Orange Dreamsicle Salad
A quick, creamy, and nostalgic fluff salad made with orange gelatin, vanilla pudding, Cool Whip, mandarins, and marshmallows.
Ingredients
Base
- 3 oz Orange Jell-O Standard box, not sugar-free
- 1 cup boiling water Use freshly boiled
- 1/2 cup cold water Keep chilled until needed
- 3 oz instant vanilla pudding Must be instant, not cook-and-serve
- 8 oz Cool Whip Thaw completely before mixing
Mix-ins
- 14 oz mandarin oranges Canned, drain very thoroughly
- 1 cup mini marshmallows Fresh and soft
Instructions
- Pour the orange gelatin powder into a large glass mixing bowl. Slowly add one cup of boiling water. Whisk continuously for about two full minutes until completely dissolved and smooth.
- Stir in half a cup of cold water. Place the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes on a flat shelf.
- Remove from the fridge and slowly sprinkle in the instant vanilla pudding powder, whisking as you go. Return to the fridge for another 15 to 20 minutes until it looks like a soft custard.
- Add the fully thawed Cool Whip to the bowl. Do not stir. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold it into the mixture using slow, circular motions until the color is uniformly pastel orange with no white streaks.
- Scatter in the thoroughly drained mandarin oranges and mini marshmallows. Fold them in gently until evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one full hour to let the flavors blend and the marshmallows soften.
Notes
Always serve cold. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure to use instant pudding (not cook-and-serve) and canned mandarin oranges (not fresh) for best results.