Beach days, pool parties, boat trips, and barbecues are what Florida living is all about. When summertime weather heats up, you’ve got to find ways to cool down. Okay, skinny dipping in the pool is quite refreshing, but if your neighbor Duckie is (coincidentally?) trimming his hedges again this weekend, you might want to go for this Cherry 7 Up Salad instead. Fluffy and fruity, my Cherry 7 Up Salad is a Pretty in Pink Summer Salad that will have you feeling chill on the hottest days.
This Cherry 7 Up Salad is a warm-weather twist on my Retro 7-Up Salad that I usually make for the winter holidays. My son has been requesting his favorite lime Retro 7-Up Salad, so I decided to create a sweet Cherry 7 Up Salad that is the perfect side dish/dessert for a summertime barbecue or day at the beach. Just pack it in the cooler alongside your water wine bottles, and enjoy both refreshments!
Pink and fruity! (Oh so cutie)
Did you catch the throwback Duckie reference? If so, you must be a Molly Ringwald fan, too! I named this recipe after one of the many great 80s movies, Pretty in Pink, although I admit that it doesn’t top my favorite, 16 Candles. “You say it’s your birthday?” Celebrate with Pretty in Pink Summer Salad!
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Let’s Make It!
First you need to melt 15 (or so) large marshmallows with a can of Cherry 7 Up over medium heat. Once melted, set aside.
In a large bowl, add a block of softened cream cheese, a little bit of fresh lime juice, and a small box of cherry jello powder.
Stir it up, and you’ll have a bright pink base for your Cherry 7 Up Salad. Love this color!
Carefully add your melted marshmallow 7-Up mixture to the cream cheese jello mixture, and stir with a whisk until smooth.
Add your drained mandarin oranges and maraschino cherries. Slice your bananas just before you add them so they don’t oxidize and turn brown.
Remember to reserve a few pieces of fruit for garnish later. Any of these fruits will look great on top!
Cover the fruit and cherry jello mixture with plastic wrap. Allow it to chill overnight (or at least 4 hours) in the refrigerator. My kids were impatient, so after 3 hours, I put mine in the freezer for 30 minutes to speed up the process.
Once the jello is firm, the final step is to add a container of thawed Cool Whip!
The Cool Whip is what gives this summer salad its fluff, so gently fold it in. Also be gentle with your mandarin oranges.
Cherry 7 Up Salad: Isn’t she pretty in pink?
Here’s the complete, printable recipe for Cherry 7 Up Salad (Pretty in Pink Summer Salad):
Ingredients
- 1 can (or 12 oz) Cherry 7-Up soda
- 15 large marshmallows
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 small box Cherry Jello mix
- 16 oz jarred maraschino cherries, drained and halved
- 22 oz jarred/canned mandarin oranges, drained
- 3 bananas, sliced
- 1 container Cool Whip, thawed
Instructions
- Add Cherry 7-Up and marshmallows to medium saucepan and heat over medium until completely melted, stirring frequently; Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, soften cream cheese in microwave (about a minute). Stir in Cherry Jello powder and lime juice.
- Slowly pour Cherry 7-Up mixture into bowl with cream cheese mixture and stir with whisk.
- Gently stir in cherries (reserve a few for garnish), mandarin oranges, and bananas (slice the bananas just before adding).
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until set (about 4 hours).
- Thaw cool whip overnight in refrigerator. Fold in thawed cool whip before serving.
- Garnish with lime zest or twist and a cherry!
This recipe is linked up with other zesty bloggers at Foodie Friends Friday, Weekend Potluck, Snickerdoodle Link Party, and Saturday Sharefest!
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My daughter’s favorite! Because daughter is allergic to limes and lime flavoring, her grandmother adjusted to cherry jello with ginger ale and marashino juice – daughter named in “Pink Yum Yum” some 45 years ago.
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Ah! Thanks for taking us back! I love it!
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Love this exceptional salad. A favorite from my mom’s file is very similar…melting the marshmallows, etc. and using red jello, but only adding pineapple, not all the other fruits…which sounds delectable. So glad you shared. Your photos are exceptional as well.
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Adding pineapple as a fruit substitution sounds awesome. Unfortunately, one of my kids doesn’t “like” pineapple, which is why I chose the bananas, cherries, and mandarins. Next time I’m going to sneak some pineapple in there; he’ll never notice! Thanks for stopping in! Have a great week!
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I was in shock when I saw the pic of the salad. I thought wow they have my childhood favaorite salad! Which no one has ever heard of and some don’t even like it! No way! But nope yours is different. Ours is cottage cheese cool whip drained pineapples and box of jello. Mix all up and Put in fridge. That’s it. Tasty’ yours sounds sooooo good! Love cherry anything!
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Hi Lee Ann! I’m happy to hear that this recipe took you down memory lane! Your family’s version sounds delicious, too! My mom used to make an orange version with cottage cheese. We loved it! Take care!
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I love a good throwback recipe and movie : ) Thanks so much for sharing your fun Pretty in Pink Summer Salad with all of us at Weekend Potluck! We hope to see you again this Friday, Rachel! Have a great week!
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Gotta love those ’80s, Mary! Thanks for featuring this recipe at Weekend Potluck!! I’ll be back to visit next week!