Orange Fluff Salad: This creamy, fluffy dessert salad is a no-bake recipe made with just 5 ingredients: jello, pudding mix, whipped topping, mandarin orange, and mini marshmallows! It’s incredible all year but especially at Easter!
We are no strangers to dessert salads around here. But, if you haven’t had one before, a dessert salad is a sweet, fluffy mixture of instant pudding and whipped topping with fruit, nuts or candy stirred in.
If you have eaten ambrosia salad or Watergate salad, then you have had a dessert salad! Some of our favorite delicious recipes include this pistachio fluff salad, classic fruit salad with Cool Whip, and this incredibly delicious Snicker apple salad!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Minimal Ingredients: This orange fluff recipe is made with just 5 ingredients and one bowl! Now that is a simple dessert recipe to add to your Thanksgiving menu.
Dreamy creamsicle flavor: With the sweet flavor combination of orange and vanilla, it’s no surprise that we also call this orange jello salad “creamsicle fluff”.
Dessert for a crowd: If you need a dessert or side dish for a special event or a large family get-together, this simple orange fluff salad recipe is a crowd favorite and can easily be doubled or tripled.
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Ingredients
You can find the simple ingredients for this fluff salad recipe at your local grocery store. I like to keep them on hand in my pantry and freezer so I can make a big bowl of this mandarin orange salad when the craving hits!
- One 3 ounce box of orange Jell-o + 1 ½ cups boiling water
- One 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding mix
- 8 ounces of thawed whipped topping (like Cool Whip or TruWhip)
- Two 15-ounce cans of mandarin oranges, drained – or less if desired – saving a few for garnish on top.
- 2 cups of mini marshmallows, plus extra for topping if desired
- Optional, 1 cup of small curd cottage cheese (not pictured, as it’s not required)
See the printable recipe card below for ingredients, nutrition information and detailed recipe notes.
Substitutions and Variations
This is a classic side and dessert recipe and a family favorite in many homes. So, I know there are a lot of different versions of this jello mandarin orange salad out there. Try one of these ways to adapt the recipe to your family’s tastes and preferences.
- Fruit: For a slightly more tropical flavor, drain an 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits and add it with the mandarin oranges.
- Nuts: Add ¼ – ½ cup of toasted, chopped pecans for some crunch and nutty flavor.
- Coconut: For an ambrosia-like fluff salad, add ¼ – ½ cup of coconut.
- Cranberry sauce: If you like the pairing of orange and cranberry for Thanksgiving, stir ½ cup of cranberry sauce into the orange fluff jello salad.
- Cottage cheese: While we made our orange fluff salad without cottage cheese, a lot of recipes call for the addition of 1-2 cups of small curd cottage cheese. The tang of the cottage cheese offsets the other sweet ingredients and it adds another texture to the dessert salad.
- Pudding Mix: Since this orange fluff salad with instant pudding is a pretty flexible recipe, try using white chocolate, coconut or cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix.
- Jello flavors: There is a huge variety of different flavors of jello. You can try raspberry jello mix, strawberry jello or even peach jello to make for this delicious jello salad.
- Lighter Salad: Depending on your dietary preferences, you can use sugar-free pudding mix, sugar-free jello or light whipped topping in this fluffy salad recipe.
Instructions
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
There are just 5 quick steps to this no-bake dessert recipe and we have detailed them in the instructions and step-by-step photos below.
- First, pour the 3 ounce package of orange jello into a large mixing bowl. Pour 1 ½ cups of boiling water over the gelatin and whisk it until the crystals have dissolved (about 1-3 minutes). Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes – or until the jello mixture is chilled. (Not firm, but not still warm.)
- Next, remove the bowl from the refrigerator. Add the 3.4 ounce packet of instant vanilla pudding mix to the gelatin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. Return the bowl to the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.
