Ambrosia pie tastes just like the salad, but with a graham cracker crust

Finding new ways to recreate classic family dishes is a great way to keep things lively during the holiday season But, this delicious take on traditional ambrosia salad is one you’re going to want to make over and over again for your family, even once the holidays have long gone. And who could blame you?

For those not familiar with ambrosia salad, it’s a version of fruit salad that’s usually comprised of pineapple, coconut, whipped topping and marshmallows. Sometimes, family members add in cherries, nuts, mandarin oranges or other delicious surprises.

Ambrosia salad is good all on its own, but this recipe from Spend With Pennies turns it into even more of a sweet treat by serving it up in pie form. By combining canned pineapple, instant pudding mix, mini marshmallows, coconut and more into a pre-made graham cracker pie crust, the fruit salad is transformed into the perfect post-dinner sweet.

This video from the Spend With Pennies YouTube channel will show you how to mix this dessert right up:

Considering that this dish uses canned fruit and pre-made crust — and requires no time in the oven — this is pretty much the easiest thing you’ll make this holiday season. And it’s simple and delicious enough that you’ll find yourself making it for weeknight treats throughout the year, too. I mean, why not?

Plus, there’s definitely wiggle room here. If your family prefers this with cherries and without coconut, you can easily subtract from and add to this recipe where needed. So get creative!

If you happen to prefer a more traditional pie crust, that’s possible. A recipe from Kraft calls for a baked pastry shell to be used as the light and fluffy bit of crust you need to officially consider this fruit salad a pie. And if you’re serving a large crowd, you might want to consider making this into Ambrosia salad squares. Following along with this recipe from The Kitchen Magpie allows you to make your own graham cracker crust to fit inside of a sheet pan. That way, everyone will be able to have a square (or two) of this treat come dessert time!

These recipes offer the same taste you know and love but served up in a new way. Who’s ready to mix things up this year?