Orange Creamsicle Jello Fruit Salad

Name: Orange Creamsicle Jello Fruit Salad
Prep time: 19 min
Total time: 19 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 oz (1 small box) (85 g) orange-flavored gelatin mix (dry powder), dry, do not prepare according to the box directions; 16 oz (2 cups) (454 g) full-fat small-curd cottage cheese, cold, any excess liquid on top poured off; 20 oz can (567 g) canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained very well, pressed to remove juice (about 1⅓ cups / 280 g drained); 15 oz can (425 g) canned mandarin orange segments in juice or light syrup, drained well (about 1 cup / 180 g drained); 8 oz tub (about 3 cups) (227 g) frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), fully thawed in the refrigerator; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional); 1 tsp zest (2 g) orange, zest finely grated from a fresh orange, for extra orange flavor (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, fluffy, nostalgic salad that tastes like an orange creamsicle. Dry orange gelatin is stirred into cottage cheese, then mixed with juicy pineapple, mandarin oranges and whipped topping. No boiling water or stovetop is needed.

Prep: 19 min
Cook: —
Wait: 3 hr 20 min
Total: 3 hr 39 min
Makes: About 7 cups (10 half-cup to ¾-cup servings)

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Ingredients

10 servings

3 oz (1 small box) (85 g) orange-flavored gelatin mix (dry powder), dry, do not prepare according to the box directions
16 oz (2 cups) (454 g) full-fat small-curd cottage cheese, cold, any excess liquid on top poured off
20 oz can (567 g) canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained very well, pressed to remove juice (about 1⅓ cups / 280 g drained)
15 oz can (425 g) canned mandarin orange segments in juice or light syrup, drained well (about 1 cup / 180 g drained)
8 oz tub (about 3 cups) (227 g) frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), fully thawed in the refrigerator
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 tsp zest (2 g) orange, zest finely grated from a fresh orange, for extra orange flavor (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L)
Fine-mesh sieve or colander
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Can opener
Serving bowl with a lid or plastic wrap (2-quart / 2 L minimum)

Steps

Before you start

Thaw the whipped topping in the refrigerator overnight, or for about 4 hours. It must be fully thawed and soft enough to fold, but still cold.
Do not add water to the gelatin. The dry powder dissolves into the moisture in the cottage cheese, so this salad sets as a soft, creamy fluff and not a firm, jiggly mold.
Drain the canned fruit very well. Excess juice is the main cause of a watery salad.
Plan on at least 3 hours of chilling. Overnight gives the best flavor and texture.

1
Drain the pineapple
- Open the can of crushed pineapple and tip it into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl or the sink.
- Press firmly on the fruit with the back of a spoon for about 1 minute to squeeze out as much juice as you can.
- You should end up with about 1⅓ cups (280 g) of fairly dry pineapple.
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Ready when: Only a few drops fall when you press the fruit, and the pineapple looks moist, not wet.
Tip: Save the juice for a drink or smoothie. Don't add it to the salad, because it thins the dressing.
2
Drain the mandarins
- Pour the mandarin oranges into a second sieve or colander and let the juice run off.
- Shake gently once or twice.
- Don't press on them, because the segments are delicate and will break up.
- Set them aside, still in the sieve.
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Ready when: The segments are intact and no longer dripping.
Tip: Blot the top of the segments lightly with a paper towel if they still look very wet.
3
Mix gelatin and cottage cheese
- Pour off any liquid that has collected on top of the cottage cheese, then put the cottage cheese in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the dry orange gelatin powder over the top and stir with a rubber spatula for 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla and orange zest, if using.
- The mixture will turn bright orange and look speckled.
- Leave it to rest for 10 minutes so the powder can start to dissolve into the moisture in the cheese.
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Ready when: After resting, most of the powder has disappeared and the cottage cheese looks evenly orange, with no dry clumps.
Tip: Stir again after resting and press any dry clumps against the side of the bowl to break them up.
4
Fold in the pineapple
- Add the drained pineapple to the orange cottage cheese.
- Stir gently with a spatula for about 30 seconds, until the pineapple is evenly spread through the mixture.
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Ready when: No pockets of plain cottage cheese or clumps of pineapple remain.
5
Fold in whipped topping
- Add the thawed whipped topping to the bowl.
- Use the spatula to fold it in by cutting down through the center, sweeping along the bottom and lifting the mixture over the top.
- Turn the bowl a quarter turn after each fold.
- Continue for about 1½ minutes, until no white streaks remain.
- Add the drained mandarin segments and fold 4 or 5 more times, just enough to distribute them.
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Ready when: The salad is a uniform pale orange-cream color, thick and fluffy, with whole mandarin segments visible.
Tip: Don't stir hard or the topping will deflate and the mandarin segments will break apart.
6
Transfer and cover
- Spoon the salad into a 2-quart (2 L) serving bowl and smooth the top lightly.
- Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
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Ready when: The salad holds its shape when scooped and no longer looks loose or glossy. Overnight chilling is even better.
Tip: If the salad still seems loose after 3 hours, chill it for another hour. A cold fridge shelf, not the door, helps it set.
7
Stir and serve
- Give the chilled salad one gentle stir to redistribute any liquid that has risen to the surface.
- Serve cold in ½- to ¾-cup (120–180 g) scoops.
- Garnish with a few extra mandarin segments or a little orange zest if you like.
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Ready when: The salad is cold, creamy and thick, with a soft, scoopable texture.
Tip: Keep the salad chilled until serving time. It softens quickly at room temperature.

Good to know

Tips

Press the pineapple dry. This is the most important step for a thick, creamy salad that doesn't weep.
Fold the whipped topping in gently to keep the salad light and airy.
For a smoother texture, pulse the cottage cheese with the gelatin in a food processor for 10 seconds before adding the fruit.
Add 1 cup (about 50 g) of mini marshmallows or ½ cup (45 g) of shredded coconut when you fold in the topping for a more classic potluck version.

Make ahead

"Make the salad up to 24 hours ahead. Its flavor and texture are best after an overnight chill. Cover tightly and keep refrigerated until serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no longer than 2 hours, including serving time. Refrigerator: covered, up to 4 days. Stir gently before serving, because a little liquid may collect on top. Freezer: not recommended, because the cottage cheese and whipped topping turn watery and grainy when thawed."

Substitutions

frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip) → Homemade whipped cream, 1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Tastes richer but is less stable. Serve within 2 days and keep it well chilled.
full-fat small-curd cottage cheese → Low-fat cottage cheese. It works, but drain off any extra liquid first, because the salad will be slightly looser.
orange-flavored gelatin mix (dry powder) → Sugar-free orange gelatin mix. Use the same weight of powder, usually a 0.3 oz / 8–10 g box. It gives the same flavor with less sugar, but the texture may be a little softer.
canned mandarin orange segments in juice or light syrup → Fresh clementine or tangerine segments, membranes removed. Use about 1 cup (180 g), and blot them dry before folding them in.