Q1: What is a "fluff salad"?

A "fluff salad" is a type of dessert salad that is very popular in the American Midwest and South. It typically consists of a creamy base (like whipped topping, pudding, or yogurt), combined with canned or fresh fruit, and often includes textural add-ins like mini marshmallows, Jell-O, nuts, or coconut. They are classic staples of potlucks, holidays, and family gatherings.

Q2: Do I really have to drain the crushed pineapple?

Yes, this is the most important step in the entire recipe! Canned crushed pineapple is packed in a lot of juice. If you do not drain this juice out very thoroughly, your Cherry Fluff will be thin, runny, and watery. For the best, thick, and fluffy result, make sure you squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can.

Q3: Can I use fresh fruit instead of canned pie filling and pineapple?

While you can experiment, this specific recipe is designed to work with the texture and sweetness of the canned fruit products. Canned cherry pie filling contains a thickened glaze, and the sweetened condensed milk is balanced with the sweetness of the other canned items. Using fresh fruit would require significant adjustments to the recipe's sweetness and texture.

Q4: Can I use real homemade whipped cream instead of frozen whipped topping?

You can, but the Cherry Fluff will not be as stable and will not last as long in the refrigerator. Frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip) contains stabilizers that help the fluff set up and hold its light, airy texture for several days. If you use real whipped cream, the fluff will be much softer and may begin to weep or separate after about 24 hours.

Q5: How can I make this dish a little less sweet?

This is a very sweet dessert by nature. To cut the sweetness slightly, you could try a few things. First, make sure you are using a plain, unsweetened whipped topping. Second, you could fold in 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream along with the other ingredients. The tang from the yogurt or sour cream will help to balance some of the sweetness.

The Best 5-Minute Cherry Fluff Salad Recipe

Name: The Best 5-Minute Cherry Fluff Salad Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained; 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling; 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk; 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

The Best 5-Minute Cherry Fluff Salad Recipe

An extremely simple, no-bake dessert salad, this ‘Cherry Fluff’ is a classic potluck dish. The recipe involves mixing together just four convenient ingredients: drained crushed pineapple, cherry pie filling, sweetened condensed milk, and thawed whipped topping. The resulting pink, fluffy mixture is then chilled in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Author: Grace
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes (includes chilling time)
Yield: 16 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: No-Bake, Mixing, Chilling
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

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Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the drained crushed pineapple, cherry pie filling, and sweetened condensed milk.
Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until everything is evenly combined.
Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

This is a very quick, no-cook recipe that relies on canned and pre-made ingredients for convenience.
Draining the crushed pineapple is an important step to ensure the fluff isn’t too watery.
Chilling for at least 2 hours is crucial for the flavors to meld and for the dessert to set up properly.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/16 of recipe (approx. 1/2 cup)
Calories: 180-220
Sugar: 30-38 g
Sodium: 50-80 mg
Fat: 5-8 g
Saturated Fat: 4-6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 35-42 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 2-3 g
Cholesterol: 15-25 mg

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/cherry-fluff/