Mandarin Marshmallow Fluff

Sweet, light, fruity, and easy are the hallmarks of this Mandarin Marshmallow Fluff no-bake dessert. Perfect for potlucks, BBQs, and holiday events, this easy dessert salad recipe is always a crowd-pleaser.

This classic dessert salad never goes out of style, and once you taste it you’ll understand why! Juicy mandarin orange pieces are encased with sweet whipped cream while flaked coconut gives it a tropical vibe. However, it’s the mini marshmallows that make every bite of this fluffy salad a melt-in-your-mouth experience as you savor the dreamy flavors.

And best of all, it’s a 4-ingredient, no-bake effort. Here, I’ve eliminated 2 ingredients that will save you time. Traditionally, this orange fluff dessert is made with the addition of jello and cottage cheese. I’ve left those out in order to create a quick, light, and scrumptious dessert salad that can stand on its own just as it is. Make it soon and taste it for yourself!

Ingredients Needed

• Mandarin Orange Slices – use (2) 15-ounce cans
• Mini Marshmallows – 8 ounces
• Flaked Coconut – ½ cup
• Whipped Topping – (1) 8-ounce tub

How To Make The Dessert Salad

1. Open the cans of mandarin oranges and drain the juices.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and gently fold them together.
3. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.

Tips For Making Mandarin Marshmallow Fluff

DRAIN: My number one tip is to drain the cans of mandarin oranges very, very well. The reason why is that you’ll be mixing whipped topping in and any juices from the oranges will, over time, make the topping liquefy and turn soggy. The same goes for any other canned fruit you add or substitute – be sure to drain them well!

FOLD: Fold the ingredients together gently with a silicone spatula. Think gentle versus vigorous when mixing. If you mix too much or too vigorously, it will deflate the whipped topping.

CHILL: Do chill it for at least 4 hours before setting it out to be served. This will help it remain firm, yet fluffy, as it sits out at room temperature.

Variations

If you’re looking to add fruit or swap out the mandarin oranges, here are a few ideas:

• Add canned pineapple tidbits. Again, drain the juices very well before adding them to the mixture.
• Swap the canned mandarin oranges for canned peach tidbits. Drain well.
• Add a smattering of drained and chopped maraschino cherries to the salad, or just garnish the top of the salad with them.
• Replace the whipped topping with plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt. The texture won’t be as light and fluffy, but it will add a nice tanginess to the sweet salad ingredients.
• Don’t like coconut? Leave it out. Love it? Consider toasting it (and cooling it) before adding it to the mix.
• Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the mix.

Serving Suggestions

To make this into a more elegant dessert option, you can serve this mandarin marshmallow fluff in individual parfait dishes or cups. Keep well chilled until ready to serve.

You can easily make it into a parfait by layering it in sections separated by any of the following:

• crushed graham crackers
• chopped nuts
• drained crushed pineapple tidbits

Can I Make This Fluff Salad Ahead?

Yes, and you should! I like to make it ahead to give it at least 4 hours in the fridge before serving. That way it’s well-chilled and firm enough to hold up. You can make it the night before, as well. If you do, be sure that the mandarin oranges are very well drained before you mix them since the longer it sits, the more excess juices can escape.

Storage

Store this salad, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to two days.

More Fruit Dessert Recipes

Easy Grape Salad

No-Bake Banana Split Cake

No Bake Coconut Snowballs

No-Bake Italian Cream Cake

15 Fruit Salads