Christmas Cranberry Salad
Transform your holiday table with this festive Christmas Cranberry Salad, a charming blend of tart, sweet, and creamy flavors that's sure to delight your guests. Fresh cranberries take center stage, macerated in sugar to enhance their natural tartness, while crisp red and green apples, juicy halved grapes, and crunchy walnuts add layers of texture and flavor. Mini marshmallows provide a playful touch of sweetness, all folded into a luscious whipped cream base lightly sweetened with powdered sugar and a hint of vanilla. This no-bake recipe is a breeze to prepare, taking only 20 minutes of hands-on time, making it the perfect make-ahead side dish or dessert for busy holiday gatherings. The vibrant colors and refreshing taste of this crowd-pleasing cranberry salad make it a stunning addition to any Christmas menu!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large red apple (diced)
- 1 large green apple (diced)
- 1 cup seedless red grapes (halved)
- 1 cup marshmallows (mini)
- 0.5 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Rinse the fresh cranberries thoroughly under cold water and pat dry.
Place the cranberries in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed.
Transfer the chopped cranberries to a medium bowl and stir in the granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the cranberries to macerate.
Before assembling the salad, dice the red and green apples into small cubes, leaving the skin on for added color and texture. Halve the seedless red grapes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced apples, halved grapes, mini marshmallows, and chopped walnuts.
In a separate chilled bowl, whip the whipping cream using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
Drain the excess liquid from the macerated cranberries, then fold the cranberries into the whipped cream mixture gently to avoid breaking the whipped cream.
Pour the whipped cream and cranberry mixture into the large mixing bowl with the fruits and nuts. Gently fold everything together until evenly combined.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve the Christmas Cranberry Salad chilled and garnish with a few whole cranberries or additional chopped walnuts, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2594 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 120.1 g | 154% | |
| Saturated Fat | 51.6 g | 258% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 240 mg | 80% | |
| Sodium | 133 mg | 6% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 371.4 g | 135% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 24.5 g | 88% | |
| Total Sugars | 307.7 g | ||
| Protein | 14.0 g | 28% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 99 mg | 8% | |
| Iron | 3.3 mg | 18% | |
| Potassium | 1076 mg | 23% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
