With a mixture of pudding, jello, marshmallows and cool whip, it’s light, creamy, and fluffy all at the same time. And the orange flavor brings it all together to make a great recipe!
We add in mandarin oranges and bananas for a fruitier flavor and whether you’re taking it to a party, feeding a crowd, or looking for an easy side dish – it feeds a BIG group. It’ll quickly become a favorite recipe in your home!
This mandarin orange salad will be a delicious side dish for everyone (including your picky great aunt)! This fluffy salad recipe is a simple recipe with simple ingredients. At your next family gathering they will all be asking, “Where is the delicious orange stuff you brought last time??”. Check out the full recipe below, and thank us later for this family favorite staple!
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make our orange fluff jello salad, you need the following ingredients:
- Cook and Serve vanilla pudding (do not use instant pudding)
- orange jell-o
- water
- Cool Whip
- mini marshmallows
- mandarin oranges
- 3 bananas
- optional: small curd cottage cheese
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make Orange Fluff Jello Salad
- Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened (about 4-5 hours).
- Beat until creamy.
- Fold in whipped cream, marshmallows, and fruit. Scrape the sides of the bowl to get all the fluff mixture together. Chill about an hour before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
With the cool whip and marshmallows, this orange fluff salad recipe is perfectly light and fluffy – hence the name “fluff.” With the creamed pudding and jello mixture added in, it makes the texture even fluffier. You really can’t go wrong with this easy recipe for orange jello salad.
We recommend only using Cook and Serve pudding with this sweet side dish. It doesn’t set up as well, stay together as long, or have quite as creamy of a texture if you use instant pudding.
We have never tried making this recipe with sugar-free jello or pudding, but according to some of our reader comments below, it will still work. If you try it, leave us a comment below and let us know!
We would not recommend making this further in advance than the morning you’re planning on eating it. The mandarin oranges tend to release moisture the longer they are in the salad, so it starts getting runny after too long. If you want to make it the day before, we would recommend just doing the first step of the recipe (mixing together the jello mix, pudding mix, and water and letting it set up in the fridge).
No. The recipe requires just the mix (the powder packet) of both the Jello and the pudding. Do not prepare the jello or pudding as listed on their boxes.
Recipe Notes
- We would not recommend making this further in advance than the morning you’re planning on eating it. The juicy mandarin oranges tend to release moisture the longer they are in the salad, so it starts getting runny after too long.
- If you want to make it the day before, we would recommend just doing the first step of the recipe (in a large bowl combine the jello mix, pudding mix, and water and let it set up in an airtight container in the fridge), then add in the Cool Whip and fruit on the day that you plan on eating it.
- We recommend only using Cook and Serve pudding with this recipe. It doesn’t set up as well, stay together as long, or have quite as creamy of a texture if you use instant pudding.
- Sometimes I also add a can of drained pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple to this recipe – it’s a delicious addition!
Enjoy More Delicious Fruit Salads
Want to add more fruits to your meals? Browse our comprehensive list of salad recipes.
- 5-Minute Pistachio Salad
- Ambrosia Salad
- Caramel Apple Jello Salad
- Creamy Grape Salad
- Honey Lime Fresh Fruit Salad
- Mandarin Orange Cookie Dessert Salad
- Mandarin Orange Pretzel Salad
- Mom’s Frog Eye Salad
- Peach Jello Fluff Salad
- Pina Colada Fruit Salad
- Snickers Apple Pudding Salad
- Weight Watchers Jello Pudding Fluff
Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4.6 ounces Cook n Serve vanilla pudding mix, (1 large box – not instant pudding)
- 6 ounces orange Jell-o, (1 large box)
- 3 cup water
- 16 ounces Cool Whip, (thawed)
- 5 ounces mini marshmallows, (about half the bag)
- 22 ounces canned mandarin oranges, (2 small cans; drained)
- 3 bananas, (sliced; add right before serving so they don't turn brown in the fridge)
Instructions
- Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened (about 4-5 hours).
- Beat until creamy.
- Fold in whipped cream, marshmallows, and fruit. Scrape the sides of the bowl to get all the fluff mixture together. Chill about an hour before serving.
Notes
- We would not recommend making this further in advance than the morning you’re planning on eating it. The juicy mandarin oranges tend to release moisture the longer they are in the salad, so it starts getting runny after too long.
