The bright, zesty flavors of raspberry, tart cranberries, and orange come together in this delicious Cranberry Jello Salad. Fancy this side dish up by molding it in a bundt pan or Jello mold or simply mix it up and serve it in a bowl. Either way, this cranberry jello is going to take the place of that boring old can of cranberry sauce on your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table.

Raspberry and cranberry are such a perfect pairing and this recipe is a cinch to put together. It takes just a few minutes to mix everything and pop it in the fridge. The bright flavors are so nice to cut the heaviness on your holiday table between bites of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stove top stuffing. Serve this easy Jello festive side dish with your candied yams and granny’s famous sweet dinner rolls.
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What is Cranberry Jell-O Salad?
A jello side dish is a staple on the Thanksgiving table – and really, most holidays or group celebrations. This raspberry cranberry jello version makes a delicious stand in for cranberry sauce. We love the ease of using instant gelatin and the fancy convenience of the quintessential jello mold. If you’re interested in the history of jello salads, this read is super interesting!
🍊Ingredients:

- Fresh cranberries – these are so beautiful for garnish – you can also use frozen (or skip!)
- Walnuts – we love the bit of crunch and texture these add into the Jello. If you don’t like walnuts, just leave them out!
- Whole berry canned cranberry sauce – the whole cranberries in the canned sauce also add some texture. If you’d like to use fresh cranberry sauce, that works too!
- Raspberry gelatin – Instant gelatin makes this recipe so quick and easy to make. Cherry jello is great too.
- Orange zest – the burst of flavor from just a little orange zest adds so much punch to this cranberry jello.
- Sour cream – this adds a bit of creaminess and a bit of tartness as well.
Equipment Needed: Gelatin mold or a bowl easy to invert
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Substitutions and Variations
- For a great addition, top with whipped cream if you want that extra kick of yumminess.
- We use chopped walnuts but you can also try a cup of pecans (chopped) in this raspberry cranberry Jello salad.
- For a crunch in the salad, mix diced apples into the Jello mixture before you chill.
- Mandarin oranges and canned pineapple or fresh pineapple (crushed pineapple) also are delicious mixed into this Jello before it sets.
🔪 Instructions:

Step 1: Whisk together the boiling water and the raspberry Jell-O until the gelatin mixture dissolves.

Step 2: Stir in chopped walnuts, whole cranberry sauce, sour cream, and orange zest. Mix well.

Step 3: Pour Jello cranberry mixture into 6-cup mold or a serving bowl. For best results, chill for at least 4 hours.

Step 4: Flip over the Jello mold to release the Jello and garnish with zest, fresh cranberries, maybe even a couple orange slices. Serve!
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Serve cranberry and jello salad chilled and add a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip on the top if desired.

How to Use a Jello Mold:
If you’ve never used a jello mold before, it is so simple. Prepare the mold with non-stick cooking spray to make it super easy to release the jello from the mold.
Be sure that you’re using a mold that is the right size for the recipe. If you try to fill a mold that’s gigantic, the jello will fill only a small portion and won’t look beautiful when you remove the jello. The jello won’t expand in size during molding, so you don’t have to worry about filling a mold too full, but you don’t want any of your ingredients to go to waste either! This recipe calls for a 6-cup jello mold or bundt pan – this is the mold I used (affiliate link).
Follow the recipe instructions to allow the jello enough time to set properly. This recipe requires at least 4 hours – you can whip everything up a day or two in advance and your molded Jello salad will be ready to plate at dinnertime!
Simply turn the Jello mold/pan upside down, centered on your serving plate and the cranberry Jello salad will slip out of the mold and onto the plate. Some of the additional ingredients may settle in the pan and prevent the Jello from a perfect molded shape. No worries! Garnish the molded Jello with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts or orange zest and no one will notice a little imperfection here or there.

Recipe FAQs
This Salad is great for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Keep covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
More Cranberry Recipes to Enjoy
If you tried this Cranberry Jello Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.

Cranberry Jello Salad
Equipment
- 6-cup jello mold
Ingredients
- 3 oz. raspberry gelatin instant
- 1 ½ cup boiling water
- 8 oz. whole berry cranberry sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts plus more for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest plus more for garnish
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together gelatin and boiling water until gelatin is dissolved. Chill/cool until thick and syrupy for the most even distribution of the additional ingredients.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and whisk to combine well.
- Pour jello mixture into a greased 6-cup jello mold or bundt pan. Alternately, you can just pour it into a serving bowl and skip the mold altogether!
- Refrigerate for 3-4 hours to allow jello to set. (You can prepare in advance and chill for up to 2 days before serving).
- Flip mold upside down on serving platter to release jello. Serve immediately garnished with fresh cranberries, more chopped walnuts, and orange zest.
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Comments & Reviews
Helen says
Just looking at the cranberry desert has inspired me for our Thanks Giving Meal.