Strawberry fluff is an easy treat and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! This delightful dessert is a symphony of flavors and textures.
It combines the natural sweetness of ripe strawberries with the airy lightness of whipped cream. The chewiness of marshmallows makes it even better.
When it comes to fluff desserts, strawberry reigns supreme!
They’re just so perfect for parties. They’re light, fluffy, cool, and refreshing. They’re not too sweet and super simple to make. And best of all, fluff treats rarely require any cooking.
If you can dump ingredients in a bowl and mix them, you can make this strawberry fluff recipe.
Strawberry Fluff
Besides being easy to make, strawberry fluff is always incredibly delicious. There are loads of strawberry and pineapple flavor in every bite.
It also has an incredible texture. It’s soft, fluffy, creamy, and cool, making it perfect for any event. Take it to backyard BBQs, potlucks, or even church dinners!
Its pretty pink color also makes it a big hit at baby showers, birthday parties, and Mother’s Day brunches.
You can even serve it as a side dish instead of a dessert. (So everyone gets to eat another dessert without feeling guilty!) It isn’t overly sweet, so it works.
Seriously, this stuff is a win-win all around.
Ingredients
Here are the five ingredients needed to make strawberry fluff:
- Cool Whip. You need one container of thawed Cool Whip. Be sure to let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Frozen Cool Whip won’t work. Thawed Cool Whip provides a light, fluffy, “whipped” texture, making this dessert irresistible.
- Strawberry pie filling. Use store-bought or homemade strawberry pie filling. I stick to the store-bought stuff for convenience. Use a brand you like, as this is where all the strawberry flavor comes from.
- Crushed pineapples. Pineapples add a tart tanginess. It offsets and perfectly complements the sweet ingredients. Remember to drain the can before adding the pineapples. Otherwise, your strawberry fluff will be too wet and soggy.
- Sweetened condensed milk. This ingredient makes the fluff even sweeter and creamier.
- Mini marshmallows. Use white or colored mini marshmallows, depending on how you want the dessert to look. They add extra fluffiness and chewiness to the strawberry fluff.
How to Make Strawberry Fluff
There are only two steps to making this dessert:
1. Combine. Mix everything except the marshmallows in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until everything is well combined. Then, gently fold in the marshmallows. Avoid over-mixing at this point.
2. Chill. Once everything is combined, cover the dessert with plastic wrap. (Or put it in an air-tight container.) Then, stick it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Fluff
Check out these few final tips before you jump to the recipe card below:
- Remember to drain! I know I’ve said this already, but it’s important enough to mention twice. Don’t forget to drain the pineapples! Don’t add all that juice to the recipe. It’ll ruin the fluff’s texture.
- Double the recipe. Making this for a big crowd? No problem! Just double the recipe. You can also triple or halve it to suit your needs.
- Add extra strawberry flavor. Chop fresh strawberries and add them to the fluff. You can also use strawberry Nesquik powder or strawberry Jell-O.
- Don’t skip the chill time. Strawberry fluff must be served cold. It needs at least an hour in the fridge.
Variations
Here are a few variations to try:
- Add nuts. Nuts add a nice contrast to the other ingredients in taste and texture. You can use whatever nuts you like best.
- Turn it into a pie. Serve the fluff in a graham cracker pie crust for a faux pie.
- Swap the filling. If strawberries aren’t your thing, use a different pie filling. Try blueberry, cherry, or whatever you please.
- Make it creamier. Mix in some vanilla pudding for a sweeter, creamier finish.
- Add some texture. Make the fluff chunkier by adding small pieces of your favorite add-ins. Try angel food cake, Mandarin oranges, broken pretzels, etc.
- Swap out the pineapples. I love the tangy contrast pineapples provide to the recipe. However, you can go with something sweeter if you like. Chop up two bananas or dice an apple into the mix.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
When it comes to strawberry fluff, the colder it is, the better it tastes. This makes it an excellent make-ahead dessert. It also makes storing leftovers a breeze.
To make this recipe beforehand, simply follow all the recipe instructions. Then, wrap the bowl tightly in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge. You can make it up to 24 hours in advance.
Store leftovers the same way, wrapped in plastic wrap. They’ll last for up to 3 days. You can also store the dessert in an air-tight container if you prefer that to plastic wrap.
Don’t freeze the dish. Doing so will result in texture changes, making it less appetizing.