- If you want to make it the day before, we would recommend just doing the first step of the recipe (in a large bowl combine the jello mix, pudding mix, and water and let it set up in an airtight container in the fridge), then add in the Cool Whip and fruit on the day that you plan on eating it.
- We recommend only using Cook and Serve pudding with this recipe. It doesn’t set up as well, stay together as long, or have quite as creamy of a texture if you use instant pudding.
- Sometimes I also add a can of drained pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple to this recipe – it’s a delicious addition!
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Wow! So coincidental that you should post the Orange Fluff Jello salad. I made something very similar to this but used orange sherbet as an added ingredient,mandarin oranges,pineapple tidbits, and maraschino cherries.I am falling in love all over again with these kinds of salads. I remember as a youth enjoying salads like this from buffet type restaurants and thought they were the best thing on the menu. I cannot go without serving one to my guests now. Thanks for posting this!~
My mom always used pistachio pudding, minus oranges and bananas…. Yum. Memories. 🙂
Oh my goodness, this is one I have got to try! Thanks for posting this! Have a lovely New Years!
My grandma used to make this for us, I LOVE it!! Thank you for posting this, now I can make it for myself!!
This is very similar to what I make except mine has buttermilk (I know that sounds weird) in it. It is tart and delicious!
looks great- can’t wait to try it
My mom used to make this jello salad every Thanksgiving! I love this stuff!
Do you think there’s a way to use instant pudding instead of the cooked kind? I only ask because that’s what I have on hand and I want to make it NOW! lol.
This sounds so yummy!!! Can’t wait to try!
@Anonymous- we have never made it using Instant Pudding- our mom always said that Cook and Serve was the one to use, so we have never tried it using Instant! If you try it, let us know! 🙂
@Anonymous – If you want to make it without cook and serve pudding, leave the pudding out altogether and use the orange jello only, much like the Pistachio Fluff this is very popular.
wait, so do you still add the milk for the pudding or is it just the boxes and the water?
Hey there!
No milk. Just the jello and water.:)
Thanks! I ended up adding some vanilla yogurt and it turned out delicious too! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Do you drain fruit?
@Nichole Yes, you drain all of the fruit. Thanks! 🙂
Omgosh I have looked for this recipe for years!!! I used to have it at church lunches and have craved it forever. The only recipes I could find called for mayo…………yuck!!!
Thanks SO much for posting this recipe!
Made this today using sugar free fat free instant jello pudding and sugar free jello. Instead of cooking this with the water, I just put all of it into my blender. Then I added fruit packed in it’s own juice and left out the marshmallows. It really lowered the calories and still tasted wonderful. Thanks for the original recipe that I could tweak for me.
I’ve made this too, but my recipe calls for instant pudding, so it comes together very quickly. I also add chopped walnuts.
totally trying this on sunday!! sooo excited! it also is similar to a fruit salad my mom makes. we’ll see how it turns out! Thanks!!
I’m so making this for my Easter dinner this year. My mom used to make something like this years ago, but at before she served it she used to stir in some cottage cheese, I think I’ll like your version better. Thanks for sharing.
This sounds so yummy and I would like to make it but one thing I cant substitute here in Australia is Cool Whip as I don’t know what it is, can you give me an idea what it is so I can try and find something similar here
Thanks for sharing. I am about to have a good look around your site now.
This sounds so yummy and I would like to make it but one thing I cant substitute here in Australia is Cool Whip as I don’t know what it is, can you give me an idea what it is so I can try and find something similar here
Thanks for sharing. I am about to have a good look around your site now.
Cool Whip is a brand of whipped topping that is found in the frozen section here in the US. You could use whipping cream sweetened with a little sugar if there isn’t anything like that where you live.
Thanks Alison. I will use whipping cream and I am sure it will be very tasty. Think we may have something similar to what you have but its in a aerosol can here and I don’t like it so fresh cream will definitely be a substitute.
Going to try this for Easter dinner. Thanks for the idea. I’m assuming making it the night before is fine??
Hi Carla,
You can definitely make this the night before, but I would leave the bananas out until before serving so they don’t turn brown. Thanks!
Gathering the ingredients now to take in to a family fostering 6 teen boys… thinking I might to double this. I remember it being so yummy and refreshing. Thanks
I am going to make this but forgot to pick up the pineapple . . .sooooo I am going to put in grapes, lets hope it works . . hahaha
I’ve got it chilling in the fridge right now… used instant pudding, added it after mixing the jello into the boiling water. Will let you know how it turns out!
