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Cranberry Cheesecake Fluff is a creamy and delicious cheesecake fluff salad with cranberries and walnuts. It is so easy to make and a MUST for the holidays!
Always a favorite side dish during the holidays! If you love fruit salads as much as I do try this Christmas Fruit Salad, The Best Winter Fruit Salad, Very Berry Cheesecake Salad or Creamy Poppyseed Fruit Salad.
Cranberry Cheesecake Fluff
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Do you have your menu planned out yet?
Put this Cranberry Cheesecake Fluff on the menu. It is a MUST!
I decided to take a little spin to the normal cranberry fluff.
Adding some cream cheese to help thicken it up and give it the cheesecake flavor took this fluff to a whole different level. It seriously blew my mind!
You will LOVE the flavors blended together to make one AMAZING cranberry cheesecake fluff recipe!
What you need to make cranberry cheesecake fluff
The best part about this fluff is that it is so easy to make.
You pulse some fresh cranberries, walnuts, and crushed pineapple together in a food processor.
Then you blend cream cheese and heavy whipping cream together, fold in the pulsed cranberry and there you have it.
A delicious side that everyone will love in no time at all.
I chilled mine overnight to help the flavors to blend together.
- Fresh cranberries: flavorful and sweet.
- Sugar: added sweetness.
- Pineapple: crushed and canned
- Walnuts: chopped up
- Marshmallows: mini
- Cream cheese: smooth and creamy
- Heavy whipping cream: thick and rich part of the fluff.
How to make cranberry cheesecake fluff
I fell in love with this fluff with the first bite. Creamy, cool and absolutely delicious. The flavors together blend so well in this salad.
Easy to make and absolutely amazing!
This is a MUST make for your upcoming holiday party!
If you cannot find fresh cranberries at this time, thaw frozen cranberries in replace of them.
The texture may be different it will still have the same delicious flavoring!
Fresh cranberries bring out a rich flavor, gentle crunch and the texture is addicting.
- Blend ingredients together: In a food processor or blender, combine cranberries, 1 cup sugar, crushed pineapple, and walnuts. Pulse until coarsely chopped without becoming mushy.
- Let stand: Cover and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors blend.
- Beat the creams together: In a medium bowl add the cream cheese ½ cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add the heavy whipping cream and continue to beat with the cream cheese until stiff peaks form.
- Gently add in cranberries and marshmallows: Fold the cranberries and marshmallows into the salad.
- Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
What to serve with cranberry cheesecake fluff
Make this a complete meal with all your favorite holiday fixings!
We love my Turkey Brine Recipe and Juicy Butter Herb Turkey Recipe (Step by Step Instructions) for the holidays.
It goes perfectly with these side dishes:
- The Best Sweet Potato Casserole
- Garlic Butter String Beans
- World’s Best Green Bean Casserole
- Grandma’s Sausage Herb Stuffing
- Creamy Parmesan Garlic Brussels Sprouts Recipe
More ways to make cranberry cheesecake fluff
It is always fun to add a little more or a little less to this cranberry cheesecake fluff recipe.
It is one of my favorite side dishes that is a MUST make and have on the thanksgiving table.
Quick and easy to make and comes together in minutes.
- Fruit: substitute or add in canned mandarin oranges, frozen cranberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes or diced apples.
- Nuts: pecans, cashews, or almond slices are a great crunch mixed in.
- Cranberry: craisins, canned cranberries, frozen cranberries or cranberry sauce can replace the cranberries for an overall
- Creamy Mix-ins: cool whip, sour cream or greek yogurt for a different texture each time you make it.
Tips for making cranberry cheesecake fluff
During the holidays everyone gathers together and enjoys this special holiday together.
With everyone together there are many requests and this salad is always at the top of the list.
Our family devours this salad first before anything else is ever touched.
Sit back and watch this easy to make cranberry cheesecake fluff come together and be the favorite side dish of the holidays!
- A food processor works best to mix and chop all the ingredients. A blender will do the same.
- If you are running out of time use sour cream instead of cream cheese.
- Looking for a lighter side, skip the heavy cream and try Greek yogurt or vanilla yogurt instead.
- Fresh or canned pineapple works great.
- Before serving add cranberries and pecans over top of the cranberry cheesecake fluff.
- It is fun for the holidays to serve these in mini trifle jars or small bowls to make it extra special.
Storing cranberry cheesecake fluff
Cranberry cheesecake fluff is best served chilled and right away.
Once you blend and combine all the ingredients together, let it rest in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Serve it immediately once you place it on the table.
This is one tried and true favorite side dish that is loved by everyone!
- How to store cranberry cheesecake fluff: Place in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap tightly. It will stay in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.
- Can you make cranberry cheesecake fluff ahead of time? Yes! Simply follow the instructions and leave out the cranberries until ready to serve. Place in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before serving. When ready to serve, simply add it to your thanksgiving table.
