Mandarin Orange Jello Salad tastes like an orange Dreamsicle. Bright citrus flavor with a creamy, mousse-like texture. A sweet addition to any meal.
Today I am sharing a longtime Family Favorite recipe – Tastes Like a Dreamsicle Mandarin Orange Jello Salad. My sister-in-law (Hi Cheryl!) shared this little gem with me many years ago.
My family loves this salad. A LOT! I can’t even begin to guess how many times I’ve made it over the years.
It’s a mainstay at most of our holiday and special occasion meals. And I’ve also prepared it for countless potlucks and parties.
And sometimes I make it “just because”. You know, those times when a family member requests something ever so nicely. It’s all about keeping your people happy, right?
Tastes Like A Dreamsicle Orange Jello Salad
Should I serve it as part of the meal or as a dessert?
This question has sparked many debates. Like similar Midwestern (and Southern) dishes, this jello salad with mandarin oranges is considered a salad. Perhaps there’s less guilt associated with eating something with “salad” in the name?
But this is a sweet salad. Not to be confused with a plate-of-greens-and-veggies salad.
And it always (always!) sparks a debate as to when to serve the dish. Should you serve it as part of the meal? Or serve it as a dessert?
Traditionally we’ve served it as part of the meal. But you can be a rebel and serve it as a dessert if that’s how you want to roll.
Ingredients Needed to Make Orange Fluff Salad:
Scroll to the bottom for a printable recipe card.
You’ll need just a handful of common ingredients to prepare this recipe.
- orange gelatin
- cook & serve vanilla pudding
- water
- whipped topping
- mandarin oranges
***Want to make Orange Jello Salad? Pin the recipe for later.***
How to Prepare Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
- Combine the pudding and gelatin mixes with water & cook until clear.
- Chill overnight.
- Combine chilled gelatin mixture with whipped topping.
- Add mandarin oranges.
*** PIN ORANGE FLUFF SALAD RECIPE FOR LATER ***
Tips for best results
- Instant pudding mix is not recommended for this recipe.
- I use a potato masher to combine the gelatin mixture & whipped topping.
- You can use fresh whipped cream but keep in mind the whipped cream will break down faster than the prepared whipped topping. Leftover jello salad may separate and become watery if using fresh whipped cream.
- You can add a second can of mandarin oranges to up the citrus flavor.
Looking for a way to use summer berries? Try the strawberry version of this recipe – Strawberries & Cream Salad.
Helpful tools to make the Mandarin Orange Salad with Cool Whip recipe
Sometimes the right tools can make or break your cooking experience. These are the tools I used to make quick work of the orange jello salad with cool whip recipe:
Whisk – I use this for cooking the mix. It’s the perfect size for dressings & sauces. Dishwasher safe with sealed barrel.
Prep bowls – This set is versatile enough for most kitchen tasks.
Hand held potato masher – I use this to combine the pudding mixture & Cool Whip.
I’ve shared this recipe at: Meal Plan Monday, Full Plate Thursday and Weekend Potluck.
11/17/17: Post & photos updated. 5/27/19: added new photos & updated post.
More sweet salads & sides:
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*** Pin the Orange Fluff recipe for later ***
Mandarin Orange Jello Salad
Mandarin Orange Jello Salad tastes like a Dreamsicle. Bright orange flavor with a creamy, mousse-like texture. Will you serve it as a side dish or a dessert?
INGREDIENTS
- 1 6 oz. package orange jell-o
- 2 3 oz. packages vanilla cook & serve pudding & pie filling
- 4 cups hot water
- 8 oz. Cool Whip
- 1 large can mandarin oranges drained
INSTRUCTIONS
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Combine orange jell-o, vanilla pudding and hot water in a large saucepan.
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Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
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Continue boiling (and stirring) until mixture turns clear.
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Pour into a large bowl and chill overnight. Alternatively, chill until set (about 4 hours).
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Combine Cool Whip with jell-o/pudding mixture (a potato masher works well for this step).
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Add mandarin oranges and stir gently.
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Refrigerate until ready to serve.
RECIPE NOTES
- Plan ahead - needs to chill.
- I am not a certified nutritionist or dietitian. All nutritional information is intended for informational purposes only and should be used only as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. The nutritional labels are calculated by an online calculator. Even though I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.
I boiled for 10 minutes and it never turned clear,was very sticky
So sorry this didn’t turn out for you, Betty. The only time I’ve had this problem is when I used instant pudding mix instead of cook & serve mix.
What do you eat this with? What do you serve it with??? Thanks.
You can serve Orange Salad for lunch or dinner. It’s great with ham, burgers and grilled meats. I hope that helps, Yadira.
Hello, I’m so excited to make this for our Thanksgiving party tomorrow! I hope You can answer this before I make it later today. I wanted to know if you can double this, or if its better to make 2 batches instead? Thanks so much and Happy Thanksgiving, Diane
I think this should double easily. It will likely take a little longer to cook and set up than a single batch. I’d love to hear your results, Diane. Happy Thanksgiving!
I know it says chill overnight but how long is acceptable if you were going to make it for a function today?
I would check if after 3-4 hours to see if it has set up. Thanks for stopping by, Lori!
How long do you boil before it turns clear??
Boil about 5 minutes-ish until clear, Laura.
do you add the liquid from the mandarins orgnges also in the can?I assume no but am just making sure….
The juice from the mandarin oranges is not used in this recipe, Amber.
I tried this recipe with Strawberry Jello and fresh strawberries! Wow..so yummy..thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you liked this recipe! I love changing it up when fresh fruits are in season, too. The raspberry version is bliss on a spoon. Thanks for stopping by Tanya!
You had me at Creamsicle! This looks so good! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
I’m totally in love with this! Yummy! Pinned and tweeted. We appreciate you being a part of our party, and I hope to see you on tonight at 7 pm. We love partying with you!
Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
Thank you for posting to Motivation Monday!
Our family will love this salad it looks delicious. Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks Miz Helen!