Just half to say my hubby hates jello salad we have been married tgirteen happy byears never could get him to eat it i made this for easter sunday he took a bite and said wow i really like this one…thanks for posting this for my pickey eater lol now if i can get him to eat cantelope….
my mama always made something similar to this called watergate salad
1 box lime jello
1 tub cool whip
about 10 marshmellows cut up (or equal amount of minis)
1 cup pecans
1 med can crushed pineapple
3/4 boiling water
optional cottage cheese, really not much difference with/without
just made a double batch sunday night 🙂
Throw in coconut and you have Ambrosia! Very old dessert.
Hi!
Sorry about that. Yes, use the 6 oz. size boxes. Thanks!
What size jello and pudding packages? By large box, do you mean the 6oz size?
I tried this recipe and it’s amazing! I am trying different flavors tonight for fun. Strawberry and banana jello with banana cream pudding, and mandarin oranges with strawberries and bananas! 🙂
We have almost the same recipe handed down in our family, too!
Orange Fluff
1 box cook and serve Vanilla Pudding
1 box orange jello
1 box Tapioca
(all of these are small boxes)
3 cups water
Mix these together in saucepan and bring to a boil, cooking til thick. Cool. When completely cool add:
1 15 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 small container of Cool Whip
Mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnite, if the kids can wait that long!!
I usually have to double this recipe when we get together, enjoy.
Sorry, I should have said Tapioca Pudding
I made this recipe for my husband to take to work for a potluck, and he’s been asked for the recipe several times, and there are requests that he bring it for their next party. We love it at home, too!
For a bbq w 15 people do you think it shoukd be doubled?
debi53: My mom uses tapioca in her orange fluff salad too! It is one of my favorite sweet sides for any holiday get together!
Sounds so good, will have to try it soon! My mother-in-law used to make what she called a 5-cup salad that I think you’ll like, too. My husband doesn’t like sour cream, but this is an exception to that rule…he loves the stuff!! 🙂
Mama Jo’s 5-Cup Salad
1 small tub sour cream
1 regular size can crushed pineapple and juice (don’t drain)
1 pkg chopped pecans
1 large pkg coconut
1 large pkg mini marshmallows
Stir the sour cream and pineapple (with juice) together.
Stir in the chopped pecans
Alternately stir in 1/3 of marshmallows and coconut and stir. Repeat until you have incorporated all of the marshmallows and coconut in the mixture.
Refrigerate and enjoy!
I made this for Fathers Day and I doubled the recipe but forgot to double the cool whip. I turned out good but was a deep orange color and set up more like jello than fluffy. Everyone loved it anyways. Thanks for the recipe next time I will make it right.
I love this stuff and am glad I finally found someone else who calls it Orange Fluff. I get such strange looks when I call it that. I make mine similar, but without the pineapples, marshmallows, or bananas so I get the strong orange flavor. And I use instant pudding. 1 cup hot water and 1 cup cold water like you do in jello. Deliscious!
this is my go to recipe these days , thanks so much 🙂
I make something similar to this and it is sooooo goooood. I call it Orange Fluff also.
1 small bowl of Cool Whip
2 small boxes of orange jello
1 large can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 can mandarin oranges, well drained
1 16 oz container of cottage cheese
Mix well and enjoy.
hi, just wondering what do you use to substitute Jell-O vanilla?
Im in Australia, Brisbane, and cant seem to find Jell-o around.
I make this with peach jello! :o)
mmmm would love to try this but these ingredients aint available here. If any1 in Australia has a similar recipe please share it with me
Thats exactly how I make it too! I have never heard of using pudding in it! Thats a new one- might be good but not as simple as this recipe and its sooo good! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe and sharing with everyone! I make Ambrosia, which is a very old recipe, but is a tradition in my family
The instant pudding is too thin and runny for this. It never firms up enough to help this salad set up well.
Hi Six Sisters! I just wanted to let you know I found your recipe on Pinterest and am making it for my family for one of our “Sunday Family Dinners” Thanks for posting it! Can’t wait to try it!
I can see this having all KINDS of flavor combinations! Just imaging using CHOCOLATE pudding with either RASPBERRY or CHERRY gelatin, and adding in fresh raspberries and maybe some shavings of white chocolate. Or adding in toasted coconut, almonds and/or pecans! I’m using lime gelatin for our family’s get-together tomorrow, since it’s already March, and the theme is “green food”! 😀
My in-laws looove this recipe and I’m asked to make it a few times a year for different get togethers, including Easter this weekend! Would you mind if I added it to my blog as a Family Favorite recipe if I include your site name as the source? Looking forward to making it again tomorrow for the in-laws!
