My family and I recently returned from a magical Christmas vacation in the mountains. It was a great way to kick off the holiday season, but it put me a little behind. Because time has been a little short, I wanted to re-share one of my favorite holiday recipes. It is a dessert my mom has been making for as long as I can remember. Two years ago, she was kind enough to allow me to post her recipe. It is a beautiful and festive side dish or dessert for the holidays. It is packed full of pineapple, maraschino cherries, and walnuts, with a wonderful combination of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
- 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 packets Knox gelatin
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries (an 11 oz jar will be enough for recipe and to garnish)
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese
- 1 packet Dream Whip
Instructions
- Remove the cream cheese from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Cut into small blocks.
- Place the measured water into the freezer to get cold, unless you have cold water available.
- Chop the maraschino cherries and nuts into small bite-sized pieces.
- Add the pineapple to a pot with the sugar and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil (I use a stainless pot). After it boils, reduce to a simmer until the gelatin is ready.
- To prepare the gelatin, soak the gelatin in cold water for 5 min.
- Add the gelatin water mixture to the pineapple mixture and stir to dissolve.
- Next, add the cream cheese to the pineapple mixture. Use a spoon to work the cheese into the mixture. It will take a few minutes to do so, and you will be left with very small pieces of cheese incorporated. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the cherries and nuts. Let the mixture cool down.
- Once it has cooled, beat in the dream whip with a mixer for about 4 minutes.
- Pour into a glass pie dish or your favorite gelatin mold, and once completely cooled, place in fridge ( If placing in a pie dish, cover carefully, if you don't want to flip it. If you plan on flipping it, the plastic wrap can touch the dessert.) Let sit in the fridge several hours to set, or overnight.
- Remove from the fridge. If using a mold, run hot water over the mold, just until it starts to loosen from the sides. Remove from the mold. If using a glass pie dish, place the dish in hot water (start with warm water to warm the dish up first, so it doesn't crack). Using a spatula or butter knife, gently release the sides and lift up. Perform this step a couple of times to loosen from container. Carefully turn over, and tap the dish a couple of times. If it doesn't come out, repeat again. Enjoy!
Happy December and I hope you make my mom’s recipe part of your holidays. I have also shared some of my other holiday favorites below.
Tiropita (Greek Cheese and Egg Pita)
Shallot and Garlic Cream Cheese Dip
Pistachio Nut Crusted Cheese Ball
Ekmek Kataifi (Greek Vanilla Pudding Pie)
I’m glad you had a fun time away, Antonia, even if it put you behind schedule a bit. The dessert sounds wonderful and very festive. I love the combination of ingredients. I’m glad your mom let you share the recipe! Happy Holidays!
Thanks, Diana! We took the kids on the Polar Express and to a gingerbread house competition. It was a lot of fun. I am hoping to post pictures and a new recipe next week. I hope you have been doing well. I plan to catch up this weekend. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend! 😀
This recipe makes me think of my grandma! She makes a delicious cherry pineapple ice cream, and she also makes a variety of Jello “salads.” I think my family would love this! Thanks for co-hosting with me this week!
Aren’t food memories the best? I’m glad to be co-hosting with you! 😀
Hope you enjoyed your family vacation Antonia! We had no vacation and I still wish there was an extra week before Christmas to get things done! My mom used to make a similar dessert growing up, and I loved it. All the ingredients didn’t seem like they would go together, but it was delicious every time!
Thanks, Heather! I know, December is so busy! I hope things are going well for you!
My Mom would have called this “an oldie but a goodie.” She made something a little like this but with strawberries and in layers. I just ate the jello layers, and ignored the creamy layers the actual strawberries and the nuts, lol!! Merry Christmas and thanks for hosting for us!
Mollie
That’s funny! Merry Christmas to you as well, Mollie! 😀
What a lovely little treat! A great recipe to make with the kids.
Thank you so much, Monika! 😀
The pineapple and cherry pie looks and sounds delicious..it sounds so easy to prepare and I love pineapple in desserts
Thank you, Lathiya! Easy is always welcome, right! Happy Fiesta Friday! 😀