Dessert

The Best Thanksgiving Fruit Salad Recipe

Byanna orden October 23, 2025October 23, 2025

Introduction

This Thanksgiving fruit salad is a vibrant and refreshing addition to your holiday table. Featuring a mix of crisp apples, juicy grapes, and tangy mandarins, it’s dressed in a warm spiced orange syrup that brings all the flavors together beautifully.

A large wooden bowl filled with colorful fruit salad sits on a white marbled surface. The salad has three main layers: the bottom and middle layers are a mix of chopped green and red apples and peeled orange segments with a juicy, slightly shiny texture; the top layer includes halved red and green grapes, pecan halves, and small dark dried cranberries scattered evenly over the fruits. To the side, there is a wooden bowl holding more green and red grapes and an orange cloth napkin with white stitching and silver tongs resting on it. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3/4 cup Orange Juice
1/3 cup Sugar
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
2 medium Green Apples
2 medium Red Apples
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 cup Dried Cranberries
1 cup Pecans
1/2 cup Green Grapes
1/2 cup Red Grapes
15 oz Mandarin Oranges (2 small cans or 1 large, drained)

Instructions

Step 1: Combine orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan.
Step 2: Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat, whisking constantly for 3-4 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the syrup thickens slightly.
Step 3: Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool completely.
Step 4: Core the green and red apples and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 5: Toss the apple pieces with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Step 6: Drain the mandarin oranges well to remove excess juice.
Step 7: Cut the green and red grapes in half.
Step 8: In a large salad bowl, combine the apples, mandarins, dried cranberries, pecans, and halved grapes.
Step 9: Drizzle the cooled spiced orange syrup over the fruit mixture and toss gently to combine all the flavors.

Tips & Variations

For extra crunch, lightly toast the pecans before adding them to the salad.
Swap pecans with walnuts for a different nutty flavor.
Add a handful of chopped fresh mint leaves for a refreshing twist.
Use fresh-squeezed orange juice for a more vibrant citrus taste.

Storage

Store the fruit salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The apples may brown slightly over time, but tossing again with a little lemon juice before serving helps refresh the color. Serve chilled or at room temperature for best flavor.

How to Serve

A close-up shows a spoon filled with vibrant fruit salad held by a woman's hand, hovering over a white bowl full of the same mix on a white marbled surface. The spoon contains a layered mix including a bright orange segment, light green apple cubes, dark red grapes, a brown pecan nut, and dark red dried cranberries. The fruit salad in the bowl below is a colorful mix of similarly textured and colored fruits, with green grapes and small fruit pieces visible. In the background, there is a blurred cluster of green and red grapes, adding depth to the image. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare this fruit salad ahead of time?

Yes, it’s best to prepare the salad shortly before serving to keep the fruit fresh, but you can make the spiced syrup up to a day in advance and refrigerate it. Toss the salad just before serving.

Can I use other fruits in this salad?

Absolutely! Pears, pomegranate seeds, or blueberries work well and add different textures and flavors. Just be sure to adjust the citrus juice to prevent browning if you add pears.