Enjoy fun and refreshing strawberry Jello with Fruit Cocktail! This no bake dessert combines the wiggly delight of Jello with the juicy sweetness of assorted fruits.
This old-fashioned Jello fruit cocktail salad is one of the easiest ways to make Jello with fruit that stays evenly distributed instead of sinking to the bottom.
My kids absolutely adore jello, especially when there's some fruit cocktail or other canned fruit added into the mix. Don't even get me started about them looking for the one or two token cherries in the mix!
It's perfect for a summer party or even adding to a cold packed lunch.
I grew up on recipes like this jello and fruit cocktail, orange fluff jello salad and ambrosia salad with cool whip. It makes me happy to share these recipes that remind me of my childhood.
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Ingredients
You won't find an easier recipe than this! Only three ingredients and that's if you count water.
- flavored gelatin - best known by the brand name, Jello. I'm using a strawberry flavor but we'll talk about other flavors, too.
- canned fruit cocktail - you'll save some of the fruit cocktail juice to use in the recipe.
- water
See recipe card for quantities.
Tip: Throw away the jello directions (the ones on the box) before you get started. We're altering the instructions somewhat.
How to make Jello with fruit cocktail
Grab a medium sized glass bowl or an 8x8 baking dish to make this recipe.
Empty the strawberry gelatin mix into your bowl.
Add boiling water. Stir to dissolve the jello crystals into the water. Take a whiff of it while you stir, it's like a strawberry scented facial!
Add the cold water, reserved juice, and the fruit cocktail. Stir to combine gelatin with fruit cocktail.
Place in the refrigerator, uncovered for five hours. Halfway through the chill time, give the jello fruit salad a stir to evenly spread the fruit.
Tip: I really love this electric tea kettle to boil the water for this recipe, as well for a cup of tea!
Substitutions
Because there are so few ingredients, there are only a few substitution ideas.
- Sugar Free - use a sugar free version of geletin
- Canned Fruit - use canned mandarin oranges, diced peaches or pears.
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Variations
Fruit cocktail in jello is easy to switch out seasonally. Here are a few ideas to vary the colors over the different holidays and seasons.
- Summertime - perfect for the 4th of July and Memorial Day, use red or blue colored jello in flavors of strawberry, cherry, or raspberry or blue raspberry.
- Halloween or autumn - use orange jello
- Spring - use lime or lemon jello
You can also stir in mini marshmallows with the fruit cocktail, or top with cool whip or whipped cream before serving.
For more make-ahead options, check out my Cold Lunch Ideas post — full of recipes that keep well in the fridge or cooler!
Leftovers
Leftover jello fruit salad will keep in the refrigerator up to a week. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap.
How to Add Fruit to Jello Without It Sinking
If you’ve ever dipped a serving spoon into Jello with fruit only to find it all settled at the bottom, you’re not alone. The trick is actually pretty simple! You don’t want to add the fruit while the Jello is still hot and completely liquid.
Instead, let the Jello cool first.
After you dissolve the gelatin in hot water and add the cold water, set the bowl in the fridge for about 20–30 minutes. You’re looking for the mixture to become slightly thickened until it's almost the consistency of egg whites or light syrup.
Once the Jello reaches that stage, gently stir in your fruit. Because the mixture has started to set, the fruit will stay suspended instead of sinking to the bottom. Magic!
A Few Helpful Tips
- Drain canned fruit well so extra liquid doesn’t thin the gelatin.
- Pat fruit dry if it’s especially juicy.
- Avoid adding fruit to hot Jello - I've found this is the most common reason everything sinks.
- If you’re using fresh pineapple, kiwi, or papaya, use canned versions. These fruits contain enzymes that can prevent Jello from setting properly.
This simple step makes a all the difference and helps you get those pretty, evenly distributed pieces of fruit in every bite. They're like little treasures in your jello!
FAQ
Absolutely! Canned fruits like mandarin oranges, diced or sliced peaches, canned pears, canned pineapple and fruit cocktail are easy and delicious to add to flavored gelatin.
The time to set varies on the brand of jello you use, the temperature of your water and your desired consistency. When adding fruit cocktail to the jello, I found the ideal timeframe to be about five hours.
Yes and no! Fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwis, or peaches are great additions.
Other fruits have enzymes in them that make them unsuitable for adding to jello. Avoid using fresh pineapple or kiwi as they won't allow the gelatin to properly firm up.
If you make this jello with fruit cocktail, leave a recipe review or comment below. I'd love to hear from you!
Related
Looking for other dessert recipes like this? Try these:
No Bake Dessert Recipes
Main Dish Recipes
Recipe
Jello with Fruit Cocktail
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I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 3 ounce package of flavored gelatin I used red/strawberry Jello
- 15 ounce can fruit cocktail, drained reserve juice.
- ¼ cup juice reserved from fruit cocktail
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup cold water
Instructions
- Add 3 ounce package of flavored gelatin (or other brand flavored gelatin mix) to a 4 cup bowl or dish.
- Add 1 cup hot water Use a spoon to stir the mixtures and disolve the crystals, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup cold water, ¼ cup juice reserved from fruit cocktail, and drained 15 ounce can fruit cocktail, drained. Stir to combine.
- Place, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 5 hours, stirring after about 3 hours to evenly disperse the fruit.
- Once the jello is set, you can serve using a large serving spoon.
Notes
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. Calories and other nutritional values vary depending on which brands were used.
Fred says
No ingredient amounts in the recipe!
Deanne Frieders says
It's there. You can jump directly to it from the top of the post or scroll down. Enjoy!
Kim says
Hello So it’s only 1 3 oz Packet of Jello for 1 can of Fruit? Thanks
Jo says
Thank you for sharing. Brings me back to making it with my mother who passed away when I was 15. It's all about the memories! At 54, life is good!
Deanne Frieders says
Life IS good! Thanks for stopping by Jo.
Mindy says
Is it 1/4 cup juice for 1, 2 and 3 sizes? It lists 1/4 cup juice for all.
Deanne Frieders says
You'll need 1/4 cup from the can of fruit cocktail.
Neil F. says
If you REALLY want a vintage version of this recipe, stir in about ½ c. mini marshmallows and a dozen (or so) ⅛-inch slices of fresh banana in addition to the fruit cocktail..!
Deanne Frieders says
Fun!
Helen Hallman says
One Of Our Favs /Thanks For Sharing May God Continue To Bless All Of You llll
Deni says
Small or large Jello? Thanks.
MaryMargaret Wood says
I don't see a reply here, so, if you haven't already figured it out, the recipe calls for a 3 oz pkg, which is the small one. The Family Size is a 6 oz. box.
Deanne Frieders says
Thank you!
Elsa Solomon says
hello. if I use sugar free jello... what size box and are the water and juice ratios the same?