I think you could also make this with strawberries!
Sure, that would be fine. 🙂
We love this with fresh strawberries!
Use the Edmonds custard mix if you don’t have
Jell-O pudding mix there. Work great!
I would use heavy whipping cream in place of it. Whip it up before adding. Cool whip is just a fake heavy cream mixture. As someone who likes REAL foods, I would use the heavy cream. Someone on here used yogurt too and said it worked. Worth a try! Good luck down under!
Do u cook the puudding first and then add the jello and water
Don’t cook the jello first. Just mix together the box of pudding, box of jello, and water together.
If making with instant pudding…did you still boil it? I can’t see why it wouldn’t still set with the instant as long as it was still boil so the jello would set? Just curious?
Anyway, I am making it today!! I have made something similar only instead of the pudding it called for cottage cheese. I loved it. but some of my family do not like cottage cheese. So I’m going to try this hoping it’s a hit with everyone!!
Thank you so much The Happy Baker! I have been looking EVERYWHERE for your particular version of the recipe; it’s exactly like one I got from the person who made the salad when I first tried it, but she just said it out loud and we were at a party with no paper or pens… I tried to memorize it 😉 and failed miserably (mom of three, that’ll do it!) So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! My whole family is ecstatic. 😀 We’re having it tonight to celebrate Memorial Day weekend. You can bet I’ll be perusing your blog continually after this!
This recipe only uses Cook n Serve pudding.
Made this for a cookout was the absolute hit of the party
How many servings is this recipe? I plan to make it for a Fourth of July cook out
This makes about 8 to 10 servings! Have a great 4th of July!
making this now, but receipe doesn’t say if you drain the cans of fruit or not, HELP?
I made this just as it said to and this dessert was just to die for. I got a lot of raves about it. It’s light and cool and just delightful. This recipe is a *Keeper*! Thank you Six Sisiters for sharing! 😀
Thanks so much for the recipe! I did not have vanilla pudding so I used quick cooking tapioca…worked out great as a substitution. I will definitely make this one again…and will use the vanilla pudding for the extra creamy consistency.
For sure drain the fruit. We made the changes to the recipe. Thanks for drawing that to our attention. 🙂
I only had instant on hand too…. Ill let you know how it turns out!
I used instant pudding because I bought it by mistake, it turned out fine. It’s just a little bit softer, I don’t really think it ever set properly. The kind my grandmother makes is really firm but still airy and fluffy, I’m not sure if it’s just a different recipe or if it’s because I used the instant pudding!
I LOVED this. I’ve made it a few times now and it is a real hit! Last time I made it I put some crushed walnuts in it and really liked it that way too.
Wow just made this its super yummy. Can’t wait to let it sit over night and eat more tomorrow, it will be even better tomorrow then the marshmellows will get really soft and the favors will merry together even better.
Yes that’s called Watergate salad and it has nuts in it, I think pecans. That’s my very favorite. But this one is good too.
Only one word is needed to describe this recipe, FANTASTIC!!!!
I make this recipe and add, pecans and cottage cheese, its soooo good!
Looking forward to giving this a try it looked so good when someone had posted it that I had to try it. Thanks
This is always requested for family gatherings, we call it “green stuff” 🙂
Many years ago when I was a kid, my mom used to make what we call in our family “the Fluff”. While There are many recipes out there for just about everything we eat, and it is sometimes difficult to find that one recipe that is a “hit” with everyone. While the recipe that is listed here is a great one, it is not on the Healthy side of eating. To make this more healthier I would suggest omiting the pudding altogether and substitute it with a low fat cottage cheese. Omit the marshmallows as they also only add extra unneeded calories as well. Otherwise keep the rest of the ingredients and let “the Fluff” set for a couple of hours or overnight, and I garauntee you will not see any leftovers!!! absolutely a delish without the extra calories!!!!!
Thank you for posting this recipe! I also bought the instant pudding by mistake & wanted to still make the salad. I plan to double it since I have a large box of instant pudding and also the jello. I think I will add some miniature marshmallows too.
