Give me anything in a cute parfait and I’m totally in.
Ambrosia — the name alone evokes something pretty, sweet and irresistible. I’m a complete sucker for a parfait, especially one that looks as lovely as it tastes.
This isn’t the classic ambrosia fruit salad you might remember, though I love the traditional ingredients. Instead, I took inspiration from a gloss-y pop of color (yes, I get inspired by random things) and created a layered parfait perfect for spring gatherings like the Kentucky Derby.
There are endless variations of ambrosia—some use sour cream, others use plain yogurt or Cool Whip. For this version I used a blend of shredded sweetened coconut and unsweetened flaked coconut, and I reached for my favorite real maraschino cherries. They’re not the neon, dye-heavy kind; they’re rich and flavorful and taste heavenly. If you can’t find them at the store, reputable options are available online.
Oh my word — I could eat these by the jar. They’re juicy, creamy and coconutty, and the cherries tie everything together.
The base is a whipped yogurt cream that I first fell for on waffles at a retreat in Park City. It’s whipped cream folded with Greek yogurt and a touch of vanilla, resulting in a light, tangy, perfectly scoopable topping. I added shredded coconut to the cream for extra texture and flavor.
For the fruit component I tossed pineapple, mandarin oranges and cherries with coconut so every bite has sweet fruit and tropical notes. Mini marshmallows are a must here — they add a nostalgic chew that makes each parfait delightfully fun.
One silly reason I often skipped ambrosia in the past is appearance — it reminded me of cream-based summer salads like potato or macaroni salad, which I don’t love. But the layered parfait fixes that: the ingredients stay distinct in clear jars, and the presentation is bright and tempting.
Isn’t this just the cutest dessert? While this isn’t a strict ambrosia, the flavors are spot-on. You could easily add pieces of pound cake or angel food cake between layers for an even more indulgent parfait — I highly recommend it.
Ambrosia Whipped Yogurt Fruit Parfaits
Yield:
4 parfaits, easily multiplied
30 minutes
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Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 cup mandarin oranges drained
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries plus a few with stems for topping
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1/3 cup mini marshmallows
- whipped yogurt cream (see below)
- 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
- 3/4 cups vanilla or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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In a bowl, stir together the pineapple, mandarin oranges and cherries. Toss in half of the shredded sweetened coconut and mix to combine.
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To make the whipped yogurt cream, add the cold heavy cream to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Fold in the remaining shredded coconut and the flaked unsweetened coconut.
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Assemble the parfaits in four small jars or glasses by layering the whipped yogurt cream, mini marshmallows and the fruit mixture. Alternate layers two or three times for a pretty presentation. Finish each parfait with a maraschino cherry and an extra sprinkle of coconut, if desired.
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Maraschino cherries for life!