This is a delicious alternative to traditional cranberry sauce from a can! My sis-in-law brought this festive cranberry salad to our Thanksgiving gathering a while back and it was heavenly!
OK, maybe you prefer traditional cranberry sauce, but even so, this is a great supplement to that, and it’s ooooh so good!! I tweaked her recipe just a bit (I added hot water to the craisins to hydrate them a little), but it’s basically the same. And it is YUMMY!! (Scroll down to the end of the post for a printable version).
Festive Cranberry Salad Recipe
Cranberry Salad
1- (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple
2- (3 oz.) pkgs. black cherry gelatin (can use sugar-free)
10 oz. dried cranberries (1 package)
1 cup broken pecans
Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Drain pineapple and reserve juice. Heat 1 cup water to boiling. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add dried cranberries (craisins) and let sit in hot water to re-hydrate a few minutes, maybe 10 minutes or so, while you chop the nuts. Add reserved pineapple juice to 1/2 cup cold water and add to hot water mixture. Let cool in refrigerator until it starts to set; don’t let the gelatin harden. Add pineapple and nuts to thickened gelatin mixture. Mix well. Pour into a bowl or mold. Refrigerate until completely set. Place mold in a warm water bath and run a knife around the edges to loosen. Invert on a serving plate.
For topping, mix cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar and mix until combined well. Then add sour cream and vanilla. Serve as a topping for the salad.
NOTE: This recipe can be doubled to generously fill a Tupperware ring mold.
Have a wonderful holiday season!
Here’s a printable version of the recipe:
- 1- 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
- 2- 3 oz. pkgs. black cherry gelatin (can use sugar-free)
- 10 oz. dried cranberries (1 package)
- 1 cup broken pecans
- Topping:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Drain pineapple and reserve juice. Heat 1 cup water to boiling. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add dried cranberries (craisins) and let sit to re-hydrate a few minutes. Add reserved juice to ½ cup cold water and add to hot water mixture. Let cool in fridge until it starts to set; don’t let the gelatin harden. Add pineapple and nuts to thickened gelatin mixture and mix well. Pour into a bowl or mold and refrigerate until completely set.
- To Serve: Place mold in a warm water bath and run a knife around the edges to loosen.
- Invert onto a serving plate.
- For topping:
- Mix cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar and mix until combined well. Then add sour cream and vanilla. Serve alongside salad as a topping.
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