Southern Ambrosia Recipe
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Southern Ambrosia makes a classic holiday fruit salad loaded with citrus fruits. A sweet and creamy salad, ambrosia is always a favorite!
Grandmother Verdie would always prepare it a the day before our family Christmas and Easter so that it was perfectly chilled for serving. Filled with so much delicious, seasonal citrus fruit, Ambrosia has to be one of my favorite little recipes that can be considered a side and also works just perfectly as a dessert.
There’s just something about making it now for the holidays that keeps her right there with me with every stir that I make. It’s like she’s whispering to me about making sure that the whipping cream has just the right amount of stiffness before stirring in the fruit. I can’t help myself from pulling out the glasses of hers that she’d serve her ambrosia in. With their worn golden rims, they still are just as beautiful to me as they were as a little girl thrilled to be able to have her ambrosia salad in the “fancy glasses” for the first time.
There’s just nothing like those family recipes to me. And this one is definitely a special one.
Here’s Grandmother’s Ambrosia recipe. I hope you love it as much as my family does!
Ambrosia Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 medium oranges, sectioned
- 2 medium grapefruit, sectioned
- 1 cup chopped pineapple, or 1 (8-ounce) can diced pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup sweetened flake coconut
- 1 cup mini marshmallows, optional
- 1/4 cup roasted pecans, optional
- 1 (10-ounce) jar Maraschino cherries, drained (optional)
Instructions
- Pour whipping cream into a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold in oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, coconut, marshmallows and roasted pecans. Pour into a large glass bowl. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 8 hours before serving. When ready to serve, add cherries to top of ambrosia and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
Correct ratios for everything, five stars.
I’d like to note that the cherries are only optional if you hate your family.
Thanks for the giggle, Rachel! I’m so happy you enjoy this!!! xo
My mother had these same gold rimmed glasses that would come out every holiday to serve iced tea. She did make ambrosia and it was and still is a favorite of mine. This recipe is delicious. Thanks for bringing back those memories!
Robyn, these ingredients sound delicious! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks so much, Sylvieann.
Aren’t family recipes the best? My very favorite cookie recipe is my grandmother’s version of molasses cookies – they taste like my childhood! Meantime, I cannot believe I’ve never made ambrosia for my Southern husband – his long wait is now OVER! xo
So thrilled you posted this again. I thought it would be perfect for Easter brunch!!! Thanks Robyn
I hope you enjoy it, Suzie! Happy Easter!
Robyn
Reading your recipes reminds me so much of my Mother’s cooking and relatives. I love Ambrosia and can’t wait to make your’s. Your recipe is different from what I’m used to but looks delicious. I like all the ingredients you include, and I’m sure it’s worth every bite! I hadn’t planned to make it for Easter, but I am very tempted. I love your website and thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes!! I’m rating 5 stars because I’m sure it will deserve it!
Aww! Thank you, Fran! I hope you have a wonderful Easter! xo
Love ambrosia, my grandmother always had a big bowl of mainly oranges & coconut at Christmas time, sure do miss those times!!
Such special memories, aren’t they? Makes me realize how much carrying on some of those family traditions will be important to my son later in life. (I hope! Ha ha!)
I love love ambrosia ~ I haven’t had any since my mama and aunts all passed away some 25 years ago. But that was always on the Christmas menu – thank you for a sweet memory!
Merry Christmas Robyn!
Thank you Robyn. I love Ambrosia. Happy Holidays to you and your family.
This looks heavenly Robyn!!! Drooling 🙂
Thanks so much, Jenny! xo