This is the one! I was just thinking I couldn’t ask mom this year how she made this because she past away in February. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I need to bring a jello salad for the thanksgiving gathering at my in laws, and found your site. I can’t wait to make it. I was going to make a molded jello salad,which I was worried about since I have to travel far with it. This should work out well. Thank you again for sharing your recipe’s and great ideas.
Does anyone know if this can be frozen? Delicious recipe, by the way. 🙂
Hey! Quick question. Do we make the pudding and jello before we combine them, or do we combine the mixes together first thing?
Thanks thanks!
. I used milk!!!! Any ideas of what will happen? Darn.
My stepmother introduced our family to the wonderful world of FLUFF when she and Daddy married. She started us on green fluff (pistachio) and now we have had the orange I am not sure I can ever go back. OMG this stuff rules!! I love love love it!!!
Have no idea what would happen when you add milk. It’s never happened to us before.
Just combine them dry, don’t make it according to the package. Just follow the directions on the recipe.
My mom has made a version of this for years. It’s easier and slightly healthier – mix Jello mix with Cool Whip, fold in small container of cottage cheese and drained crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges. No marshmallows and no bananas. And no cooking!
I just posted info about this same version below – this is how we do it too! It’s faster than cooking the Jell-o and SLIGHTLY healthier, what with the cottage cheese and no marshmallows.
I make or very similar and a lot easier and faster. 8 oz. Cool whip. 16 oz. Small curd cottage cheese. (I HATE COTTAGE CHEESE BUT WILL EAT IT IN THIS) 3oz. Pkg orange jell-o. 3 – 4 16ish oz cans of pineapple rid bits well drained and 3-4 small cans mandarins oranges well drained. Mix cool whip, cottage cheese and pkg of jell-o together Place in refrigerator. Open cans of fruit and drain well. Once drained mix well with cool whip mixture. Refrigerate for an hour or over night. Enjoy. Can also make with lime jell-o and only pineapple for fruit. Mmmmmmm Also…both taste great if you add shredded coconut.
I made a similar recipe 1 cup boiling water, 1 pkg sugar free berry blue jello. stir until jello dissolved. Add 1/3 cup cold water. Place in frig 30 min. Add 1 pkg sugar free vanilla instant pudding whisk or use mixer for 2 min. (turns green) Let set 5 min to thicken. Fold in 2 cups thawed strawberries(no sugar added,cut into smaller pieces). Fold in 8 oz pkg thawed cool whip(do not completely mix together, leave a marbled effect) Very holliday looking(red & green & white)
I made this for a backyard barbecue last summer and everyone loved it! I did leave out the pineapple though, because I don’t like the texture.
Lol! I totally missed that it said buy the cook and serve pudding and bought instant instead. I cooked it on the stove anyway just as your recipe said, scooped out some small clumps and it’s in fridge now. It was kind of thickening in the pan and tasted good so I’m hopeful it will be ok.
We also have an old family recipe called Orange Fluffy Stuff, still part of our Thanksgiving line up. No pudding, no Cool Whip ~ use Dream Whip!! Yes, you can still find Dream Whip at your local grocer. Much lighter without pudding, less oils without Cool Whip.
3-oz pkg orange Jello
2-oz envelope Dream Whip
6-oz can mandarin oranges
Prepare gelatin with 1-1/2 cup hot water. Stir about 2 mins until gelatin dissolves. Set in refrigerator until jelly-like texture (about 1 hour). Prepare Dream Whip as directed and gradually pour in gelatin while mixing with electric mixer. Drain mandarin oranges and fold into mixture. Chill for at least 1 hour.
We usually double the recipe for holidays. Instead of folding in oranges, use to make decorative design on top of salad–a sun, a flower, a turkey–we’ve done it all!
HI,
I used sugar free jello. Is this going to be a problem getting it to set. I have it in the fridge now.
We have never tried sugar free jello with this recipe. We aren’t sure how that will turn out. Keep us posted!
How many will this serve? I am going to a family reunion this weekend and need to know if i should double or triple it!
My sweet mother-in-law taught me a great trick! To keep bananas and apples from browning in salads and such, dip them in lemon juice or pineapple juice. Since this recipe has pineapple in it, you are all set! 🙂
How many people does one recipe serve? I’m doing some party planning and want to feed this awesome salad to about 140 people. Any ideas on the portions?
This serves about 10 to 12 people. It just depends on how big your servings are. Adults usually take a bigger serving than kids.
Thank you!
