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    Grits and Pinecones » Recipes » Salads

    Easy Old-Fashioned Frozen Fruit Salad

    May 5, 2021 by Sharon Rigsby, Updated June 26, 2022 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest pin showing a square of frozen fruit salad.

    Easy, Old-Fashioned Frozen Fruit Salad is bursting with flavor and chock full of fresh or frozen pineapple and cherries, and roasted pecans. A creamy, dreamy mixture of lemon yogurt, frozen whipped topping, and lemon zest surrounds the fruit and makes it the ultimate, make-ahead fruit salad.

    This tasty frozen fruit salad can also be served as a dessert and is perfect for serving at showers, ladies’ luncheons, and holiday brunches. It would also be excellent to serve at a Mother’s Day or Easter brunch or luncheon. 

    A square of frozen fruit salad on a plate.

    This old-fashioned fruit salad (dessert) was all the rage in the ’50s, and versions started appearing as early as the Great Depression. However, these early recipes mainly featured canned fruit cocktail instead of fresh or frozen fruit, which was in short supply.

    If you grew up in the South, you probably also had it at your Grandmother’s house. If not, it’s time to remedy that. This updated, frozen salad classic has stood the test of time and will get rave reviews.

    Why you will love this recipe:

    1. Light and refreshing,  this simple frozen fruit salad takes less than ten minutes to prepare.
    2. You can make it ahead, and it’s gluten-free! It’s also an easy recipe using frozen fruit and a perfect way to get your family to eat more fruit.
    3. Even though this luscious dish is technically a salad, it’s no stretch to call it a dessert with all of its creamy sweetness. You decide. 

    Yesterday, I ate some for lunch, then had another serving after dinner for dessert. I might have a bite for breakfast tomorrow morning. After all, it has to be healthy with all that fruit, right? Well, maybe not healthy, but healthy-ish? At least that’s how I rationalize it!

    Ingredients – here’s what’s in it:

    Ingredients for a frozen fruit salad including cherries and pineapple.
    • Dark sweet cherries (not pie filling) – you can use fresh, canned, or frozen pitted cherries. These sweet cherries add their sweet taste and beautiful pink color to this yummy dish. 
    • Pineapple chunks or tidbits – again, fresh, canned, or frozen work and add a sweet, fruity, tropical essence.
    • Toasted pecans – add a delicious crunch and a rich, sweet buttery flavor. 
    • Frozen whipped topping – (Cool Whip) adds a creamy deliciousness and forms the base of this salad/dessert. You can substitute homemade whipped cream if you prefer. 
    • Lemon yogurt – adds a delightful lemon tangy flavor to the creamy base. 
    • Lemon juice and zest – add even more citrusy essence and, like salt, enhances all of the other flavors and bring them together in one harmonious dish. 
    • Mayonnaise – you will have to trust me on this; it is a salad, after all.  

    Directions – here’s how to make it:

    1. Gather the ingredients and add the drained cherries, pineapple, and toasted pecans to a large bowl. 
    Cherries and pineapple chunks in a glass bowl.
    1. Combine the thawed whipped topping, lemon yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and lemon zest in another bowl and stir until well combined.
    ped topping, yogurt, and lemon zest in a bowl.
    1. Add the whipped topping mixture to the fruit mixture and gently fold everything together.
    Cherries, pineapple and nuts mixed with frozen whipped topping in a bowl.
    1. Spoon the mixture into an 8×8 dish; cover and freeze for at least four hours, or until firm.
    Frozen fruit dessert in a white square baking dish ready for the freezer.
    1. Take the dish out of the freezer 15-30 minutes before you are ready to serve it to let it thaw just a little. Cut into squares and serve on lettuce leaves if desired.
    A white serving dish with frozen fruit salad.

    Frequently asked questions:

    What other types of fruit can I use in this recipe?

    This frozen fruit salad recipe is versatile, and the variations are endless. While I used pecans, cherries, and pineapple, you can easily substitute your favorite fresh, frozen, or canned fruits or nuts.

    Mandarin oranges, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, halved grapes, or peaches work, but avoid melons. You can use fresh fruit, frozen fruit, or canned.  You could also add a handful of coconut and swap out walnuts or almonds for the pecans. 

    How long does it last?

    Because this is a frozen dish, as long as it is stored tightly covered in the freezer, leftovers can be stored for three months.

    How to serve it?

    – Be sure to take the frozen salad out of the freezer at least 15-30 minutes before serving to allow it to defrost slightly.
    – It is easier to cut if you use a sharp knife and dip it in hot water or under hot running water before slicing it. 
    – To make it easier to remove individual servings from the frozen fruit salad, either put a dish towel in the microwave and microwave it for a minute on high or soak the towel in hot water and wring it out. Place the hot dish towel under your dish, and the slices will quickly release from the dish.
    – I like to serve squares of this frozen fruit salad on salad plates with fancy lettuce leaves and garnish with leftover cherries and pecans. Feel free to add a dollop of whipped cream to each serving.

    What to serve with it?

    When I serve this frozen fruit salad as a side dish for a brunch or lunch, I like to pair it with my Eggs Benedict Breakfast Casserole, Sweet Potato Hash, Spinach and Bacon Quiche, or Southern Cheese Grits Casserole. Of course, you could also include Sausage Cheese Bread, Southern Fried Potatoes, Sweet Potato Biscuits, or Sweet Potato Bread to round the menu out.

