Easy Orange Dreamsicle Salad is a great family dessert salad, perfect for potlucks or barbecues or just to enjoy as a snack. This dreamsicle salad takes a few minutes to prep and then it chills until you are ready to serve it. The perfect no bake dessert recipe!
Orange Dreamsicle Salad
Last week I made this Mandarin Orange Jello Salad for my husband's grandmother and she LOVED IT. We bring over meal kits each week for my husband's mom and grandmother to make life a little easier for them and to minimize the amount of grocery shopping they need to do right now.
A few days after we dropped off the Orange Jello Salad we asked what they thought about the food we brought over. We quickly learned that my husband's grandmother enjoyed the entire package of orange jello salad in a couple of days and wanted more. LOL! So this week I made her this orange dreamsicle salad.
I keep wavering between calling this a dreamsicle salad or orange creamsicle salad. The flavor is so similar to a creamsicle drink. Whatever you call it just know that it is easy to make and tastes amazing.
There is always such a debate about calling this a salad but I figure it has fruit in it so that helps with calling it a salad. We serve this during the main portion of a meal most of the time. You can serve this during the meal as a side dish or after as a dessert it really depends on what works for your meal plan.
This is a cool whip jello salad that can easily be customized to fit your menu plan. You can add in more fruit, change the jello flavor, skip the marshmallows, or make it like the recipe says below. I love recipes like this! You just can't go wrong when you can whip out a no-bake dessert salad in minutes.
I also love that this orange creamsicle fluff salad can be made ahead of time. Whip it up in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it!
Ingredients
I love that this recipe only takes a few ingredients that I try to keep on hand most days.
- Orange Jello
- Vanilla Pudding Mix
- Water
- Cool Whip
- Mandarin Oranges
- Mini Marshmallows
Optional Add-ins - Pineapple tidbits, bananas, or any fruit you want to mix in
Orange Jello - You can easily use any flavor of orange gelatin that you have available.
Vanilla Pudding Mix - I use instant vanilla pudding in this recipe.
Cool Whip - You can use any brand of whipped topping. I make this with either lite or regular cool whip depending on what we have in the house. Homemade whipped cream does not stay stable long enough for this orange fluff salad to hold.
Mini Marshmallows - If you are not a fan of mini marshmallows you can easily leave them out. You can also use the fruit-flavored mini marshmallows instead of regular ones if you want to add a bit of color and more flavor.
Mandarin Oranges - Make sure to use mandarin oranges drained before putting them into the salad. You can easily double the amount of mandarin oranges to add more fruit to this dessert salad.
Equipment
Large Mixing Bowl - Make sure to use a large bowl to mix all of the ingredients together. When you add in the cool whip it takes up more room than you think it will. I use this bowl.
Whisk
Spatula
Serving Bowl
Measuring Glass - I use a glass measuring glass for the boiling water and cold water.
Recipe Tips
This Mandarin Orange Fluff recipe can be adapted based on if you like mini marshmallows or want more fruit mixed in. Feel free to add in other fruits if you feel like it.
Make sure to store this dreamsicle salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
This recipe can easily be doubled if you are serving a large crowd.
You can lower the sugar content in this orange dreamsicle salad by using sugar-free jello and sugar-free pudding. Use the lite or fat-free cool whip to save calories.
Great Dessert Recipes
Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Pie
Do you love recipes? Check out our copy cat recipes, dessert recipes, and our Crock Pot Recipes
Orange Dreamsicle Salad
Ingredients
- 3 Ounce Orange Jell-O
- 3.4 Ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- ½ cup Cold water
- 8 Ounce Cool Whip
- 11 Ounce mandarin oranges drained
- 1.5 cups Mini Marshmallows
Instructions
- Combine boiling water and orange jello mix in a large bowl. Whisk to combine
- Add in cold water and whisk together. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to chill.
- Whisk in vanilla instant pudding mix until smooth. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened
- Fold in Cool Whip, Mini marshmallows, and mandarin oranges until well distributed.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Kitchen Tools
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ann Joy
We love the salad I first had it at my sisters and then made it at home It is wonderful and like you said you can add more of less things in the recipe It is super great on the Hot days love it
RhondaB
Yes, it is like Watergate salad, but orange...went over really well at my house....next time I think I will let it set the full 20 minute before mix in the oranges, coolwhip, and marshmellow....the oranges seemed to sink
Dorothy Ortiz
Me and family love this salad..😋 it does taste just like eating a orange circle icecream..😊