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Millionaire Cranberry Salad Recipe

5 from 92 reviews

Millionaire Cranberry Salad is a festive, sweet-tart dessert salad featuring a luscious cranberry sauce blended with creamy sour cream or Greek yogurt, sweet pineapple tidbits, fluffy miniature marshmallows, crunchy pecans, and flaky coconut. This make-ahead salad is perfect for holiday gatherings, offering a delightful combination of textures and flavors that meld together after resting to create a refreshing and indulgent treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cranberry Sauce

  • 3 cups fresh cranberries
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Salad

  • 2 cups sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
  • 2 cups pineapple tidbits (well drained)
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 cups coconut flakes
  • 1 ½ cups cooled cranberry mixture (from above)

Instructions

  1. Make the Cranberry Sauce: In a saucepan, combine fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, water, and the cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool completely; it will thicken as it cools.
  2. Mix the Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream or Greek yogurt, pineapple tidbits, miniature marshmallows, chopped pecans, coconut flakes, and 1 ½ cups of the cooled cranberry sauce. Stir everything together well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  3. Chill and Serve: Cover the salad and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This resting time allows the flavors to meld and the salad to set into a creamy, flavorful dish. Serve chilled as a sweet side or dessert.

Notes

  • For a tangier flavor and healthier option, use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
  • Drain pineapple tidbits well to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
  • The cranberry sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Letting the salad rest overnight improves flavor melding and texture.
  • Optional: Toast pecans lightly for extra crunch and depth of flavor.

Keywords: Cranberry salad, holiday salad, sweet salad, Christmas dessert, pineapple salad, pecan salad, coconut salad