This sweet and creamy Jello salad features simple ingredients like raspberry gelatin, mini marshmallows, and frozen raspberries With the perfect balance of sweet and tart it’s the best holiday dessert for a crowd!
If you need a simple and sweet, crowd-pleasing Christmas dessert, you have to give this raspberry Jello salad a try.
The combination of ingredients may seem a little strange. But, trust me, it’s delicious!
I usually only eat this recipe once a year when my aunt makes it for Christmas Eve, so I forget how yummy it really is.
I took it to a dinner with friends and they couldn’t stop eating it!
This recipe works because it:
- Makes enough for a large gathering. You’ll have enough to serve several people so you can take this Jello to events like a Christmas party, potluck, or dinner.
- Uses simple and familiar ingredients in a unique way. And the festive red and white are perfect for the season!
- Can be made the day before your event to save time. During the holidays, we’re all a little short on time, so you can make this the night before and have it ready to go in the morning.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Pour 6 ounces of raspberry Jello onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the Jello and mix until it’s completely dissolved.
Add 2 cups of applesauce and stir to combine.
Carefully pour 12 ounces of frozen raspberries into the Jello gently press them into an even layer.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until the Jello sets.
While the Jello is refrigerating, mix together 16 ounces of sour cream and 10 ounces of mini marshmallows. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for an hour until the marshmallows start to dissolve.
Refrigerate the topping until the Jello is set and then spread it over the top.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
The easiest way to boil water is in the microwave. I used a glass microwave-safe measuring cup and heated the water on high for about 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes.
I used the small applesauce cups because we always have those on hand for school lunches, but you can use the large bottle of applesauce if you want.
You can use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce, or even try strawberry!
The marshmallows won’t completely dissolve into the sour cream so you’ll still see the distinct marshmallow shape.
If you’d like a smoother marshmallow topping, you can melt the marshmallows with 3/4 cup of milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove the marshmallows from the heat once they’re melted and let them come to room-temperature. Fold in the sour cream and then spread over the top of the Jello.
If you can’t find sour cream or don’t like the flavor, try one of these sour cream substitutes.
This recipe is sweet so you can serve it for dessert, but it technically has fruit in it so you can also serve it as a sweet side dish.
More Like This
Looking for more yummy red and white desserts? You’ll love these:
- Raspberry Jello Pretzel Dessert
- Mini Cherry Cheesecake Bites
- Christmas Sandwich Cookies
- Cherry Bars
- Jam Thumbprint Cookies
- Pink Fluff
FAQs
The term “salad” is used to describe a mix of ingredients with at least one raw element (usually with mostly natural ingredients).
While this dessert isn’t typically what you’d think of for a salad, it technically fits the definition.
Yes, you can use fresh raspberries if you have them, following the same instructions. Use 2½ cups of fresh raspberries to substitute for the frozen.
I hope your family loves this raspberry Jello salad! If you make it, take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
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Raspberry Jello Salad with Frozen Raspberries
Ingredients
- 6 ounces raspberry Jello
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 cups applesauce
- 12 ounces frozen raspberries
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Pour raspberry Jello onto the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Pour boiling water over the Jello and mix until it's completely dissolved.
- Add applesauce to the Jello and stir to combine.
- Carefully pour frozen raspberries into the Jello and gently press them into an even layer.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours or until the Jello sets.
- While the Jello is refrigerating, mix together sour cream and mini marshmallows in a medium bowl.* Let the mixture sit at room temperature for an hour until the marshmallows start to dissolve.
- Refrigerate the topping until the Jello is set and then spread it over the top.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.