    This frozen salad is also an excellent, light, cold, and refreshing dessert to serve during the spring and summer for casual backyard barbecues. Then, I like to serve it with main dishes such as Grilled Ham Steak, Smoked Spatchcock Chicken, Simple Lemon Grilled Whole Chicken, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, and Grilled Bone-In Pork Chops.

    Sharon’s tips:

    • To toast the pecans, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Watch them carefully; they can go from perfect to burned in seconds.
    • Make sure your cherries are pitted. If you can’t find canned dark sweet cherries in the canned fruit section of your grocery store, try looking where the pie fillings are kept.  But don’t use cherry pie filling.
    • You can substitute homemade whipped cream for the frozen whipped topping.
    • To make individual servings of this dish, add paper liners to a regular-sized muffin pan and then add the mixture—cover and freeze as directed. 
    • You can use fresh, frozen, or canned fruit in this recipe. If you use canned, allow the fruit to drain completely. Excess moisture will make it icy when frozen. 
    • You can use crushed pineapple, tidbits, or chunks. 

    More recipes with fresh fruit or frozen fruit:

    Grape Salad, Breakfast Fruit Salad, Watermelon Feta Salad with Basil and Blueberries, Lemon and Blackberry Bread Pudding, Blueberry Delight, and Southern Ambrosia are some of the dishes featuring fruit on my blog. Main dishes with fruit include Grilled Grouper with Mango Salsa and Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce.

    Need even more menu ideas? Check out these roundup posts 40+ Easter Menu Ideas and Recipes, Easter Dinner Side Dish Recipes and Menu Ideas, 50+ Easter Dessert Recipes, and my easy 32 Mother’s Day Breakfast and Brunch Recipes!

    You can find all of my Mother’s Day recipes here or my Breakfast and Brunch recipes here. 

    ★★★★★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

    Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

    A square of frozen fruit salad on a plate.

    Easy Old-Fashioned Frozen Fruit Salad Recipe

    Sharon Rigsby
    Easy Old-Fashioned Fruit Salad is bursting with flavor and chock full of pineapple, cherries, and pecans that are enveloped in a creamy, dreamy mixture of lemon yogurt, frozen whipped topping, and lemon zest. It's perfect for serving at showers, ladies luncheons, holiday brunches and would be excellent to serve at a Mother's Day or Easter brunch or luncheon. 
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Freezing time 4 hrs
    Total Time 4 hrs 10 mins
    Course Dessert, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Southern
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 308 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2½ cups dark sweet cherries pitted, if canned, drained
    • 2½ cups pineapple chunks drained, if canned, drained
    • ½ cup pecans toasted and chopped*
    • 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed, I used Cool Whip
    • ½ cup lemon yogurt regular or Greek
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • ⅓ cup mayonnaise

    Instructions
     

    • Gather the ingredients, add the drained cherries and pineapple, and toasted pecans in a large bowl. 
    • Combine the thawed whipped topping, lemon yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and lemon zest in another bowl and stir until well combined.
    • Add the whipped topping mixture to the fruit mixture and gently fold everything together.
    • Spoon the mixture into an 8×8 dish; cover and freeze at least four hours, or until firm.
    • Take the dish out of the freezer for 15-30 minutes to let it thaw just a little before you are ready to serve it. Cut into squares and serve on lettuce leaves if desired.

    Notes

    *To toast the pecans, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Watch them carefully; they can go from perfect to burned in a matter of seconds.
    Because this is a frozen dish, leftovers should be stored tightly covered in the freezer. You can store it for up to three months.
    Be sure to take the frozen fruit salad out of the freezer 15 to 30 minutes before serving to allow it to defrost slightly.
    It is easier to cut if you use a sharp knife and dip it in hot water or under hot running water before slicing it. 
    To make it easier to remove from the frozen dish, either put a dish towel in the microwave and microwave it for a minute on high or put it under hot water and wring it out. Place the dish towel under your dish, and the slices will release from the dish much easier. 
    I like to serve it on salad plates on top of fancy lettuce leaves and garnish it with leftover cherries and pecans. Feel free to add a dollop or so of whipped cream to each serving if you like.
    Make sure your cherries are pitted. If you can’t find the canned dark sweet cherries in the canned fruit section of your grocery store, try looking where the pie fillings are kept.  But don’t use cherry pie filling.
    You can substitute homemade whipped cream for the frozen whipped topping.
    To make individual servings of this dish, add paper liners to a regular-sized muffin pan and then add the mixture—cover and freeze as directed.
    You can use fresh, frozen, or canned fruit in this recipe. If you use canned, be sure to allow the fruit to drain completely. Excess moisture will make it icy when frozen.
    You can use crushed pineapple, tidbits, or chunks.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 308kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 179mgFiber: 3gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 13.2mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 0.7mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today! Mention @gritspinecones or tag #gritspinecones!

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    1. Lorna

      July 08, 2019 at 6:52 pm

      Do you think the frozen cherries would work?

      Reply
      • Sharon Rigsby

        July 08, 2019 at 7:07 pm

        Hi Lorna, I haven’t ever used frozen cherries but I can’t think of any reason they wouldn’t work.
        If you decide to use them, if you have time please leave a comment letting me know how they were.
        All my best,
        Sharon

        Reply
    2. Nancy

      April 12, 2019 at 9:55 pm

      I can hardly wait to try this recipe.

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        April 13, 2019 at 4:23 pm

        Hi Nancy,
        I hope you enjoy it!
        Sharon

        Reply

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    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, recipe developer, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have well over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and there is nothing I like better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

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