
Store this Orange Fluff Salad recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. This recipe can be frozen and will keep for up to three months. Just be aware that the consistency after you thaw this orange jello fluff may be different than when it’s made fresh. The flavor should be just the same!
I made this for a Super Bowl party. Everyone loved it! Delicious, creamy, refreshing and the combination of mandarin oranges & pineapple is perfect. I would only suggest that it be refrigerated overnight (rather than two hours) to get to the perfect creamy texture where all the marshmallows are very soft & integrated. Will make many more times!
-Linda
FAQs
The most common cause is too much water in the jello base. If yours comes out thin, whisk in an extra 3.4 oz box of instant vanilla pudding directly into the mixture. Pudding is a thickener so it soaks up the excess liquid fast, though it will nudge the flavor a touch more vanilla forward. This is the same fix I gave a reader who accidentally used 2 cups of water instead of 1½.
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Mandarin Orange Fluff Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 oz box orange jello mix, do not prepare
- 1 cup (236ml) boiling water
- ½ cup (118ml) cold water
- 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding, do not prepare
- 8 oz cool whip
- 2 cups (86g) mini marshmallows
- two 15 oz cans mandarin oranges, drained very well
- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained very well
Video
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the orange jello mix and boiling water, whisk until dissolved. Pour in the cold water, whisk to combine. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.3 oz box orange jello mix, 1 cup (236ml) boiling water, 1/2 cup (118ml) cold water
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and whisk in the instant vanilla pudding mix, scraping down the sides to incorporate everything. Return the bowl to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and fold in the cool whip.8 oz cool whip
- Add in the mini marshmallows, well drained mandarin oranges, and well drained crushed pineapple. Fold gently to combine.2 cups (86g) mini marshmallows, two 15 oz cans mandarin oranges, 20 oz can crushed pineapple
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. This allows the mixture to thicken and for the marshmallows to soften.
I’m making it right now. So it’s a small box of orange jello but what is 3.4 oz box vanilla pudding? Large or small? I hope it means 1 small box.
The vanilla pudding is a 3.4 oz box. Each box has the oz listed in the corner of the box.
Delicious!! Do you think it would work to use the drained juice instead of cold water?
Hi there! I think that would work!
Love your orange fluff salad but it makes too much for one person…can it be frozen, or would it turn out Catherinewattery when thawed?
This recipe can be frozen and will keep for up to three months. Just be aware that the consistency after you thaw this orange jello fluff may be different than when it’s made fresh. The flavor should be just the same!
Great recipe, but how can I thicken it if I need to? (I added 2 c of water instead of 1 1/2 c.) Help
This is tricky! It might not help a ton, but you could try to whisk in an additional 3.4 oz box of instant vanilla pudding directly into the mixture. Instant pudding is a thickener, so this can help absorb some of the excess liquid. It will shift the flavor slightly more vanilla-forward, but it’s the quickest single-ingredient fix.
Making this right now and used cream cheese pudding mix as that is what I had. So far so good. Liked the comment that it could be frozen. I would think eating it like ice cream would be a fun treat. Pineapple juice instead of the water might not work well, as Jello directions don’t want you adding pineapple to jello right away as it doesn’t set up as well. Thanks!
Hi, Unfortunately I can’t eat pineapple. Could I add more mandarin oranges instead? Thank you. The recipe does sound delicious.
I haven’t tried it, but you could try swapping out the pineapple for more mandarin oranges! Just make sure to drain them really well before folding them in, since extra liquid can make the fluff too thin.
Could I leave out the marshmallows or substitute something else in their place?
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I make this a couple times in the summer. This is my first time this year. I always add some crushed up pecan pieces just because I like a little crunch. Can’t wait to have some.
I’m going to try this, but I can’t stomach cool whip, I’m going to use whipped cream, is the ratio the same?
Yes, use 8 oz of whipped cream!
Can I make this the night before to bring to a pot luck?
Hi Nancy! Another reader, Linda, made it and likes to refrigerate hers overnight. I think it all depends on how you like the texture of the marshmallows- more firm vs softer. But yes, you can refrigerate over night!