Frozen fruit salad is a blast from the past. This vintage recipe is a cool and delicious way to eat your fruit. It is at home at all of our holiday meals, but would also be a fun summer side dish!

This vintage recipe comes straight from my great-grandma’s recipe box. It is a fun twist on marshmallow fruit salad, but even more fun because it is frozen! It is perfect for holidays or as a refreshing summer side dish. Frozen fruit salad could even be a light dessert.
This recipe is still a staple at my family holidays. My Aunt Jenny usually makes it now and it is present at every Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I have a handful of recipes from my Great-Grandma, so I was going through them trying to decide which one I should make first. When I got to this one, I knew I had to make it. I am familiar with a few of the others, but this one is still a tradition!
Though the combination might seem a little odd these days, it really isn’t that much different than fluff salads or creamy fruit salads. It just has the added bonus of being frozen!

I love trying vintage recipes like this, don’t you? It’s like taking a little step back in time, right into the kitchen of a loved one.
I think my great-grandma must have come to age in a time of fruity dishes like this, because another favorite from her recipe box was the green Jello salad that is loaded with pineapple and cream cheese. There is definitely a nostalgia to both recipes.

My great grandma wasn’t only known for her fruity side dishes though. She also made delicious cookies. I have shared her peanut butter cookies as well as her oatmeal raisin step-on cookies.
Great-grandma wasn’t the only good cook, her mom is the one that brought us dutch apple cake. I put a spin on that recipe to make our favorite peach breakfast cake.

All of my great-grandma’s made great food. You can search “great-grandma” in the search bar (in the side bar on desktop or down below the comments on mobile.) You will find loads of great classic recipes.
Here are some suggestions:
- Great-grandma’s scalloped corn is a classic side dish. It is made from super simple ingredients but it really is delicious!
- Great-grandma’s apple crisp is actually a quite healthy treat. It is a great way to turn apples into something extra fun.
- Great-grandma’s egg noodles are a Thanksgiving must have for our family. However we also use them to make chicken and noodles a couple of times throughout the year.
When and how do you serve frozen fruit salad?
My family always serves frozen fruit salad as a side dish at holiday dinners. It is a small way to have great grandma there with us and part of the tradition.
Frozen fruit salad would be perfect side dish for a summer BBQ as well. It would be such a refreshing addition to the menu.
Serve frozen fruit salad as a light fruity dessert. It’s a great make ahead and you can grab a piece whenever you want it.
For an extra fun twist on frozen fruit salad, freeze it in a cupcake tin. Then it’s single serve and the perfect way to have a piece whenever you want!
Frozen Fruit Salad

Frozen fruit salad is a blast from the past. This vintage recipe is a cool and delicious way to eat your fruit. It is at home at all of our holiday meals, but would also be a fun summer treat!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup heavy cream - "Whipped"
- 3 1/2 cups fruit cocktail, well drained
- 1/2 cup drained Maraschino cherries
- 2 1/2 cups little marshmallows
Instructions
- Quarter cherries
- Cream together the room temperature cream cheese and mayonaise.
- Add cherries, fruit cocktail and marshmallows, mixing it together.
- Fold in whipped cream.
- Put into a glass 9x13 pan or similarly sized freezer safe serving dish. Freeze until solid.
- Remove from freezer 10-15 minutes before time to serve.
- Cut into squares and enjoy.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g
All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.

Julie carreno
Saturday 13th of February 2021
Awesome salad
Carlee
Saturday 13th of February 2021
Thanks!
Unknown
Thursday 15th of October 2020
I have wondered for years how my mom made this frozen fruit salad. I'm amazed that mayo was one of the ingredients. Thank you for posting!!
Carlee
Tuesday 20th of October 2020
I know, it sounds strange but it really works! I am so glad I could connect you with the recipe!
Patricia Dudley
Saturday 23rd of May 2020
This sounds so good, but my grandson is allergic to cherries. Can I substitute another kind of fruit combination?
Carlee
Tuesday 20th of October 2020
Sliced bananas and strawberries sound like wonderful additions!
Old cookie
Thursday 15th of October 2020
My grandma,and now I, put sliced or diced banana in it. If you need the color, finely dice some strawberries. (I don't like maraschinoes either.) 😉
Carlee
Sunday 24th of May 2020
Oh my, then we definitely need to make some changes. You could sub in just pears, peaches and pineapple instead of the fruit cocktail and use four cups total of fruit. Or if you have a fruit cocktail you like that doesn't have cherries, mandarin oranges would be a fun replacement for the cherries. You'll have to let me know what you decide to do and how it goes!
Valentina
Friday 8th of March 2019
What an interesting recipe! I love old school family traditions like this!
Carlee
Thursday 14th of March 2019
It's a fun one steeped in a lot of memories for my family!
Erin
Friday 8th of March 2019
I love recipes that have been passed down and this would definitely be great in the summer too.
Carlee
Thursday 14th of March 2019
Me too! I need to dig up some more from the family archives!