Here’s a trick to keep your bananas from browning. Drain the pineapple juice into a bowl and soak the sliced bananas in it while you make the rest of the recipe. I do this when I make my fruit salad and they can go close to 3 days in the fruit salad and not really brown.
I use the same ingredients except I used instant pudding and never had any problems. Set up just fine.
I was so happy to find this recipe. I reminded me of the fruit fluff that I see at our local grocery store’s deli. The only changes I made were to use the colored mini marshmallows, and I added maraschino cherries. Also, to keep the bananas from turning brown, I saved the juice from the mandarin oranges, and tossed the sliced bananas in the juice for a few minutes, then drained them. It worked great! In the words of my hubby, “this is really good, Dear!”
Can this recipe for Orange Fluff Jello Salad be made one or two days b4? And if so what would the steps be?
Hi Linda. This salad works best made the day of. We always boil the water and jello the night before. Let it set up all night then make the jello the next day. The bananas would go brown if you made it too far ahead of time. Whenever we have leftovers, it’s ok the next day. But any longer than that it gets kind of soggy. This is truly a family favorite. It’s also really good with fresh sliced strawberries and strawberry jello. Best of luck to you and thanks so much for stopping by our blog!!
Thank you for your answer. So when would the pudding be added? Also with the jello and boiling water the night b4? I am making it for a pre-school party and was going to leave the bananas out just to make it easier!
Linda
Hi Linda. I like to make this the night before when eating it the next day. In the evening I mix the pudding, jello and water on the stovetop stirring constantly until it comes to a full boil. Then I put it in bowl and cover it with saran wrap. Stick it in the fridge until morning. In the morning mix it until smooth with an electric mixer, then beat in the cool whip, then fold in all the fruit and marshmallows. Hope this helps.
I am going to try this for Easter tomorrow. I just wanted to mention that soaking the banana slices in the pineapple juice while preparing this will prevent them from browning.
I see its not necessary to say that this salad is delicious!! I made this for a picnic tonight and told my daughter that it’s guaranteed to be good if six sisters posted it. By the way, I’m from a family of six sisters too. But we did have two brothers at the tail end yet. Thanks for all the delicious recipes
I have no idea why I?ve never made a recipe like this- so easy! Thanks for sharing,
I have never used the cooked pudding and I do not use boiling water for the jello. I add the pudding and the jello mix to a bowl..mix in the pineapple (undrained), then I add sour cream and fold in the cool whip and mandarin oranges. Sets up perfect!
The recipe I use is very similar. I use sugar free EVERYTHING, pudding, jello and cool whip. I mix the UNDRAINED crushed pineapple with the dry pudding and jello mix . Then I add a pint of sour cream. (low fat) I fold in the cool whip and drain and add the mandarin oranges. It sets up perfect (well, it would if I would leave it alone long enough) 🙂
How many servings does this recipe make? I would like to make for a LARGE luncheon buffet… about 70 – 75 servings. Suggestions?
This recipe makes about 8 servings! It’s a family favorite!! Good luck with your large luncheon buffet!
I made this for a family reunion today. It was so good!!! It travels great and was a breeze to make.
Is it okay to use jello cheesecake filling for this recipe?
The pudding has to be Cook n Serve, not instant. We used vanilla, so if you use another flavor of cook n serve jello pudding it would change the taste.
We make your recipe all the time and We never have leftovers! We’ve tried several different variations with our favorite being lemon jello with raspberries. We also like chocolate pudding and raspberry jello with raspberries. Thanks for helping make this a stapel at our house!
I don’t understand the pudding addition. Do you cook the pudding or just add the dry pudding to the pot?
Can someone please tell me how much water with the jello and pudding combo??
Can someone tell me how much water for the jello pudding combo??
We love this recipe!!! We use the banana cook n serve pudding instead of bananas so we don’t have to worry about them going brown. It’s delicious! We sometimes add pineapple tidbits too. So good!
Sounds delicious with the banana pudding! Definitely going to try that! Thanks.
I have been making this several times a year since 2013 using this recipe, just modified to my family’s tastes. I ha e ALWAYS used instant (in fact, I only just realized it said “cook and serve”) and it has always been a hit. I switch out cool whip for Tru-whip and Orange is cherry, I use crushed pineapple and cherries and it’s a family fave!
can you use the fruit juice instead of the water
Yes, I would double that recipe for 15 people.
3 cups of water
Dry pudding in pot with the Jello powder and 3c water.