- Can I freeze cranberry cheesecake fluff? No, unfortunately this is not a great side dish to freeze. Ice crystals sometimes form in the whipped cream and tend to break it down.
More holiday side dishes
- Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites (4 Ingredients!)
- The Easiest Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Raspberry Baked Brie
- Cranberry Pecan Sweet Potato Wild Rice Pilaf
- Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
Cranberry Cheesecake Fluff
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package fresh cranberries
- 1 1/2 cup sugar divided
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple undrained
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine cranberries, 1 cup sugar, crushed pineapple, and walnuts. Pulse until coarsely chopped without becoming mushy. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors blend.
- In a medium bowl add the cream cheese ½ cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add the heavy whipping cream and continue to beat with the cream cheese until stiff peaks form. Fold the cranberries and marshmallows into the salad. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Serves: 8
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
This was SO good! Will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing!
Has anyone adapted this to a no-bake cheesecake? I’m thinking it would just be using less whipping cream and omitting the marshmallows… I’m planning to use half the amount of whipping cream and putting in graham cracker crust… Just wondering if anyone has tried this..
DUH!!! This looked so yummy & easy! I made it last night (very late and doubled the recipe), put in fridge until this morning. It tasted okay but was not as “fluffy” as I expected. Then I saw the darn bags of marshmallows sitting on my counter. It’s probably too late but wondering if anyone has any suggestions. The consistency is rather solid but thinking about just mashing it up & adding marshmallows now??? I should know better than to attempt a new recipe past my bedtime!! Had planned to bring this to dinner at my daughter’s in laws home?
I’m 34 weeks pregnant and I’ve been craving this ever since you posted on Facebook! Just made it and it totally hits the spot! Since it’s a make ahead/chill dish, will it still be ok for our Thanksgiving tomorrow afternoon? Don’t want it to get too watery or something….
Since I don’t use a cool whip, it can tend to get a bit watery siting over night. I think it is best served the same day! I also crave this when I am pregnant! hehe
Not to be ignorant but is this a salad or a dip?
Wonder if could fold in Cool Whip in place of heavy cream?
Do you serve this on a bed of lettuce or do you put this in small bowls?
HELP! This sounds tasty….except… I am allergic to pineapple! Any recommendations for a substitute?
You can add mandarin oranges for sure. This is a great recipe!
Hi, I live in Australia and can’t get fresh cranberries. Can I use frozen?
do you think it would be possible to use dried cranberries?
The real cranberries are what gives this salad great flavor.
Can this be done with dried cranberries? We have a bunch, and raw cranberries aren’t the tastiest
Do not use dried cranberries. There is just a perfect amount of sugar in the recipe to sweeten fresh/frozen berries. Also…do NOT use whole berry canned sauce. It will curdle the cream. Trust me. Do not use Cool Whip … that ruins the texture.
Alyssa, I wonder, am I supposed to cook or blanch the fresh cranberries at all? Hanks so much for your time.
Nope. You don’t have to cook at all. This is so yummy!
This sounds wonderful, but I am highly allergic to pineapple. Can I replace it with fresh oranges or canned mandarins?
Usually make some type of cranberry thing, couldn’t decide this year. This is It!!! YEA! My family is so lame trying new things, but I know they will try and love this one! The cream cheese makes it different. Will give it that tang and help it set. So easy also! Thanks so much. The hubby HATES mini marshmallows in fluff salads so I omit them anyway. ?.
This salad is AMAZING!! I promise you will love it. I am also not a marshmallow lover in salads like this BUT I made it the night before and the marshmallows were really soft the next day and I didnt mind them at all! Let me know how you like this!
Hi Alyssa, this does look good, want to try this for my brother for Thanksgiving, he loves cranberry. But do have a question, When do you add the marshmallows? Thanks so much. 🙂
You are going to love it! And thanks for catching that! You fold the marshmallows into the salad with the cranberry mixture.
Forgot to add into directions… 2 cups mini-marshmallows
Need to CORRECT recipe 🙂
When are they added?
This sounds good, but what do we do with the marshmallows?
I have updated that. You fold them in with the cranberries.
You could put them one by one deep in the hole where the sun doesn’t shine !!!
The ingredients list has 1 1/2 cups sugar. The instructions tell us when to use the 1 cup but no mention of when to add the 1/2 cup. Then the ingredient list has marshmallows but no mention of when to add them. Can you clarify it for us please?
You will add the 1/2 cup in with the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
Hi, this looks great. I don’t see the mini marshmallows anywhere in the directions, though, just on the ingredient list. Are they just folded in, or do they get beaten in with the cream cheese and cream?
Thanks!
Yes you fold them in with the cranberries at the end. Thanks for noticing that!
what about the marshmallows
You fold them in with the cranberries at the end. Thanks for catching that!