Cranberry Pineapple Freeze

 

Cranberries may be a classic holiday ingredient, but they rarely get the spotlight they truly deserve. This charming frozen cranberry salad changes all of that. Lightly tart, delicately sweet, and beautifully layered, it brings a refreshing contrast to the richness of winter meals while still feeling completely at home on a festive table.

 Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, planning a Christmas buffet, or simply looking for a special make-ahead treat to serve during the holiday season, this frosty salad delivers elegance with remarkable ease. It’s one of those nostalgic recipes that feels both vintage and timeless—a dish that could have graced a mid-century holiday table just as easily as it dazzles today.

 What truly sets it apart is its texture: a dreamy combination of whipped cream, cream cheese, tart cranberry, juicy pineapple, and crunchy pecans—frozen into charming molds using something as simple as paper cups. It looks sophisticated, but the prep work is blissfully simple. Even better, you can make it up to a week ahead, so it’s ready and waiting when your guests arrive.

 Serve it as a festive side dish, a palate-cleansing intermezzo, or a light, refreshing dessert. However you choose to present it, this pretty little salad is sure to spark conversation—and requests for the recipe. 

Cranberry Pineapple Freeze

 1 14-oz. can jellied cranberry sauce

1 8.25-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 c. heavy cream

1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/3 c. Duke’s mayonnaise

½ c. confectioners’ sugar

1 c. chopped pecans

Leaf lettuce, for serving 

Light cream and mint, for garnish

 Place the cranberry sauce in a medium bowl and break it up with a fork. Stir in the pineapple and lemon juice until well blended; set aside.

Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, confectioners’ sugar, and chopped pecans, mixing until smooth and creamy.

 Using eight 5-oz. paper cups, alternate layers of the cranberry mixture and the cream mixture, beginning with cranberry. Arrange the filled cups in a 9” × 9” pan and freeze until firm.

 When ready to serve, place a fresh leaf of lettuce on each plate. Peel the paper from the frozen salads, invert one onto each leaf, and press lightly into place. Garnish with a spritz of light cream and a sprig of mint. Allow to stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

 This frosty holiday salad is the perfect touch of festive cheer—a seasonal classic that brings color, flavor, and old-fashioned charm to any winter celebration.

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