I started making orange fluff a few years ago when I first saw it on this website. What happened to the pineapple tidbits ? I still put them in. The amount of water changed as well from 2 c to 3 c. I made this a couple days ago for a group birthday party and the bowl was cleaned out !
I love this salad. I am the only one eating it though so I don’t put the fruit in until I eat some. Stays fresher longer this way and doesn’t get soupy.
We use 3 cups when it’s the bigger jello and pudding mix. We are back and forth with the pineapple.
Can you use real seedless Oranges instead of Mandarins?? We love oranges and Mandarins don’t really have a good orange taste to us.. Just curious if you or anyone has ever tried it with real oranges..
I’m sure you could add in fresh mandarins.
This dish is absolutely divine! It could definitely be considered a dessert by itself! I wish I could have found the sugar free cook and serve pudding and the sugar free jello to cut a lot of the sugar out, but my local grocery did not have any.
i made this yesterday. it is the bomb thanks for a very good salad
Love this recipe. However I am confused. Your cook book for this recipe says 2 cups of water and this one says 3. Which is better? Also the cook book says to let the jello mixture refrigerate for 1 hour . This one says 4-5. I’m just confused and want to make it the right way.
Follow the recipe on the website. It’s 3 cups of water and refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours or until set up really well. We usually let it set up overnight. When we use smaller boxes of jello and smaller boxes of the cook and serve pudding, then we cut the water down to 2 cups. Hope this helps!
One of my favorites! Anything Orange and vanilla will always rate high with me.
One thing I do that helps is I lay my mandarin oranges out on paper towels on a sheet tray to dry out a bit for a few hours. They rehydrate in the salad, but don’t lose nearly as much liquid if there are leftovers. I do this with nearly all fresh fruit going into creamy salads.
I’ve been using this recipe for years. I swap out the jello flavor for different colors and holidays. I’ve made this with strawberry jello, strawberries, and pineapple or or lime jello with pears and pineapple. Any way you make it, it’s delicious and so easy.
How many does this serve
It serves 10.
I love this and it is a staple around the holidays at my house. Only difference is instead of bananas or pineapple, I add halved cherries and a bit of the cherry juice. Adds such a great flavor!
I have been using this recipe for years, but changing it to be cherries, and strawberry jello and I have always used the instant jello mix.
This is my go-to for every family gathering! I love it. And thank you for including the nutrition facts. One question, though – what is the serving size?
We love this recipe it is so good exclamation I have also made it with the sugar-free pudding Jell-O and light Cool Whip I don’t add the marshmallows when I do it that way and it is a light dessert that you can use on Weight Watchers only two points a serving if I remember correctly (old pts)
Is it possible to cut the recipe in half – I live alone and this is such a huge recipe!
Yes, I cut it in half often. You’ll use the smaller box of jello and pudding. If it’s hard to find the cook and serve pudding in the smaller size, just divide the big box in half. Then you would only use 2 cups of water and 8 ounces of cool whip. Adjust the fruit in half too.
If I do step one the night before, do I still need to whip before I add rest of ingredients or should I whip the night before? Thanks
We often do step one the night before. Then the next day you can start with Step 2. This is one of our family favorites!! Be sure the pudding mix is Cook n Serve.
I have made this several times and my friends and family always rave about it. I have made one change from this recipe. Personally, I think 16oz od Cool Whip is way too much. I have reduced to a single 8 oz package. I like the lightly intensified orange flavor from using less Cool Whip. Also, I can now fit the whole recipe into a 2 qt serving bowl. FYI i tried using instant pudding once and the results were not good. It did not set up very well.
This is my favorite summer salad recipe! So.eti.es we switch up the jello and fruit flavors:
Lemon jello with raspberries
Strawberry jello with strawberries
Lemon or lime jello with oranges
It is so beautiful, easy to make,and a crowd favorite!
This is an Easter must have with our family!
I am looking for the version of this that have pineapple chunks in it. Is there a way of providing that?
You are welcome to add pineapple chunks to this recipe. Our family loves a mixture of mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks!
I have been making this recipe for about 10 years now. This was the first one I pulled up and even though I now know it by heart, I often just double check to make sure I have all of the ingredients. I must have clicked on this page a hundred times lol. This is ALWAYS a major hit with everyone!! Awesome recipe 👌
My family thinks no get together is complete without the orange fluff!
The first time I made this salad, the recipe called for 2 cups of water. I see now it says 3 cups of water. Why the change?
It depends on the consistency you prefer