Name: Fruit Salad with Sweetened Condensed Milk
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 can pears ((15.5 oz) drained and chopped); 1 jar maraschino cherries ((16 oz) drained); 1 can crushed pineapple ((20 oz) drained); 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz); 1 container Cool Whip (8 oz); 3 cups mini marshmallows; ¼ cup lemon juice

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This is an updated version of the classic frozen fruit salad. It’s simple and delicious, and you will be amazed at how good it is!

This frozen fruit salad with condensed milk mixes pears, maraschino cherries, crushed pineapple and mini marshmallows into a creamy base of sweetened condensed milk, Cool Whip and a splash of lemon juice. Stir it together in 10 minutes, freeze it in an 8×8 dish and scoop.

The Best Frozen Fruit Salad with Condensed Milk (No Mayo)

I love this recipe! It comes together so fast, it has marshmallows in it (my favorite!) and it’s a nice cold treat for a hot day. It’s sweet, fluffy and a perfect dessert.

The classic recipes for frozen salads include mayo and serving it on a piece of lettuce. There is something about adding mayo to a dessert that just doesn’t settle with me. Mayo belongs on a sandwich or chicken salad, but a dessert? No thanks!

This recipe uses Cool Whip and sweetened condensed milk for its creamy, delicious base. Add in a little lemon juice, some fruit and marshmallows (just because I love them!), mix and freeze. Seriously, this frozen fruit salad is so good and so simple.

I like to make it the morning of or the night before I want to serve it. I picked pears, maraschino cherries and pineapple for this one, but you can use whatever fruit you want. I also love to take fresh strawberries, slice them into large slices and dip them in this creamy dessert. It’s seriously so good, you must try it!

Did you grow up eating frozen fruit salad? What was your favorite version? Let me know in the comments below!

Why You’ll Love This Frozen Fruit Salad

No mayo. Sweetened condensed milk and Cool Whip make a creamy base that tastes like dessert.
Ten minutes of prep. Stir everything together in one bowl and let the freezer do the rest.
Make ahead friendly. Mix it the night before or the morning of your party.
Serves a crowd. One 8×8 dish makes 10 servings.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into this creamy frozen fruit salad and why each one is there. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Canned pears: Soft and mildly sweet, they add bulk and a gentle fruit flavor. Drain them well and chop them into small, bite sized pieces. Extra syrup adds water, and water freezes into icy crystals instead of a creamy texture.
Maraschino cherries: Bring that classic pink color and sweet cherry flavor. Drain them thoroughly. You can halve them so every scoop gets some, and pat them dry so they don’t streak the whole salad pink.
Crushed pineapple: Adds tropical tang and lots of small pieces of fruit throughout. Drain it really well, pressing it gently in a strainer, because crushed pineapple holds a lot of juice.
Sweetened condensed milk: The creamy, sweet backbone of the salad. Because it’s so thick and full of sugar, it doesn’t freeze rock hard, which keeps the salad scoopable. Make sure you grab sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk.
Cool Whip: Makes the salad light and fluffy. It’s stable enough to hold its shape in the freezer. Let it thaw in the fridge before folding it in so it mixes smoothly.
Mini marshmallows: My favorite part! They add a soft, chewy bite and a little extra sweetness. Mini marshmallows spread out better than large ones, so you get a little in every bite. Use a fresh bag, since stale marshmallows turn hard in the freezer.
Lemon juice: A small amount brightens all that sweetness and gives the creamy base a cheesecake like tang. Fresh or bottled both work.
Fruit swaps: You can use whatever fruit you want. Strawberries, blueberries and mandarins would work too. This uses canned fruit, but it will work with fresh fruit too.

How to Make Frozen Fruit Salad

Drain the fruit. Drain the pears, maraschino cherries and crushed pineapple well, then chop the pears. The drier the fruit, the creamier and less icy your salad will be.
Combine everything. Add the fruit, sweetened condensed milk, Cool Whip, mini marshmallows and lemon juice to a medium bowl. Gently fold with a spatula until everything is evenly coated and the mixture looks pale pink, thick and fluffy. Folding instead of stirring hard keeps the Cool Whip light and airy, which gives the finished salad its fluffy texture.
Spread it out. Spoon the mixture into a glass 8×8 dish and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. An even layer freezes evenly, so you won’t have a soft center and hard edges.
Freeze. Cover the dish and freeze until it’s completely frozen. It should feel firm all the way to the middle when you press the top. Making it the night before or the morning of gives it plenty of time.
Scoop and serve. Once it’s completely frozen, scoop it out and enjoy. If it’s too firm to scoop, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften slightly. Serve it right away, since it melts quickly on a hot day. A scoop dipped in warm water glides through the frozen salad more easily.

Tip: For easy single servings, freeze the mixture in individual cupcake liners instead of the 8×8 dish. Just grab one from the freezer when you want a treat.

Ways to Customize Frozen Fruit Salad

Use different fruit. Try strawberries, blueberries or mandarin oranges.
Go fresh. Swap the canned fruit for fresh fruit, chopped small.
Make it a dip. Skip the freezer and dip thick slices of fresh strawberries into the creamy mixture.
Add crunch. Fold in a handful of chopped pecans or shredded coconut right before it goes into the dish.

Frozen Fruit Salad FAQs

Does frozen fruit salad have mayo in it? Classic versions often do, but this one doesn’t. Sweetened condensed milk and Cool Whip make the creamy base.
Can I use fresh fruit? Yes. This recipe uses canned fruit, but it will work with fresh fruit too. Strawberries, blueberries and mandarins are all great.
How far ahead can I make it? Make it the night before or the morning of the day you want to serve it so it has time to freeze completely.
Can I make individual servings? Yes. Freeze the mixture in individual cupcake liners instead of an 8×8 dish.
Why is my frozen fruit salad icy? The fruit probably wasn’t drained well enough. Extra juice freezes into ice crystals, so drain the canned fruit thoroughly.
Can I use evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk? No. Evaporated milk is thin and unsweetened, so the salad would freeze icy and taste bland. Sweetened condensed milk is what keeps it creamy and scoopable.
How do I store leftovers? Cover the dish tightly or move the leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the freezer. Don’t leave it out on the counter, since it melts and contains dairy.
How many does it serve? One batch in an 8×8 dish makes 10 servings.

Fruit Salad with Sweetened Condensed Milk

Lisa

This frozen fruit salad with condensed milk mixes pears, maraschino cherries, crushed pineapple and mini marshmallows into sweetened condensed milk, Cool Whip and lemon juice. It takes 10 minutes to stir together and serves 10.

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Prep Time 10

Servings 10

Ingredients

1 can pears (15.5 oz) drained and chopped
1 jar maraschino cherries (16 oz) drained
1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz) drained
1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz
1 container Cool Whip 8 oz
3 cups mini marshmallows
¼ cup lemon juice

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
Spread into a glass 8x8 dish and freeze.
Once completely frozen scoop out and enjoy!

Notes

You can also freeze in individual cupcake liners.

Recipe adapted from Add a Pinch

Made this frozen fruit salad? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me which fruit you used in the comments below. Your feedback helps other readers, and I love hearing about your favorite versions.