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grandma's cranberry salad

(37 RATINGS)
5.40K Pinches 14 Photos
CookingMaven avatar
Huntsville, AL
Updated on Oct 20, 2025

I grew up with my grandmother and mom making this every year for the holidays. This is not your standard cranberry out-of-the-can mush. You make it the night before and let it chill overnight. This is one less dish you have to make the next day. I have carried on the tradition and served this for my family and friends. It is super yummy!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

We love the punch of color that cranberries add to a meal, and this delicious cranberry salad recipe really does the berry justice. Not only did we love the perfect balance of sweet and tart, but the chopped pecans add a wonderful crunch that we'd never had before in a cranberry salad.

— The Test Kitchen
prep time 23 Hr 10 Min
cook time 5 Min
method No-Cook or Other
yield 12 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 1 package cherry jell-o (3 oz box)
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup drained crushed pineapple, juice reserved (8 oz can)
  • 1/2 cup reserved juice
  • 1 cup ground cranberries
  • 1 - orange, ground
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

How To Make grandma's cranberry salad

  • Boiled Jell-o, sugar, lemon juice, and pineapple juice stirred into baking dish.
    Step 1
    Boil the cup of water. Dissolve the Jell-o in the hot water in a 9x13-inch pan; mix well. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. Stir to dissolve well.
  • Remaining ingredients added to the baking dish.
    Step 2
    Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Chill overnight.
  • Ingredients prepped in bowls.
    Step 3
    Grandma's Notes: Chop up the pecans first before getting the blender wet. Or you could just buy pre-chopped pecans and save a step. Use the blender or food processor to chop up cranberries, then orange, seeded, and partially peeled. The chopped peel gives it that special zing!
  • https://youtu.be/jKOx_aEI6co
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!

Nutrition Facts

(per serving*)
calories: 197kcal, carbohydrates: 42g, cholesterol: 0mg, fat: 4g, fiber: 3g, protein: 2g, saturated fat: 0g, sodium: 41mg, sugar: 38g, unsaturated fat: 3g
*Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is estimated.

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