Description
Banana Split Fluff Salad combines classic dessert flavors in a delightful no-bake treat. Creamy pudding, fresh fruit, and sweet toppings create a nostalgic summer dessert you’ll crave at potlucks and family gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz / 227 g) container whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (3.4 oz / 96 g) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) milk
- 3 bananas, sliced
- 1 (20 oz / 567 g) can crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 cup (175 g) maraschino cherries, halved and drained
- 2 cups (100 g) mini marshmallows
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped pecans or walnuts
- ½ cup (90 g) chocolate chips
- maraschino cherries
- chocolate syrup
- extra chopped nuts
Instructions
- Pudding Preparation: Whisk instant pudding mix with milk until smooth and slightly thickened, eliminating any potential lumps for a silky base.
- Creamy Fusion: Gently fold whipped topping into the pudding mixture, creating a light, airy foundation that will define the salad’s luxurious texture.
- Fruit Integration: Delicately incorporate sliced bananas, crushed pineapple (well-drained), and chopped maraschino cherries, distributing them evenly throughout the creamy mixture to ensure each spoonful bursts with fruity essence.
- Textural Enhancement: Sprinkle mini marshmallows, chopped nuts, and chocolate chips into the salad, introducing delightful contrasts and layers of flavor that echo the classic banana split experience.
- Chilling and Setting: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour, allowing the ingredients to meld and the salad to achieve a perfectly cohesive consistency.
- Final Flourish: Just before serving, adorn the salad with additional maraschino cherries, a graceful drizzle of chocolate syrup, and a light dusting of chopped nuts to create a visually stunning and indulgent dessert.
Notes
Choose Ripe Bananas: Select perfectly yellow bananas without brown spots to ensure the best flavor and texture without overpowering sweetness.
Control Moisture Levels: Thoroughly drain pineapple and pat bananas dry to prevent the salad from becoming watery and losing its creamy consistency.
Chill for Maximum Flavor: Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours, allowing ingredients to blend and develop a more intense, harmonious taste profile.
Customize Dietary Needs: Swap regular whipped topping with coconut cream or dairy-free alternatives for vegan and lactose-intolerant friendly version, maintaining the dessert’s signature fluffy texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 23
- Sugar: 3.5 g
- Sodium: 11 mg
- Fat: 0.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.9 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 1 mg