Grandma’s Fruit Salad

This is a very nostalgic recipe for me. Growing up, we drove two hours away to my grandparent’s home for most holidays, and for each of those holiday meals, there was a guarantee that there would be a giant bowl in the fridge with Grandma’s Fruit Salad inside. It is the perfect sweet treat after such heavy holiday meals.

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Table of Contents

• Why I Love Grandma’s Fruit Salad
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• Equipment Needed
• How To Make Grandma’s Fruit Salad
• Shop This Post
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why I Love Grandma’s Fruit Salad

This recipe brings me so many memories from growing up. It’s a recipe my whole family loves. One, we used to beg Grandma to send us home with whatever was left after our holiday meals and a recipe that has always made everyone smile while enjoying a small(or big, who am I to judge) bowl for dessert.

This recipe isn’t necessarily complicated to make, but I won’t lie; it takes time to get all of the fruit diced up and prepared. Fortunately, you can make this fruit salad a couple of days in advance, so you aren’t spending too much time focused on this one recipe the day before a big holiday meal. Even though it takes some time to prepare, I promise you it’s worth every bit of time it takes to dice up all the fruit. Another reason to love this recipe is that it’s perfect for any big meal. A birthday dinner in the summer, Easter dinner, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s. This fruit salad would be a perfect addition to any dinner menu.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Sugar
• Water
• 6 apples
• 6 oranges
• 6 bananas
• 1-20z can pineapple rings, in juice, not syrup
• 1-20 oz can peach slices, in juice, not syrup
• 1-20 oz can pear slices, in juice, not syrup
• Red seedless grapes
• 1 jar Maraschino cherries, pitted
• Chopped Walnuts
• Whipped cream, optional

Equipment Needed

• Knife and cutting board
• Large bowl
• Saucepan
• Measuring cup

How To Make Grandma’s Fruit Salad

Start by dicing your apples, oranges, bananas, pineapple, peaches, pears, grapes, and cherries into a small dice. Add all of the fruit to a large bowl.

Next, in a saucepan, boil 2 cups of water. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to medium, add the 4 cups of sugar, and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the syrup from the heat and pour over the diced fruit. Add the chopped walnuts and mix everything together.

Finally, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Serve chilled and top with whipped cream (optional).

Shop This Post

Oversized glass bowl, this is the one I use

Measuring cups, I love here

Dishwasher-safe and plastic-free cutting boards here

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you keep fruit from browning in a fruit salad?

I have never had an issue with fruit browning in this fruit salad. I believe keeping it refrigerated along with the syrup it’s in keeps it from browsing.

What is fruit salad dressing made of?

This fruit salad is dressed with a simple syrup made of sugar and water. It is more of a dessert fruit salad than a side dish.

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Grandma's Fruit Salad

Discover the nostalgia of Grandma's Fruit Salad. A beloved recipe that brings back memories of family gatherings and holiday meals.

Ingredients

• 4 cups Sugar
• 2 cups Water
• 6 apples peeled and diced
• 6 oranges peeled and diced
• 6 bananas peeled and diced
• 1-20 oz can pineapple rings in juice, drained, and diced
• 1-20 oz can peach slices in juice, drained, and diced
• 1-20 oz can pear slices in juice, drained, and diced
• 2 cups Red seedless grapes diced
• 1 jar Maraschino cherries pitted and diced
• 2 cups Chopped walnuts
• Whipped cream optional

Instructions

• Start by dicing your apples, oranges, bananas, pineapple, peaches, pears, grapes, and cherries into a small dice. Add all of the fruit to a large bowl.
• In a saucepan, boil 2 cups of water. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to medium, add the 4 cups of sugar, and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
• Remove the syrup from the heat and pour over the diced fruit. Add the chopped walnuts and mix everything together.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Serve chilled and top with whipped cream (optional).