- Now, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and use a rubber spatula to fold in 8 oz. of thawed whipped topping. If the mixture is thin, instead of fluffy, refrigerate again, until no longer a “soupy” mixture.
- Finally, add the two 15 ounce cans of mandarin oranges that have been drained (save a few for a garnish on top) and 2 cups of mini marshmallows (saving a few for garnish on top) and mix them gently into the fluff mixture.
If adding cottage cheese to this recipe, this is when to add that as well, and stir in to combine.
- Serve chilled and garnish the orange salad with additional mini marshmallows and mandarin orange slices.
Isn’t it gorgeous? I love that pastel orange color with pops of bright, plump mandarin slices and soft, fluffy mini marshmallows. This is a light, simple dessert that I think is perfect to serve after a big Thanksgiving meal or even as a cool dessert in the summer!
How to Store Orange Fluff Salad
Store any uneaten orange fluff salad in an airtight container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to a week. Stir it again gently before eating as the oranges may release some liquid while resting in the fridge.
Can you freeze orange fluff salad?
You can! Store in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to three months. The texture of the marshmallows may change slightly when thawed, but if you don’t mind, thaw it in the refrigerator and enjoy!
More No Bake Desserts
If you’re a fan of making easy, no-bake desserts like this one, then I think you’ll also love this No Bake Oreo dessert (a fan favorite), this marshmallow fruit dip, and this banana pudding dip!
Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!
Originally published: November 2022
Video added and updated: April 2025
Recipe
Orange Fluff Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 3 ounces orange flavored gelatin one box
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix one box
- 8 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 30 ounces cans mandarin oranges drained – or more/less if you prefer.
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese if desired
Instructions
- First, pour the 3 ounce box of orange flavored gelatin into a large mixing bowl. Pour 1 ½ cups of boiling water over the gelatin and whisk it until the crystals have dissolved (about 1-3 minutes). Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes or until it is cold. (Not set where it is thick jello… but just chilled/cold/no longer hot.)
- Next, remove the bowl from the refrigerator. Add the 3.4 oz. packet of instant vanilla pudding mix and whisk until fully incorporated. Return the bowl to the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes or until it has fully chilled.
- Now, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and use a spatula to fold in the 8 ounces of thawed whipped topping.
- Finally, add two 15 ounce cans of mandarin oranges (or less if you prefer) that have been drained and 2 cups of mini marshmallows and mix them into the fluff mixture gently.
- If adding in cottage cheese, pour in to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Serve chilled and garnish the orange salad with additional mini marshmallows and mandarin orange slices.
Notes
- To add flavor and texture to the orange fluff, try adding 8 ounces of drained, crushed pineapple, up to ½ cup of toasted chopped pecans or ½ cup of cranberry sauce.
- Store any uneaten orange fluff salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Since the oranges may release some liquid while resting in the fridge, stir the salad again gently before eating.
- If you want to freeze this dessert salad, store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. The texture of the marshmallows may change slightly, so if you don’t mind that, thaw it in the refrigerator to enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Rose says
Taste good Good but it’s too Good but it’s too smooth it’s not Taste good but it’s too smooth it’s not chunky like your recipes look What did I do wrong I just now put it in the refrigerator after mixed everything I tried not to mix it too muchI just now put it in the refrigerator after I mixed everything I tried not to mix it too much. It will thicken up right?
Jessica says
Hi Rose. I see all of your comments but the system makes me approve them before they show on the page. (Which is why you thought I must have taken your comment down.) The only reason it may look chunky is because of the miniature marshmallows. Were you not seeing the texture of those in your salad? If you like more, I don’t see why you couldn’t add more marshmallows.
Journa Liz Ramirez says
This is a refreshing salad recipe! It is so easy to make and everyone loves it. So satisfying! Thanks Jessica for this wonderful Orange Fluff Salad recipe, I’ll surely have this on repeat.
Erin says
We LOVE this salad! My kids go crazy for it – we’ll definitely make it again for Thanksgiving this year!