This old fashioned orange salad fluff recipe is an easy dessert recipe that my mom has made for easy family cookout foods for as long as I can remember. It’s a recipe that you can throw together last minute and works all year for refreshing no-bake summer desserts for a summer pot luck and equally as well for holiday sweets!

How To Make Orange Salad Fluff (Creamsicle Jello Dessert Salad)

I don’t know if this is a southern recipe, but this dessert salad (fluff salad) has been showing up on my southern family reunion food tables for years.

If you’ve never had it, on first glance it may seem like a weird Jell-O dessert, but it’s really tasty.

When I got married, my husband made that gross recipe face when we told him what was in it, but now it’s his favorite recipe and my mom is required to bring it anytime we have a family gathering or holiday meal.

If you’re looking for an alternative to traditional fruit salads, try this easy vintage recipe!

Ingredients for Orange Fluff

Frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip in a container)
Orange gelatin mix (like orange Jello powder)
*Secret ingredient* (see below)
Crushed pineapple
Mandarin oranges
Mini marshmallows (optional)

Get the free printable recipe card below.

Recipe FAQs

Secret Ingredient

Ok, before I tell you the secret recipe ingredient, I need you to prepare yourself because it will NOT sound good. (At least that’s what my husband said…)

But, you’ll just have to trust me that it’s really good once you add this unusual ingredient to this sweet salad recipe.

The secret ingredient is… cottage cheese.

(I know, but give it a chance. I’m not a huge cottage cheese fan and I love this recipe!)

ALSO TRY THIS SIMPLE DESSERT RECIPE: No Bake Oreo Cookies and Cream Bars

Secret Recipe Tip

For this recipe use the regular cottage cheese in LARGE CURD.

This is important because I’ve had people make this recipe and use small curd and then complain that it comes out too runny or “soupy.” I firmly believe that’s because the small curd cottage cheese doesn’t hold up to the rest of the ingredients.

Definitely use the large curd cottage cheese.

Free Printable Recipe for Homemade Orange Salad

RECIPE VARIATIONS: Some orange salad Jello fluff recipes call for mini marshmallows and even nuts. You can add those, too, but the recipe I’ve provided is my mom’s recipe without those ingredients.

IMPORTANT RECIPE NOTE: Drain your pineapple and oranges. Do not use the juice from the fruit or it will make your orange Jello salad too runny! This should be a light and fluffy salad.

MORE DESSERT RECIPES TO TRY NEXT: