
Mix the Fruit Base
Combine pineapple with its juice, well-drained mandarin oranges, well-drained fruit cocktail, coconut, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

A chilled, lemon-kissed cream wraps the fruit in a light, fluffy cloud. Juicy pineapple and soft banana make each spoonful feel like an old-fashioned dessert salad made for sharing.
This Creamy Tropical Fruit Salad is light, fluffy, and filled with colorful fruit in a sweet lemon-kissed cream! Pineapple, mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail, coconut, and bananas come together in a chilled dessert salad that feels refreshing without being overly rich. It’s an easy make-ahead favorite for holidays, potlucks, family gatherings, and warm-weather celebrations.

I usually make the fruit base the night before because it always seems better after it has had plenty of time in the refrigerator. The fruit softens just enough, and everything comes together into one big bowl of goodness. I wait until the last minute to add the bananas because I’ve learned they never behave quite as well if they’re mixed in too early.

Combine pineapple with its juice, well-drained mandarin oranges, well-drained fruit cocktail, coconut, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Sprinkle the lemon pudding mix over the fruit in two additions and fold gently until no dry pockets remain.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until the creamy coating clings to the fruit.

Add the bananas and cold whipped cream just before serving to keep the salad light and fluffy.
Transfer to a serving bowl or individual dessert bowls and serve thoroughly chilled.

A chilled, lemon-kissed cream wraps the fruit in a light, fluffy cloud. Juicy pineapple and soft banana make each spoonful feel like an old-fashioned dessert salad made for sharing.
Scaling note: Ingredient quantities scale in this recipe. Review equipment capacity, batch arrangement, and cooking time when changing the yield.
About 10 servings — Serving size: About ¾ cup
Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.
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